This week, Kriyabans from the Assisi Institute will share aspects of the spiritual life as Isha Das turns to other work on our behalf. Today’s reflection comes from Krystal Stimus.
“Whenever your mind wanders in the maze of myriad worldly thoughts, patiently lead it back to remembrance of the indwelling Lord. In time, you will find Him ever with you — a God who talks with you in your own language, a God whose face peeps at you from every flower and shrub and blade of grass. Then you shall say: “I am free! I am clothed in the gossamer of Spirit; I fly from earth to heaven on wings of light.” And what joy will consume your being!”
Paramahansa Yogananda
A few months ago, I spent my birthday wandering in some nearby gardens and drinking in the beauty of all the different flowers. By surrounding myself with these wondrous gifts from God and opening my heart, I reached an inexplicable state of inner calm. The rest of my day was filled with a sense of ease. Later in the evening, I passed by my favorite pizza shop and decided that I would stop in for a slice. Unfortunately, the shop was out of slices and closing soon, so I headed back to my car. As I fastened my seat belt to pull away, the man from behind the counter dashed out to meet me and handed me a slice of pizza he had somehow found in the back. In that moment, I felt a rush of love that expanded my heart and watered my eyes with tears of joy. A voice from inside my being bubbled up and said “I am always here with you.” All of this confused the kind pizza man, but I thanked him and said it was my birthday and now this pizza was special.
This story is simple because God is simple. We can experience the divine presence in everything we do, hear, and come in contact with if we choose to attune ourselves to that light. We do this through the practice of Bhakti (devotion), meditation, and silence. Yogananda tells us “Open your mind and your heart into the infinite and into God, however you feel God to be real to you and feel yourself to be in God now.” In this way, we allow God to speak our language and communicate with our souls! All that we have to do is listen and trust that those spiritual, grace-filled intuitions are real.
Beloved God, Divine Guru,
Teach me how to listen
So that I can hear you
Speak the language of my heart
