A friend of mine told me of this incident. She was sitting at her dressing table one morning and reached for her face powder. It is a little jar with a lid and a separate brush. She went to pick it up and found that she was only holding the lid. She searched the whole table but the bottom of the jar with the powder was no where to be found. She was very annoyed at first but then she got distracted by other things, making the bed and folding laundry, and after a while she came back and sat at the dressing table again and there was the powder, three inches from the lid. At first she thought she might be loosing her mind, but then, the greater part of her reminded her that it was only her belief that the powder was missing that ruled over her ability to see it. And that only when she was distracted by unrelated things and came back to it fresh, with new eyes, that she could see it there in plain sight.
The spiritual life is very much like this. Beliefs are things we tell ourselves over and over again. They influence greatly the way we perceive the world, the people in it, and the roles we play in life. And we get so used to those beliefs that very often we lose sight of the powder that is right in front of us because we believe it is not there. It is in fact hidden from us for as long as we hold tightly on to that belief.
If you've been hanging around churches for a while you've been taught some things that you have been thinking again and again until they are now beliefs that you hold. If you haven't been hanging around churches much at all, you've been taught some things too, culturally inseminated into your subconscious and repeated enough by you and others as to make those things beliefs. Everyone holds beliefs. Many people, most people, in fact, hold very tightly onto their beliefs and until there is a major shift in perspective they are prevented from seeing a fuller picture. If you believe that you have received all truth and there is nothing left for the spirit to teach you then you suffer from arrogance and that is a very serious obstacle in the spiritual life. No one receives the fullness of the truth in this life but the more that is gained, day by day, the richer and happier is life.
In the last couple of years I have been adjusting to life from the vantage point of the empty nest. My children are grown now and out working in the world as young adults. I had so many beliefs about who I was in relation to my role as mother. That role has changed dramatically. My beliefs have shifted. I hold much looser to what I understand about motherhood now. I am able to see beyond my former beliefs and live into something that is better then was before.
This is the danger of the spiritual life, religious or not. We can easily attach to things that seems to "work" or make sense or feel right in that moment. And we settle there. We think and talk about things again and again until we claim them as our own beliefs. Sometimes, after a while, and if they don't serve us well, those beliefs become walls that keep us from seeing things, like the powder jar that is right in front of us. We are unable to see beyond our beliefs; and there is so much more to see. Sometimes we can't receive the very thing the Holy Spirit is presenting to us day after day. But no worries, the Spirit is patient. It leads us continually to the discovery of greater things that enrich our lives and in turn inspire us to improve the world we live in. But we must be in the receiving mode.
That is the opportunity of the Lenten season. With the ashes we are reminded of the natural cycle of life that we humans share with all other created things. We are reminded of the flow of life from birth until death on this earthly plane and then our birth into eternal life. Life is never ending. So do not let the ashes be a sign of endings. Let them be a sign of awakening. Instead of using the ashes to concrete your long held beliefs, lets them be a door that invites you into a deeper place. During the Lent season I invite you to question all your beliefs. Where did your beliefs come from? Do they serve you well? Do they make your life rich and full or do they inhibit your growth and blind you from seeing what is right in front of you?
If you believe that you have made many mistakes in your life and you have regrets then with these ashes I invite you to let go of all of that and be open to the idea that life is simply full of moments that force us to grow and expand beyond the rigid belief we have of who we are. That is all. I invite you to see yourself through the eyes of God, who sees us only as good and worthy and highly valued. That is all. The truth of that is right in front of you. If you cannot see it then your beliefs are blinding you.
I recommend that during these forty days you practice being in the receiving mode; that is open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You cannot see beyond your present beliefs if you are not open to receiving new information.
The first thing to do is to ask. If you ask it will be given to you. Then be quiet. Stop talking so much. Listen instead. Listen closely. Develop a practice of being quiet and listening. Don't be strict about it - just attentive to the practice.
Meditate for 15 minutes every day. No more, no less. There is no wasted meditation. You can't get it wrong. Think of it as focused time to practice being quiet and listening. Let go of any expected outcome.
Eat food that is light and simple that will nurture and nourish you. Heavy, rich foods do not foster a clean spiritual connection. Giving up chocolate is intuitively correct, but that is not nearly enough. For 40 days make a serious effort to clean up your diet.
Walk 30 minutes a day outside in the fresh air. There is no substitute for nature. The natural world is your home; return to it each day, especially if you are stressed or anxious. Running water is very helpful. Sit by a stream and breath deeply and imagine your problems flowing downstream and being gently absorbed by mother earth.
Clean up your environment. Don't leave dirty dishes. Make your bed. One of the best practices you can do is to scrub the floor on your hands and knees, even a little bit several times a week. If you can't get on the floor, dust the furniture, polish the silver, or your shoes. Clean something that requires your attention and some physical labor.
The truth is, in spiritual matters, we can be a little sloppy. If you do one or two of these things with some degree of intentionality you will be in the receiving mode. Then you really will have something to celebrate on Easter. You will see what was hidden from you before.
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