Love rain #03

Before going to Vermont this summer, I imagined myself bike riding through tree-lined paths nestled in the lush green countryside with the sun glistening on my face. With no cell phones, internet or TV to disturb the stillness, here was the opportunity to be present in the glorious natural moment. I, however, was not to experience the warm sun on my face or the lush green countryside in the way I had imagined. Instead, on the day set aside for bike riding, the skies opened up in a downpour. I had a choice. I could ride in the rain or forego that picturesque adventure in the woods. Rather than let the rain dampen my joy, I chose to ride 11 miles in the pelting rain. Despite soaked denim shorts plastered to my body and droplets dripping from my eyelashes, I enjoyed the quaint covered bridges, breath-taking scenery and fresh, cleansing scent of the rain coming down. Yes, I was living in the now and savoring every moment. You see, living my joy despite outer conditions is not just something I should do, but something that I practice every chance I get.

The key word here is practice. Because when joy seems to evaporate --whether it's from a financial crisis, a relationship ending, a medical diagnosis or loss of a loved one, that's the time many of us forget our spiritual practice of positive prayer and meditation or become too overwhelmed to do it. When this occurs, and it happens to most of us, remember to be gentle with yourself and with other people.

It's hard to be gentle with ourselves when we are moving at breakneck speed, being bombarded with information overload and multi-tasking. Yet, if we can simplify our lives and savor the present moment just the way it is, we naturally cultivate compassion, empathy, light and love.

Finding someone else to blame for lack of joy is a facade that relives us of responsibility for our thoughts, feelings and emotions. However, we are always responsible for what we are thinking, and our thoughts act like a magnet attracting what we focus on. By taking a gentle approach with ourselves and others, even when our thoughts run astray, we simply cannot be angry at our spouse, our boss, our government or the rain. Spiritual living cultivates that gentleness and awakens us to the joy of living. Now, we come to understand that we truly are God in action. As such, we open to our individual joy and something goes into action to transform the world.

If the rain is pouring down on you, remember that you see the rainbow after the rain. Remind yourself to practice patience while the rain passes as it certainly will. Often when we are in painful situations, we get distracted by the outer sensory world or world of conditions and feel like we've lost our connection with God. A good way to remember that you are never disconnected to your Source is to consider that when a rainbow appears, the sun is behind you and the rain in front of you. All you have to do is shift your position to see the sun, which never left in the first place. Likewise, in moments of fear and panic, we can shift our consciousness and see our Source that never left us and will never leave us.

When experiencing a rainy season in your life, you have an opportunity to re-capture joy because, like the sun, it was not gone even though it may have been clouded over for a while. This is the time not to stop your spiritual practice of positive prayer and meditation, but to continue it knowing you can change your consciousness and come back to joy.

The stress of daily living and forsaking spiritual practice, such as prayer and meditation, clouds our ability to be gentle, loving and joyous. When we alleviate stress through our spiritual practice and practice the joy of living in the present moment, we peel back the layers of frustration and anger, and the purity of natural bliss remains and flows from us to others. In this way we rise through the modes of action from Drama Dance to living in Infinite Bliss.

Whether it's drizzling or pouring, our light is not extinguished from a little rain (although it may flicker from time to time) rather the rain is like watering a plant, nourishing it and making it stronger and more beautiful with growth. Some of our greatest teachers and masters from all spiritual traditions have experienced downpours and emerged enlightened with a deepened ability to transform lives through their example. Even today, they continue to aide humanity and charge us with love and light whenever we make the call.

When the rain comes, rather than dwelling on it or worrying about the outer conditions, remember to shift your position in consciousness. This is how to change the rain into rainbows. This is how to see the sun that is ever-present much like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow which represents joy. For me, this brings to mind the question, "How did the pot of gold get there in the first place?" One ancient legend says that angels put that pot of gold there. But there's a catch. Only a man not wearing clothing could obtain the gift. Well, that little glitch won't stop me from claiming the gift of joy. I'm going for the gold no matter what my gender or the dress code. And, yes, I plan to be in full attire when I get there.