This article was previously published in 2019.
Life is said to be a paradox. The things we desire are not necessarily the things we need. It is in this way that life presents itself to us as the ultimate puzzle we were born to solve. We all wish to be happy and fulfilled, but what is the path to achieving this? If we ask those who have worked very hard to achieve great success, fame, and fortune, we may often find them saying they are still not quite happy. So, who in this world is happy? Even though we seek satiation in the physical pleasures of life, it is ultimately only the spiritual treasures that satisfy the longings of our souls. The body demands in a loud voice, but the soul pines in a soft and gentle plea. The journey into spirituality is the journey into the spirit. Spirituality is the process of honoring and nurturing the spirit, not just the needs of the body. This week, the universe calls to us to go within and hear the needs of our spirit. The energy of the Creator contains every desire and need we could ever have. Would it not make sense to build a stronger connection to the Source through which all blessings are made possible? This week we are shown the value in turning away from the external, if only for a moment, as we turn within to find the truest of all Lights.
"Life is said to be a paradox."
The Torah reveals 52 specific energetic structures so that we may have an advantage in life throughout the 52 weeks in the year. The Creator sent us the Torah to be humankind’s compass for life. This week, our portion of the Torah is Behar. Behar establishes the scene when the Israelites are on Mount Sinai contending in their spiritual growth. After release from bondage in Egypt, receiving the Ten Utterances, and creating the Tabernacle, the Israelites continue building step-by-step their spiritual structure. The Israelites have undergone transformation in order to merit reaching the promised “land of milk and honey.” Behar discusses the importance of connecting to the rich spiritual realm of Shabbat and spiritual rest. “But in the seventh year shall it be a Sabbath of solemn rest…” The Creator spoke to Moses to inspire us to the truth that in order to be authentically rejuvenated and refueled, we must seek a higher energy field. The energy of this world does not really exist at all, it is merely a reflection and manifestation of the worlds above. The Creator is teaching us that if we want to have blessings and fulfillment, we are to avoid the trap of only engaging in what is physical. We have a soul and it has spiritual needs. The power of Shabbat helps us to draw and connect to a higher spiritual atmosphere, affording us the Light which is the true source of our fulfillment. Shabbat is the final day in the week in which the Light of the upper world makes its way down to our world. The entire world is refueled by this energy automatically. This is the spiritual energy that we cannot see, quantify, or purchase. But it is the energy that enriches our lives. It is the same energy of blessings that come each time we extend our hands to those in need. It is the power of inner peace that is earned when we help a friend. It is the feeding of our spirits that can only come when we choose to awaken the sharing and giving force that is dormant inside. It is in these divine moments we discover it is in the giving to others that we are nurtured, blessed, and fulfilled.
"Embody the energy of love, mercy, and sharing."
“And if you shall say, ‘What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?’ then I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.’” The Light is telling us that our contentment, joy, and blessings come from energy and not from the physical things. We may wish to attempt to fill ourselves by receiving life’s pleasures, but ultimately, we may be left even more unsatisfied. Our soul is hungry for what the physical world cannot provide. We are not sustained by bread alone. Our souls yearn for the Light of the Creator that can be tapped into the moment we decide to awaken it in our hearts. Making the choice in becoming like the Creator is the moment we begin to live. It is through giving that we receive the true Light that we seek. It is the Light that lasts, fulfills, and the Light we were created to reveal.
This week in your meditation, take yourself to an open field. See the beautiful flowers cover the ground on which you walk barefoot. You feel a warm ground below you, and above you a sky wide and blue. The sun’s light bathes the land and your body. The warmth can be felt on your skin and face. You decide to sit down in this beautiful meadow of flowers. The Creator’s Light feeds every blade of grass, every petal, every leaf, and every inch of your body. You feel yourself being bathed in a true Light that heals, nurtures, supports, and satiates. The Light provides for every plant, animal, and human in this great world. We need only to choose it. Let go of those sources that have proven to not serve you in the past. Turn away from them and turn towards the Creator. Embody the energy of love, mercy, and sharing. Allow yourself to receive all that is possible in order for you to share it with others. Open your heart to others and the Creator will open all the gates unto you.
