(This was originally published in 2021)
A human that has forgotten where he comes from has also forgotten what he is.
We live in a world of ever-increasing complexity. At the same time, there seems to be a diminished popular understanding of our profound roots, both as an Earth-risen species, and as a manifestation of the eternal, essential Principle of all existence. In such a world, it is easy to get lost — for our precious human flames to burn low and dim… and perhaps, for individual flames to be snuffed out entirely.
I began this blog by asserting the necessity of rekindling humanity’s deepest connection to life… of re-awakening the human being to the incredible beauty and meaning that is always present and available for apprehension by her living body and mind. Not a moment goes by in this life that can’t, in some way or another, be experienced as meaningful and worthwhile. All it takes are the eyes to see it, the mind to know it, and the soul to feel it.
There are a plethora of deeply-rooted human experiences that, though the details of each might vary, are fundamentally common. These experiences — these nodes of humanity — act as fuel for the beautiful fire of the human heart, and connect us with the common spirit of our species. As the mighty gust of wind turns a small simmering flame into a blazing-hot bonfire, so too do these experiences lift the human being from his spiritual slumber, and awaken him to the glimmering glory of his own existence — of existence itself.
Walking beneath the forest boughs as beams of bright sunlight breach through the leaves; sitting around a fire with friends and family, enjoying a fresh, hot meal; feeling the shining sun upon your face as you toil for the sake of your sacred home. These experiences, and so, so many more, link us nearly directly with the human beings who came before. We are their progeny, and thus our minds and bodies are closely related. What nourished them, will in most cases nourish us, too. We ought to remember that as we wake up each morning and face the new day — as we chart the many courses of our lives and seek for worthwhile futures.
The seeker of self-knowledge will find many of the greatest lessons in Nature herself, and many of the most profound nodes of human experience are linked with the ways walked before modern technological advancement. But tending to the sacred fire does not mean casting away all the inventions and innovations we now take for granted. Despite their vices, which may be many, these creations should ultimately solidify and increase our sense of just how incredible the human being truly is. Science and technology provide some of the most magnificent examples of our capacity for co-creation with the universe, which ought to be seen as one of the most noble human aims. These modern creators are like the leaves at the tip top of the tree, reaching ever-upward for the sky. But a tree cannot survive if her roots are not nourished. The human being cannot reach his full, vibrant flowering without tending to those roots. Looking back through the centuries, and even beyond the bounds of known civilization, can help to remind us of those roots — of what we are.
Of course, the long and sometimes arduous path of self-knowing stretches far beyond time spent with Mother Nature… but something as simple as a walk beneath the sun is perhaps a good start. Perhaps the essence of all things is the simplest of all… and the closer we come to that simplicity, the closer we are to the Source. As the ever-blossoming flower of existence continues to grow in complexity, we naturally stretch further and further away from that simplest seed of all. That is why it is essential to keep reminding ourselves of that root, so that as we reach ever-upward, we don’t forget what holds us in place.
Ultimately, each individual will strike those nodes of humanity on their own. They will experience those moments that make the world glimmer, that cause them to know with every fibre of their being that life truly is worthwhile… even during the darkest nights of their human experience. We all have our own paths to walk, our own individual destinies to fulfill. Self-knowledge is the key, and ultimately, much of that knowledge will come simply by living with an open heart, an attentive mind, and an unbreakable love for life exactly as it is — in suffering and joy, in night and day, in conflict and peace. No story is worthwhile without that play of apparent opposites. Remembering that you yourself are a character in that ever-unfolding narrative of human existence helps greatly in keeping that essential love of life aflame.
Aside from experience itself, there are many guides and teachers who can help to light our way. That is why the preservation and continued engagement with the many wisdom traditions of the world is another key for the tending of our sacred fire. Not only are the experiences of our ancestors woven throughout our physical bodies, but many of the greatest manifestations of their mental and experiential quests for understanding are written down, ready for us to approach and apprehend. The near-countless tomes compiled throughout the ages can act as yet more sacred compasses on the road of a life well-lived. These great minds do not all agree on the nature of reality or the most worthy path, but all of them do provide some window into the complex and multi-faceted human condition of which we are all a part. The more comprehensive and wide ranging our view, the closer we will be to understanding our reality. Contemplating both the rights and the wrongs of these many thinkers can only help in our continued search for truth (which we will never fully grasp, despite our noble efforts and successes).
One idea among them all, however, steadily stands as the pinnacle of our object of contemplation, understanding, and peace.
For ages, the human heart and mind has been drawn, as if by some pull of essential reason — or, better said, by some kind of reverberation — to the notion of an underlying, foundational force that holds and pervades all things.
The atoms in your body function from the same principles as those in the sun… as those in the budding star at the furthest reaches of the ever-expanding universe. All things are bound by the same underlying fabric and Law of manifestation. We are all essentially of One. A single whole that encompasses both expansion and contraction, integration and disintegration, creation and destruction.
Our roots ought to be remembered in their entirety — from the very tip of our most recent, outward, fleeting and complex emanation, to the eternal, forever silent Source from which all manifestations of the wonderful world gush forth.
A mind kept moored to that sacred memory can always experience a visceral connection to life.
In this way, we can tend to the sacred fire of our own souls, and keep alight the beautiful blaze of humanity, no matter how hard the rain falls… no matter how violent and dark the coming clouds appear on the horizon.
Wandering Ways 