 On my recent travels, my most cherished moments were those when I could sit and observe people - lots of people on a busy thoroughfare, in restaurants, at airports and on cab rides. People sharing experiences and knowledge, their authentic stories of places and things with no other desire than to add a few more moments of joy while I visited their city. It arises in me a similar generosity, a spaciousness that is non-judgemental. As Ram Das so beautifully puts it, “When you go out into the woods and you look at all the different trees; some are bent and some are straight and some are evergreens and others are whatever….you look at a tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light and so it turned that way….you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it…in fact, you appreciate it.” In this month of love let’s consider the mycelial connections underlying this state we all long for, and the myriad definitions assigned to love. As the poet, the painter, the dancer and the singer have attempted to describe what love is…it is irresistible, it’s spontaneous, it’s infectious, it’s expansive, it’s compassionate, it is powerful and transforms everyone it touches and it is still mysterious! This is our natural state, the limitless expansive US. When we move away from this state of pure emotion, we bind ourselves into teeny tiny boxes, our vision gets narrower and our ability to see the larger picture is overshadowed by negativity and pessimism. We get too caught up in the smallness of our fixations and start viewing life through a cynical lens. Our focus goes from potential and strength to, “Oh God! What more will I lose” which forces us to get fearful and self-protective at whatever cost. In the words of Shakespeare, “When love looks not with the eyes but with the mind and therefore is winged Cupid blind.” And in this blindness, we readily dismiss anything sincere and true as simplistic or naive even though we know that all real truth is simple by virtue. One of my favourite spiritual masters is Thich Nhat Hanh and he sums it beautifully saying, “If you pour a handful of salt into a cup of water it becomes undrinkable. But if you pour the salt into a river, people can continue to draw the water to cook, wash and drink. The river is immense, and it has the capacity to receive, embrace and transform. When our hearts are small, our understanding and compassion are limited and we suffer. But when our hearts expand we have a lot of understanding and can embrace others.” I wish to illustrate it further and borrow from the bard again, “My beauty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, For both are infinite.” So go ahead, hug someone…love a little more today! Cheers! Until next time… |
Ritu Malhotra |
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