Mirrors have a great deal of spiritual significance - at least metaphorically. Imam 'Aly ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him and his family) was once noted to have said that "remembrance of God (Zikr) is like polish for the heart." Why would we polish our hearts? So that we can reflect better.
The spiritual self is often compared to a mirror. The cleaner it is, the better the individual, the purer one is. However, there is another way of looking at the mirror of the self.
A mirror reflects an image. This image does not exist as substance or matter. Therefore, the internal aspect of a mirror is in it's non-existence. What a mirror reflects is non-existent. It is perceived, it reflects reality, but in and of itself, it does not have a being. If a mirror were to be focused upon emptiness, it would reflect only emptiness.
Our spiritual mirrors reflect our own selves, our own being is reflected in the mirror of the self. What happens when the self disappears? What happens when all we leave is the mirror?
Rumi argues in his Masnavi that since "Not-being is the mirror of Being, [...] a wise person would choose their own self to be Not-being (self-abnegation)." This would mean that Being would be displayed in that Not-being.
Complicated... What does this mean? Not-being in this sense would be to forego the self, when an individual ceases to be an individual, they are infused with the rest of creation. To quote, "Not-being and Defect, wherever they occur, are the mirrors of the Beauty of all beings. [...] Defects are the mirrors of the attributes of Beauty [...] because one contrary shows forth its contrary." Rumi is saying that no individual, no matter how pious is perfect. The belief in self-perfection is a path which leads to only pain.
When we understand that our existence and our faults are actually the reflection of the Divine things become more clear. Our faults, our defects, serve to mirror and showcase the attributes of the Divine. Our clear mirror, when it reflects only it's defects and not our own imaginary image is the closest we can get to understanding and "seeing" God. Only through examination of the unavoidable faults in each of us, do we have the opportunity to see the perfection of He Who has no faults. To get to this stage, we must first remove all the avoidable faults. We must cleanse the mirror, polish it's reflective surface and have it reflect... nothing.
Through the image of nothing, everything becomes clearer.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Patience in Seasons
Living in Calgary, we see a lot of strange weather sometimes. It makes me wonder where the signs of God are buried with regards to weather... God says that His Signs are in all things in creation, so of course there are signs in the weather too - but where to look?
Are God's Signs in the pattern of the clouds? The blue hue of the sky? The fearsome thunder accompanying a storm? The intricate patterns of a snowflake? The whisper or howl of the wind?
Of course, the answer is that God's Signs are all of these and more, and yet - it's very difficult for most of us to see the Almighty and His Markers. Are there signs that are easier to see?
I believe there are - I believe that the signs in creation are mirrored in our own beings and in our relationship with the rest of creation.
Change is the one constant here. Our relationship with creation is never the same, as we change, as we grow, our perception of our surroundings is being constantly modified. I believe this is one of the Signs of the Creator. The fluidity in creation, I believe mirrors the Creator. The Creator must be static and dynamic, both simultaneously, for the Creator is perfect and yet, ever-changing. The definition of perfection is ever-changing, even though what is perfect - doesn't change.
Living in Calgary, I've learnt a great deal about weather, good weather and bad weather. The one enduring fact is that the weather always changes, seasons always eventually change. Regardless of how long the winter is, eventually spring does come and regardless of how long the spring is, eventually winter will come. The one thing that preserves us during winter and keeps us humble during the spring is the knowledge and love of the Creator, or at least the attempt to search out the buried signs.
Let's keep digging.
Are God's Signs in the pattern of the clouds? The blue hue of the sky? The fearsome thunder accompanying a storm? The intricate patterns of a snowflake? The whisper or howl of the wind?
Of course, the answer is that God's Signs are all of these and more, and yet - it's very difficult for most of us to see the Almighty and His Markers. Are there signs that are easier to see?
I believe there are - I believe that the signs in creation are mirrored in our own beings and in our relationship with the rest of creation.
Change is the one constant here. Our relationship with creation is never the same, as we change, as we grow, our perception of our surroundings is being constantly modified. I believe this is one of the Signs of the Creator. The fluidity in creation, I believe mirrors the Creator. The Creator must be static and dynamic, both simultaneously, for the Creator is perfect and yet, ever-changing. The definition of perfection is ever-changing, even though what is perfect - doesn't change.
Living in Calgary, I've learnt a great deal about weather, good weather and bad weather. The one enduring fact is that the weather always changes, seasons always eventually change. Regardless of how long the winter is, eventually spring does come and regardless of how long the spring is, eventually winter will come. The one thing that preserves us during winter and keeps us humble during the spring is the knowledge and love of the Creator, or at least the attempt to search out the buried signs.
Let's keep digging.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
The Experience of Existence
What is the difference between us? What differentiates one person from another or from another form of creation?
I've been thinking about this question for a while now. It seems obvious what separates a human being from the rest of creation on the Earth - we have the ability to think - but how does this truly manifest itself? It can be argued that we feel emotions that other animals do not or cannot, yet how can we be sure this is the case? It isn't like plants or animals can vocalize their experiences...
Maybe that's the key, the experiences. When I was much younger I remember my perspective on the world. It was vastly different than it is now. I grew up as essentially a different person than who I am today because my perceptions, my experiences were different, and so it likely is with the rest of creation.
I would argue that the difference between mankind and the rest of creation is our intellect and therefore our ability to experience the world in a vastly different way than anything else. Our ability to think and our specific cognizance defines our experiences and thus is an expression of our individuality... Well, that seems like it's pretty common sense doesn't it?
Yes, but this same principle can be extended in the opposite direction. If we are different from other parts of creation by virtue of our ability to experience the world in a way that other creatures cannot, then it must be asked if there are experiences more complete than what our own intellect provides? Maybe our experience of our lives represents only a small fragment of what there is to experience... Maybe there is a perspective - a super-perspective if you will - that enables a more complete view.
I believe that is our ultimate destiny, if we exist for a reason, that reason may be the extension of our intellect into the realm of the spiritual. When we gain a super-perspective, we become "enlightened," we understand more of creation and the Creator. We become as the spiritual masters of the past, as Rumi, as Shams, as Al-Hallaj or as countless others. We become One.
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