Early morning musings on meaning and connection, the language of life.
by Roshnii Rose
At 5 o’clock in the morning, lying awake in bed, pondering what important things I have to say to the world, this is what arose in my mind:
Life is ultimately about Connection.
As I saw it, while my body yearned for more sleep but my mind was suddenly active and lucid, there are four main ways in which us human beings find that sense of connection.
My life journey thus far has brought me to aspire to the following: (Note, I said ‘aspire’ as I am still working on it.)
Connection to Myself
Simply put: Knowing myself, learning to tune in to my intuition and my body’s innate wisdom. Following my heart and trusting that by doing so I will ultimately find and fulfil my purpose.
Part and parcel of this is learning to express myself authentically in what I say and do, which also involves questioning my conditioning and trying to deprogramme the patterns and scripts that do not serve me or anyone else.
Some people or philosophies may say that these individual characteristics are just expressions of the undesirable ego, but I think that we are all different for a reason. We each have unique gifts to share with the world and by doing so, we bring our reality to life in glorious technicolour.
Connection to Other Humans
I endeavour to see my fellow humans without judging (and I have definitely got better at this over the years). The next step is not only to see but also to hear, with open-hearted empathy, which Marshall Rosenberg (founder of Non-Violent Communication) referred to as ‘listening with our whole being’ a phrase that I find helpful and beautiful as it encourages me to engage all my body, mind and heart in the process.
With this type of heart-centred human relationship comes a growing sense of intimacy, which then allows for trust, safety and reciprocated authenticity, including expression of our vulnerability.
The essence of my relationship to both the human and non-human world is basically to be in a role of Service — to give my time, energy, love and gifts to benefit others. But (and I have learned this the hard way as a martyr mother putting herself at the bottom of the to-love list), I must include myself in the equation, meaning that I have a duty to nurture and nourish myself so that I can offer my energy to those around me.
Connection to Nature — Plants, Animals, Land and the Elements
One of the greatest lessons I have learned, particularly since leaving the city to live in the mountains is that I feel more centred when I tune into the cycle of the seasons. By allowing the natural ebb and flow of the Earth’s rhythm to guide me, such as honouring the quiet retreat of winter, followed by new growth in the Spring, I am not only living more in harmony with the planet but also myself.
One vital ingredient of this is spending time in the wild spaces, untamed by humankind. This may simply be sitting at the foot of a tree, where the leaves have been left to compost down and not swept away; or, where I live, my magic spot is at the mossy, rocky edge of the nearby stream. In those moments, I can sink into a state of quiet reflection aided by Mother Nature’s soundtrack — the hum of bees, the song of birds and the rustle of leaves in the breeze.
At times of year when wild food is abundant, I renew my connection and gratitude to the plant world by eating the local, native wild edibles.
After hearing a talk by a man of the Lakota way, a powerful idea stayed with me, that of relating to Mother Earth as her subject. Too often, we humans, being (roughly) at the top of the food chain, wielding our modern technology, consider ourselves as masters of this planet. If I turn that around and look upon myself as a humble subordinate of this immense living being that is the Earth, it transforms the way I relate to all aspects of the natural world, nurturing a sense of awe and servitude.
Connection to Universal Consciousness
The One with no name and a thousand names. Call it what you will, I came to a point in my life, somewhere around my 19th birthday, when I realised I was in a relationship with Universal Consciousness.
On the path of Tantra yoga, I glimpsed the experience of my mind as a drop of water in an infinite ocean. In this state of unity, there is no separation between my consciousness and that of every other animate or inanimate being in this Universe, other than that which my own ego or limited mind asserts. Sounds easy doesn’t it? Well, I wouldn’t go that far. But knowing that this state of blissful union is possible and getting a taste of it leaves my raindrop mind longing for that ocean.
One way of accessing this deep, subtle experience is through practices that take me into this place of non-separation. For me, this has mainly been through meditation and singing devotional mantras, though I know that this is just one of myriad ways to open up that pathway and cultivate that connection.
So there you are, my 5am musings, fleshed out with some late afternoon reflections.
Now I’d like to know how, why and where do you forge meaningful connections in your life?
Answers on the back of a postcard or share them here in the comments.
Over and Out.
