Late last Saturday night, close to midnight, I went outside with my daughter to help her with her car. She had just realized a car light was still on, so we went to take a look. We fixed the light and locked the car. As we came up the driveway I looked upward and saw a full, bright,
Big Dipper. I had to stop to just stand in awe saying, "What a clear night. I haven't seen the Big Dipper in years. In fact, I just realized, I haven't even seen stars much here (on the periphery of Los Angeles)." Once again, my daughter responded with the recognition that the night's constellation was visible because of the lockdown and reduced traffic and smog. "Of course", I said, "that has to be it." I stood spellbound by the sight and was momentarily transported back in time to memories of stargazing on summer nights with friends as a child, and learning the constellations while camping with family at state parks. My thoughts were not on beauty that has been lost, but beauty that I so easily recovered with a trip up and down my driveway. On lockdown.
The beauty is always there.
It is a familiar analogy: The stars that always glimmer in the sky, both day and night, regardless of atmospheric conditions or cloud cover or sunlight can only be visible to the human eye on clear dark nights. In the same way, the beauty of life, it's underlying peace, wholeness, goodness and care, we name God, or Spirit, or Love or other words that fall short, is always present, but hidden, under clouded layers of emotions, ideas and judgements and belief systems.
We meditate to clear our vision and understanding. We discover a calm, a peace within.. It has always been there and can be found again and again and again. When we are calm, then we can turn to the outside world.
One affirmation that I have recommended to people in times of fear and anxiety, as a kind of mantra for navigating overwhelming situations, is simply, "Calmness is Power". The calmness is not just the ability to physically relax, it is the calmness that you build on, uncovered through the meditation process. It's a good one to remember this week. (Susan Nettleton)