Most of the human body is space and water, yet we see each other as solid bodies moving around. At the quantum level our molecules are spinning at great speeds to make us appear solid. Our egos need our molecules to spin wildly, so that we will believe in our own existence. Without space, there would be no place for us to “be.” But our being-ness needs no space. As so often is stated, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. As spiritual beings, our bodies are expendable.

The continuation of our physical appearance in life is dependent upon water. With this idea in mind, I was curious about the recent discovery of an “ocean” of water deep below the earth’s surface. Scientists call it the “hidden ocean.” Reportedly, it is three times the size of oceans on the surface of the earth, and believed to be the source of our visible oceans.

There is a reservoir of truth hidden just below the surface of our everyday lives. When we become aware of who we are as spiritual beings, we no longer thirst for significance or attention, or even love. We know that Spirit is who we are, that we always have an endless flow of abundant love and compassion, and that the source of our love is deep within.

Howard Thurman, a mystical theologian, had many explorations into the nature of Spirit and the universe. He was particularly interested in the concept that out of nothing something is created. In the King James Version of the Bible, in the Gospel of Mark, there is a recognition of this concept: “For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” Perhaps a seed made the fruit possible, but from where did the seed come? If we trace origins of everything, we will ultimately arrive at “no-thing.” Origins thrust us into the illusory past, encouraging us to see life as a series of events. There is no origin to love, just as there is no origin of energy. There is no beginning of life and no ending of life, just a continuation, in another form. Life flows with the energy of Spirit.
In the same way, love simply is. Love bears fruit of itself: With a simple gesture of gratitude, and with lovingkindness and compassion for others, our awareness of a loving universe emerges. The process is without origin – there is no beginning and no end. Out of nothing, love lives and breathes and has meaning in the present moment.

The following is a conversation between Nama and Rafe, mythical characters in a play called life. Rafe has been seeking answers to many questions, but the questions about death have plagued him on his many journeys. Nama is an ancient loving spirit, known for her wise words. Rafe has come to Nama as a last resort, seeking the secrets of life and death.

Rafe: I will not survive this life. I will surely die one day.
Nama: You will transform, and thrive in your transformed expression.
Rafe: You say that with little emotion. Death is a terrifying thought.
Nama: We have the capacity to train our thoughts, to tame the mind that leads us to untrue thoughts. We are eternal beings, we do not die. Death is an untrue thought, generated by a fearful mind.
Rafe: That’s easy for you to say. I feel like a sitting duck. I could die at any moment. How can I prevent this?
Nama: A sitting duck enjoys sitting. It just sits, not worrying about what will happen next. The duck sits, walks or waddles, as you say, gathers its young, protects its young, swims and quacks. It does more that simply sit. It lives its life.
Rafe: The duck does not know that it will die, so it’s oblivious to the pain and suffering of death.
Nama: You do not know that you are living, because of your preoccupation with dying.
Rafe: I cannot get it out of my mind. There are reminders everywhere – the media, my friends and family, even road kill. It’s everywhere.
Nama: Beyond what we see, hear or even feel is a way of being that is peaceful and calm. Be still. We must see through the veil of reality to what is true. In Truth we live and breathe and have our being. Trust that your life has purpose, and that you have an inextricable relationship with all in the universe. As such, if you were to die, the entire universe would have to follow suit. The wave and the sea are one. There is no separation. The universe is alive, it’s thriving and expanding, scattering joy. You are the earth, the skies, the planet, everything. Know this and be conscious of the brilliant light of life beyond your mind’s fearful alarms.

When we point a finger towards something, do we focus on what we are pointing to, or do we focus on the finger alone? Throughout the ages, men, women and children have pointed to the truth of our reality, and we have worshipped their finger. As guides, they have taught us with stories, with parables, with puzzles and poetry, and with their own experiences of life and death, but we have become enamored of them and sacrificed their message.
Each guide has pointed to our inner divinity, our oneness with all life, and the centrality of love in our life. Each has given a name to our experience of love and given us a glimpse of eternal life. None has encouraged us to divide and hate. None has taught us to choose the deathly option of separating ourselves from others, because of what they believe. None has lost themselves in the message. None has been ashamed of who they are and made others wrong because of their self-hatred. None has shunned others in the belief that they were somehow better than others. None has denied their divinity, their oneness with all of the universe. Each has been a loving spirit, believing that what they were pointing to was enough.

Everything in life comes and goes. This thought can be terrifying until we realize that the temporary nature of life is the reason life continues. If everything we perceive in our world were to remain the same, we would not experience the changing of the seasons, the splendid display of flowers, the births of babies, the beginnings of friendships and the end of suffering. Change is a constant we can embrace, as long as we don’t allow ourselves to get too attached to whatever or whomever comes into our life. But we don’t embrace the loss of loved ones or friends because we have caught a glimpse of ourselves in them, and in losing them we believe that we lose a part of ourselves. If we are one spirit, one love, nothing is lost, just transformed. Nothing has gone anywhere, because the only real place is here,now. Love simply is. Love does not come and go, it expresses relentlessly as the essence of our being. When we embrace the loving essence of all we love, we are transformed.

Curving streets seem to wrap around buildings with wrought iron embellished windows and doors in a city of romantic spaces and magnificent churches. The ornate churches are markers for the sprawling historical metropolitan bustle that is Paris. There’s no place on earth like it. Old and contemporary, it’s a city that gives avant garde its credibility, and yet so much of its ambience is steeped in history. The yin and yang of contemporary and traditional aspects of the city blends perfectly in the tapestry of the metropolis. The emotions of visitors and the pride of Parisians are woven continually into the jewel of Europe. Paris is seductive that way.    

A street vendor works quickly to produce delicious crepes slathered with Nutella, while eager patrons look longingly at the ones at the front of the queue who now allow the high caloric confection to drip recklessly from their mouths. Love oozes from every bite. But the vendors are only a slight competitor to the countless cafes that dot the landscape of St. Germaine. Tiny, pricy shops invite a tourist to spend more than the vacation budget allows, and compel the buyers to shriek and coo at such delightfully beautiful treasures.  A dog-friendly city, Paris is home to streetwise pooches who strut proudly alongside their owners, darting in and out of shops and cafes. Paris embraces the creative juices of designers, artists and musicians, poets and writers. A person with a passion to create could get lost in its allure, absorbed in the invitation to get out of their crayon box and soar into imagination. Paris is seductive in that way.

In the underground of the metro, people wait patiently for the prompt subway trains to transport the shoppers, tourists and workers to points throughout the city. Long walks from one stop to a connecting train are worth it if anyone wants to get to a destination quickly. Trains are reliable unlike French lovers who flaunt their haute couture in cafe windows, but disappoint their partners with too much self-adoration. Reading at a quiet table, a handsome man wearing a scarf to reject the cold wind blowing in May is unaware of a tourist who looks longingly and lovingly at his chiseled hair and just right rounded chin.  The tourist imagined herself sitting across the table from him, discussing some mundane topic, like where to find a nice shirt, no, a fabulous shirt. They are after all in Paris. From the mundane topic, he turns to plans to visit Normandy by train. The express train will do. Perhaps a day trip will allow time to visit friends and enjoy the fresher air, cleansed of smoke and gasoline fumes. He touches her hand, looks into her expectant eyes, and without speaking another word,  their mutual language of love the sole communicator, plans are made to enjoy their pairing, their enchantment, their inevitable journey to ecstasy. Paris is the point of departure, but also their return destination. Like a fragrance one is drawn to breathe in over and over, Paris calls me into its mysteriously enchanting arms. Paris is seductive in that way. 

What exactly does it mean to be in a compatible relationship? It’s so much more than liking the same things, or having similar goals. We think we are engaged in a delicate dance, but as I stated in my book, African Zen, ” …we are learning our own dance and stumbling along, sometimes allowing our fears to get us out of step.” (p.257) Our active imaginations can threaten our experience of joy, because we believe the untrue stories we have created. Challenging conditions may appear in our relationships: lack of integrity, impatience, physical and emotional rejection or violence, mental battery, etc. Many well-meaning friends will encourage us to dismiss the power of these challenges and simply focus on a meaningful response to them. The response gives more attention to those challenges. Each of the challenges we face is laced with fear. We fear not being loved, being shamed, being hurt, and being abandoned. Ultimately, we fear death or the end of our existence in this life. We want to be loved, respected, safe, and accepted for as long as we live. We want to live fully, not just survive. We do not realize that all that we want is already a reality. Love is possible without all the judgments and unsolicited opinions about how to improve our appearance or worth. We are already worthy. We are already enough. We must know that we already have all we need. We are whole and capable, loved beyond imagination.
What Marianne Williamson so wonderfully calls “enchanted love” is a state constructed in the mind that moves us lovingly toward others. So often, as enchanting as it is, this love is rarely enough. The ego, an idea of the mind, keeps us in a perpetual state of wanting more, and as a result, we see life as a problem to solve, and relationships as a difficult dance of winning and losing. A compatible relationship is one where there is an awareness that everything we want is already available to us. We must settle into that awareness as spiritual beings, not just enchanted ones. Enchantment is not real, but a figment of our imagination. Enchantment is temporary, much like the fairy tales of our childhood. And yet, enchanted love is also the opportunity to express the love that we are, not only with one person but as the one Spirit in the universe. Enchanted love is an invitation to cherish life, to be grateful for the experience of loving spirit, and to express compassion. As Williamson states, ” An enchanted love is holy ground where the meanness and assaults of the world are not escaped so much as transformed by the power of love and forgiveness.”(p.209, Enchanted Love) Compatible relationships settle into the holiness of existence, bask in the warm waves of love and cherish the present moment.