My world is a little too frenetic and it is time for me to quiet it down.
Over the last month, I have been drawn to the wisdom of those who preach the power of going inward so that they can better navigate the life they seek. Through really listening to both written and spoken words of poetry, books, and podcasts, I have come to realize that in order to move forward and to where I want to go, I have to go inward and nurture my spirit. For the most part, I have not connected to this part of myself in many months.
With just over 40 days until my 55th birthday, I have decided to run to the quiet. While work will remain a focus during my work hours, I am looking forward to “listening to the quiet” as my father used to say when he lovingly cupped his hands over my ears as a little girl.
It’s time for me to give myself the space to do the things that nurture my spirit so that I can hear what my heart is calling me to do in all areas of my life. Two of the biggest ways that I will try to reconnect with are writing and chanting.
Writing
The good news is that I have been writing daily. Each and every day, I find 30 – 60 minutes in which I get lost in journaling. But that is not enough for me. I have two books that I have actively been working on for quite some time – one as a writer and the other as an artist. Somehow, I have lost the rhythm to move forward with my books and it is time for me to refocus my efforts there. With all of life’s distractions, I have not been thriving as a writer. Ironically, my memoir is currently being called Living Out Loud: A Thriver’s Journey. Looks like it’s time to find my rhythm again. I’m on it!
Chanting
Recently two beautiful chants have invited me to breathe a little deeper and to become more grounded. How is it that I stopped doing the very things that bring me the most tranquility? Each time, I chant or simply sit on my zafu, meditation cushion, I find center. So why aren’t I doing these things more frequently?
Chanting is my soul work; it empowers me to get in touch with my inner voice, to listen to what others are saying and not saying, and to sit with the rawness of who I am. Through chanting, I learn to trust where I am, where I am going, and who I want to join me in this journey. Somehow the practice of chanting nudges me to open the doors that are good for my soul and close the doors that are no longer serving me.
The two chants that are calling to me right now are:
- ALL LOVE: KULAM AHUVIM:
https://www.rabbishefagold.com/all-love-kulam-ahuvim/
I love how this chant by Rabbi Shefa Gold’s reminds all of us to “. . . rise above the illusions of limited perspective and enter the truth of our love, clarity and power.” - OM MAKOM SHALOM:
https://ravshoshana.com/chanting-prayer/om-makom-shalom/
In this beautiful chant by Rav Shoshana Mitrani-Knapp, I am being guided towards the “deep grounding and a connection to a universal Oneness” that I crave and have not been able to access for quite some time.
Both of these chants came to me through my beautiful mentor Anael Atara Joblin. I am grateful she shepherded me back to where I belong! When I am chanting, I feel more at one with the universe, so why haven’t I been doing what calls to me? Time to begin again!
Releasing the Energy Vampires
We all have what I have now come to see as energy vampires. People or activities that distract us from doing what calls to us. With this in mind, it is time for me to limit all distractions and to make time to do more of what jazzes my soul. I actually appreciate how Facebook, along with all social media, and my cell phone keep me informed. The constant barrage of information allows me to find out how people are doing, who has lost someone they love, what is going on in the world, and what I can do to make our world a better place. It also gets in the way of me emerging in healthy ways and actively engaging in life.
One More Thought
A couple of days ago, I listened to my favorite podcast, “The Chase Jarvis Live Show”. In this episode, Chase interviewed Paul Ninson, an extraordinary documentary photographer and aspiring cinematographer, born in Ghana. The title of the podcast was ‘When Preparation Meets Opportunity’. In this podcast, Paul said something that has inspired me to go inward and focus on what is most important to me. He said, “I know where I come from. I know who I am. I know where I am going.”
The truth is I tend to think of myself as having similar clarity to Paul. At the same time, I have not been living as someone who is clear minded and actively embracing their goals. My many distractions have caused me to lose focus. Unless I return to the work of moving forward and reaching for my goals, I will not end up as planned.
Running to the quiet will galvanize me to be more intentional in every area of my life. I want to thrive as a mother, a friend, a human being, a creative, and an activist. This means that for now and probably for a a long time, I need to go inward and really listen to what is calling to me. And then I need to act accordingly.
I am running to the quiet so that I can live in alignment with my spirit.
Hineini, I am here.
Onward with love, light, & blessings,
Chava