Moving Towards Purpose

 

"At dawn, the moon appeared

and swooped down from the sky to look at me...”    

We have all had experiences that, in the moment, challenged us to look closely at how we live and our perceptions of that life.. as it really is, not just what we have imagined or convinced ourselves that it is.  It is a valuable opportunity to take stock and make adjustments. "Experience Life at its Peak," the 36th pathway is my focus today. From Neil Douglas-Klotz's book, entitled "The Sufi Book of Life-99 Pathways to the Heart"  I explore each through the medium of art. Years ago I was inspired to create an art journal page for each path. I read the path, meditate upon it and then gather the images that 'speak' to me. Here I share the collage and what the images represent to me in my spiritual journey with the idea that this exploration will lead towards greater understanding. Rumi shares this experience in this poem.

"Like a falcon hunting a meal,

the moon grabbed me and away we went!

"I looked for my self, but my self was gone,

In the Moon, by grace, my body became like soul

Many years ago I had a vision which was one of those moments in life that fill you with awe and wonder. A moment truly ecstatic. I would say I was definitely a 'meal for the falcon' whisked away on the wind and gobbled up by the experience. It was a defining moment. and one that altered my consciousness and how I viewed my self and my existence  My self/ego disappeared in that moment. The word ecstatic means "to put out of place" and was used early on to describe an out of body experience, a trance-like state or a heightened state of emotion. 

"Luminous, I journeyed on as soul,

until the mystery of Self and self was clear.

Nine shimmering heavens mingled in that moon,

and the boundaries of my being disappeared in the sea."

It is so important to ground oneself after experiencing Self, pure consciousness, because as he explains in this chapter once we start to use words to try to describe it, analyze it, to figure out its meaning, or to share it excitedly with others the mind has already taken over and we've returned to self, our identity that is mired in matter, our false identity; the you that you attach a multitude of labels and stories to. The separate self. But what is Self?  To me it is ultimately Love. We are all but reflections of the One unifying force of life. In that precious moment of realization you "see" and know that the experience does not belong to you. Accept it as a gift with Love and let it sink into you and your understanding. Al-Ali, (pronounced Ya' A-Lee), he calls this "remembrance of the divine potential." In this moment we remember where we come from.

In my collage the moon is the focal point, a small figure stands upon a rock (a solid foundation) and gazes upwards at the moon. Before the figure the landscape is melting into itself. The boat floats upon the waters to symbolize the journey but the nets are pulled in because in this moment there is nothing to catch, you can't hold onto it. The cactus illuminated by light represents endurance, the ability to move forward on one's journey towards your purpose. "Your ('re) Light, So Shine! Know where you come from. Hold it in your heart and know it is sacred and then pass it on! Love comes in many forms and is meant to be shared. Ask yourself; how do I express love in this world? Are you a mirror of the divine at work? Let love move you ever forward confidently knowing that you are but an agent of the One. You are free to be your self and experience this life in the way that you wish but remember the Self within is who you really are. Listen,  remember and move forward. Shine!