Where I feel afraid, I am connected to all beings.
Where I feel desire, I am connected to all beings.
In my joy and in my suffering, I am connected to all beings.
And where I am connected to all beings, I am perfection.
-United.
The voice of your ancestors reverberates in your cells. Hear them, speak them.
Oxygen flows through your body. Inhabit your body as freely as it does.
Sunlight reflects from your face. Radiate, illuminate.
Your hands work with the memory of ancient trees and tools. Go where you are masterful.
Do you see it yet?
You carry the whole of the universe in your being.
In your dexterity and artistry, your nimble fingers and loving arms, you are connected to all things. And where you are connected to all things, you are perfection.
To honor your humanity is to embrace your perfection, of this I am certain. Yet, in the path between my own voice and my own ears, these words seem to come more easily:
“Why can’t I be more…”
“Why am I so…”
“If I could only…”
“Love me unconditionally, but I can’t trust you with all of me.”
“Stand back. Don’t go.”
And so it goes, the fear of separation and lies of inadequacy threaten to keep us apart. But here, too, in our doubts and insecurities, we are united.
Desiring, fearing, living, and even loving can feel so isolating when we forget our interconnection. It can feel like you’re the only person on the planet wanting what you want or going through what you’re going through. The truth is, you never are.
These desires, these fears, this pain, and this pleasure are not new. They are as old as desire, fear, pain, and pleasure themselves. They do not separate you from anyone but unite you to all beings. So, don’t use them as a weapon against yourself. Turn them into the torch that lights the way to your immeasurable courage, love, and strength.
Embrace these markings of humankind and see your perfection through everything.
When you do, you see that there’s nothing to fear. Nothing to fix or change. There is no threat to your worth or identity.
Your existence and all it entails is nothing short of miraculous.
If you forget this, and you will, close your eyes and go to the place that remembers your ancestors and predecessors. Breathe in the air that moves so softly through you. Shine as if the sunlight originates in you. And stay there as long as you can.
Keep your heart big and strong and open. Place it in the temple that is you, cherished, revered, and secure. Let your love fill the room, from the inside out.
Where you feel love, you are connected to all beings.
Keep your joy within reach. Call upon it often, it wants nothing more than to lift you up. Let it bubble over in ecstatic laughter. Let it simmer into delicious comfort.
Where you feel joy, you are connected to all beings.
And in your darkest hours, trust that this pain is not new and that you don’t carry it alone. Hold your sorrow in a way that teaches it to heal. Soften in the way that makes you powerful.
Repeat this phrase for you and all who wish to be free of suffering: Where I feel pain, I am connected to all beings. @ralph_leslie (Click to Tweet!)
In your light and in your shadows, you are everything.
Leslie Ralph is a psychologist, writer, and artist who hopes to leave the world a little brighter than she found it. Her people are creative, sensitive spirits who crave love and peace, inside and out. Leslie is the author of There, I Might Find Peace: Poetry and Prose, Mantras and Meditations for Peace, Love, and Strength. Download her free gift, a ritual for receiving, a daily ritual for bringing more love and light, clarity and confidence, meaning and connection to your life. You can follow Leslie on Facebook or Instagram.
Image courtesy of Tim Marshall.
