I Finally Found Myself In Selflessness
~RUMI~
Selflessness is a concept quiet foreign to Western Civilization. We are all consumed by the importance of self, the necessity for high Self Esteem, learning that self matters. In the contradictions of selflessness and selfishness is where we will find peace. It is also where we will find God and perhaps the Season of winter is the perfect demonstration of this contradiction. Living in Western Pennsylvania one truly gets to experience the four seasons. Many of us curse the winter, some of us play in the winter and a few of us get that winter is simply the contractive phase of growth on the planet. Very similar to a selfless state where apparently nothing is happening, yet this state of seemingly lacking self is the only state through which we can find the true self.
All things spring from the space of nothingness. Hence spring follows winter! What beautiful space nothingness is? It is the space to explore newness, it is the space to rest quietly, it is the space to go inside, much like the seed and sit patiently waiting for newness or continued life, to spring forth.
In the winter the earth slows down. Even the animals rest, hibernating until the earth’s environment springs to life with new food, new mating partners and new beginnings. What can we learn from the earth around us? We can learn that it is ok to rest. We can become comfortable with the quiet, the increased darkness. We can learn that it is good to slow life down a bit. We can contemplate the ending of a year. What have we learned, where have we grown, how might we consider doing life differently. We can explore how we may choose to rejuvenate our relationships, how can we can be a better more complete person, partner, parent, spouse and child of God.
We can also remember the words from Frank Sinatra’s song, ‘It was a very good year’. Yes our older years are also winter in nature. We slow down, we stop biologically reproducing, we even become colder more often. You see all things in life are mirrors to provide for us deeper understanding of our truest nature and purpose on the planet. Yes there is a time for every purpose under heaven, and exploring the four seasons will always provide for us great insights into our unique purpose and service in nature and to the ones around us.
There are many gifts and seemingly hidden secretes that winter provides for us. To explore the lessons of winter more completely join us in our section entitled The Four Season’s And You. Or come and quietly play with us on the seasonal retreats at , Your Hearts Desire Farm. The retreats are set up to support your exploration of self and selflessness. To help you find peace in the contradictions of life and to honor your place during all the seasons of life.
Love
Kathleen A Hartford