Sunday 28 July 2013

The Lighthouse of The Soul

As we continue to stand on the rocky shoreline of life, many of us have found ourselves consumed by the desire to scramble over the rocks until we reach that untouched stretch of golden beach; it seems that the desire to overcome the rocks and the unpredictability of the tides has taken over our focus and energy as it is a human tendency to seek out calmer seas and smoother terrain. Yet, when we pause for a while to gaze at the current moment, we realise that just because the shoreline is rocky it does not mean that it is not a life-giving or life-affirming place to be. When we take a closer look, we can see the life teaming amongst the rocks and the energy of the sea vigorously bringing us new life with every turn of the tide.

The rocky shoreline stimulates every single sense and with every deep breath of life that we take, the sea air and the energy can invigorate the soul and instil hope, exuberance and belief. When we become conscious of where we are, rather than consumed with thoughts of where we either want to be or feel we should be, we fully awaken to the richness that is already within and around us. 

Although life can be unpredictable on the rocks, when we pause and re-centre we re-connect to the light in the distance that switches on, then off, then on again. Even though the waves crash at our feet, the light soothes and calms as we intuitively know that it is there to guide, protect and illuminate any challenges we might face. When we pause in the moment we realise that this lighthouse of the soul is always present, but life is often too full of chatter and distraction for us to notice. Yet, when we do re-connect to this brilliant light, we no longer feel small and vulnerable on the rocks, but our essence expands as we feel able to breathe freely once again. 

We spend so much of our lives with our breath held in, trying to cling on to what we know or trying to fight ahead to get to where we want to be that we so often lose sight of those beacons of light that are available to each and every one of us when we open up our hearts, minds and souls to their presence. The light switches on, off and on again, whether we see it or not, but when we do see it we realise that we no longer need to fear life or chase life, as we can simply choose to be alive instead.

The lighthouse reminds us that despite the rocks and the highly-charged waves, we do not have to get lost in the chaos as there is always an air of calmness that we can connect with. When we feel the power of this connection, the need to chase horizons or to get to that beach changes, as we begin to realise the value of where we are now. As the light switches on and off, it is not affected by worry, angst, doing or chasing; it just is what it is and does what it does. This simplicity acts as a timely reminder for each of us to pause in times of storms and in times of calm in order to re-centre and re-align. There is no ‘do’ about the lighthouse of the soul; it just is. 

When we apply this light to our own lives we can begin to let go of the layer upon layer of worry, action and doing in order to become One with the light and to let it lead the way. After all, every lighthouse has a role and we would be wise to acknowledge this rather than trying to think that we know better and push ahead regardless. 

Becoming One with the light within is not a sign of surrender or giving up though, it is a sign of conscious awareness as we step from fear to a place of peace and strength. Whilst we can never know what the rocky shoreline or the pounding waves have in store for us, the same can be said for that golden beach. At the same time, why be consumed with getting to that beach to make life better as this diminishes the value of where we are now? Placing conditions on life (once I get to the beach then all will be well, etc.) is only natural, but it devalues the present immensely. Although, in this moment, we may not be where we ultimately want to be, to dismiss it is to dismiss the lighthouse and the beauty of the rocks, the waves and the mysteries beyond.

So, as we pause for a while and re-align our breaths and our souls with the present moment, we can feel a deep sense of comfort from the light switching on and off. Yet, there is no panic when the light switches off; there is just peace and stillness. When we attune with the light, we stop fearing the dark for they no longer remain separate entities in our lives but they merge into the Whole and remind us that we are all integral parts of that Whole, and this allows us to become One with the lighthouse of the soul and to take a deep breath of joy as we stand amongst the rocks and feel the life force of the oceans lapping and pounding the shores of the soul...