“Visvas,” is a Sanskrit word with a very beautiful and rich meaning. It is a word that is used in similar ways that we use the word “faith.” One of the translations of “visvas,” is, “to breathe easily, have trust, be free from fear.”
At its heart the Christian “Faith” has this expectation “to breathe easily, have trust and be free of fear.”
People ask me every day, how to pray better? How to study? How to improve their Christian faith? How to live a better spiritual life? There is a sincere desire to move beyond the answers that have not helped… into the mystery of the God that is beyond our comprehension. I am convinced that only those who seek the Lord in mystical contemplation will be able to handle the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
How? Which way? What are the disciplines? Is there a path that I can follow?
I agree with Thomas Merton, who when asked about a path for a spiritual life responded, “Walk across the snow and there is your path.” No one can give you exact directions. We each have a spiritual geography that is unique.
I am, however, confident that when we do what we can do, we will begin to learn and have patience with what only God can do. I have recently taken a fresh “vow” with other followers of Christ to live an accepted “rule.” In this process I have accepted the challenge to live in step with others who are seeking to walk in the mystery of Christ.
My hope is that this blog will serve as an encouragement to others who are seeking “to breathe easily, have trust and be free of fear.” To discover the authenticity of Christian Spirituality and to allow that spirituality to affect our daily lives.
I hope to be transparent and open to the reality of what I am experiencing. I hope that these reflections will encourage greater understanding of and direction in you own spiritual life.
Grab a notebook and write your own reflections, struggles, joys and this simply journey will open up into so much more than my own thoughts.
As I opened this morning with my simple liturgy I was so aware of the “gift of life.” Tears rolled down my face as I realized how often we fail to say “thank you” every morning for this “gift.”
When we open our eyes and stay “spiritual awake,” we become more aware of the “graces” that we are offered every day. This realization changed my “attitude.” Every day is full of unmerited favor. Everyday is an opportunity to experience the undeserved love of God.
As my attitude shifted I could sense my prayer shift. I shuffled in but I was skipping out. I’m not sure that my concerns or circumstances had changed but my attitude certainly had.
As I sat down to write; these words flowed; “your spiritual attitude is like the soil of the garden, all that you enjoy will grow from the seeds of my presence that are nourished in your attitude, all the compassion that you will offer today, is the fruit of those seeds and your spiritual attitude.”
Perhaps our Christian spirituality doesn’t begin in the far away places that we once thought it did. Maybe it begins in the simple recesses of our own attitude.
May you …. “to breathe easily, have trust and be free of fear.”
