Reclaim Your Powerful You! – Day 18
Reclaim Your Powerful You! – Day 18
Chop Wood and Carry Water
by Veronica Lee
There is a Zen saying, “Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.”
We may agree that enlightenment is important, but what is the value of chopping wood and carrying water?
When we rely on our own will – our ability to create and do something with our determination and physical forces – we draw from the fundamental energies available to us as Earthly beings. The primary energies of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual forces support us in many ways. It is essential to connect with each of them to claim all of ourselves and our power. Although we have made incredible industrial and technological advancements as humans, our over-dependence on the multitude of modern conveniences has restricted our ability to receive the gifts of our elemental will forces.
Our spiritual ascension into higher realms of consciousness is deeply linked to how we live on earth. We can spend a majority of our time meditating, reading spiritual books, and attending church, but this is only a fraction of our work as spiritual-human beings. Thus, we are most in alignment when we actively bring love and consciousness to all areas of our lives.
Living mindfully into the basic and mundane aspects of our lives is an important part of aligning with our full power.
When we release our dependence on all things “convenient”, roll up our sleeves and dig into the basic tasks of daily life in its simplest forms, we connect with an authenticity that transcends the task itself. By following an end product or chore to its source, time and time again, we live into the practice of following ourselves to our Source. As well, by generating something from “r-a-w” matter, in turn, we learn to fashion ourselves from “really-all-what” matters as well. At a fundamental level, we understand how to create from Source.
