Rest from the busyness of life

I have to admit that it has been hard for me to keep up with writing here in the midst of the holiday season. At the end of December, I was caught up in the frenzy of tying up loose ends at work, preparing to travel to another part of the country, joining the crowds of last minute shoppers in the annual exchange of currency and finding time to reconnect with friends and family. But as I approached the beginning of a new year, one of the greatest gifts I gave to myself was time.

After a week spent in my hometown, I returned to my apartment; and, for another week, I rarely left my apartment. The few times I did leave were never further than a one-mile radius. I journaled for what seemed like hours, touching areas of my heart I had not yet given myself the space to be with. I prayed and meditated about my wounds and my dreams, wrapping myself in love. In my apartment, I sang loudly and off-tune and did yoga in my underwear. I cried. Sobbed even, until my whole body rocked.

For a week, I allowed myself to just truly be.

On New Year's Eve, I woke up and had the strongest sense of gratitude for everything and every person that has been in my life. As I was praising God in my living room, I was overcome with complete certainty that everything I desire, is already given. Everything I've been searching for, I already have. Every prayer I've ever prayed has been answered.

It was a sacred space.

I was reminded, again, that so often we're caught up in the busyness of life at the expense of our spirits. As Neale Donald Walsch writes, "[L]life has nothing to do with what you are doing, and everything to do with what you are being. Be careful not to get caught in the 'doingness' of your life. That is not what you are here for. You are a sacred soul, and you came here to the earth to Be something." When we focus on what needs to be done, what should be done, or what everyone else is doing/ needs to do, we fail to give ourselves the space to just breathe.

But when we allow ourselves to pause, to be, to connect with God, our divine source, we create a sanctuary. Even if for just a few minutes -- one moment -- we allow ourselves to enter His rest. In the rest of God, our souls are stilled; and it is in the stillness that God speaks.

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. (1 Kings 19:11-13)