"I was passionate,
filled with longing,
I searched
far and wide.
But the day
that the Truthful One
found me,
I was at home."
Lal Ded,
“[I was passionate]” translated by Jane Hirshfield, from Women in Praise of the Sacred (New York: Harper Collins, 1994).
I recently came across this short poem poem by 14th century saint and mystic poet of Kashmir, Lal Ded (also known as Lalla and Lallesawri). Her poem hits me with new force during this Omicron phase of the Pandemic. Lal Ded was 'given in marriage' to a harsh family when she was 12 years old and had only a basic education in the scriptures. As she matured she became an ardent worshiper of the Hindu God, Shiva. By age 26, she had broken free of tradition, renounced her marriage and became a wandering mystic and poet. But as her words point out, she found what she was seeking not in her wanderings, but "at home". The poem is a quiet reminder of the futility of trying to force spiritual revelation, especially (paradoxically) when driven by passionate longing. The problem is that the "longing" leads us further and further away from what is already here, right here, right now.
How do we, in 2022, approach That "right here, right now'? Depending on where you live and the intensity of the Pandemic surge, once again we are cautioned to not travel, to avoid crowds--particularly indoors, and be vigilant about virus exposure. Safety seems fused to limitation and caution, while places, people and even memory seem to cry out for movement, discovery, freedom and growth. Spiritually though, we are called again and again back to what is right in front of us wherever, whatever is here, now. Out of this push/pull experience, two distinct paths of mystical revelation historically arose. One is an inward-turning path of contemplation and awareness of the transcendent aspects of each day through meditation and prayer--essentially disengagement from the outer world. The other is a practice of opening wide to the world of the senses and the wonder of the external world as the daily manifestation of God. Either or both are within reach today, at home. And Lal Ded offers yet another realization--when the 'Truthful One" finds you, you are indeed, home.
For a poetic taste of the path of the senses, follow the link to the opening verses of Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself".
https://recyclemefree.org/.../song-of-myself-walt-whitman...