Covering over the Three Mirrors
Having spent the first three Holy Nights contemplating the three mirrors of the soul, it is now time to address the need to place a cover over the mirrors and experience intimate solitude.
When your “I” meets and embraces all the ways of being “I” without any distractions you become “all one.” Gloriously alone, you are in the blessed state of intimate solitude. The Holy Nights are the most favorable and supportive time of year for intimate solitude.
The great admonition, “O Human Soul, Know Thyself!” urges us to spend purposeful time in intimate solitude. This need for self-knowledge is not found reflected in the mirrors of nature, divinity or other human souls.
Of course, the path to intimate solitude requires us to spend much time gazing into the essential mirrors, studying our reflections. However, we will reach an inner truth that tells us these reflections are just reflections, images of who we are in particular contexts but not who we are at our core.
Nature reflects our soul's nature. We see ourselves as beings of nature. (so many of the Inner Christmas readers have made comments regarding what they love in nature, what are they declaring about their soul?)
Divinity reflects the kernel of the divine within your soul. (What does your feeling about divinity say about your sense of yourself as a being of spirit?)
Other souls reflect back to us our humanity, our selfishness and our unselfishness.
I am I - The Void
Tonight, let go of these reflections and find your self as self - I am I. Be the sun drawing back to its core all the sun rays. All the “I am ‘something’” statements you can make... I am my thoughts.... I am my feelings.... I am my intentions and deeds....I am my stories....I am my body and my biology...can only be stated by the I speaking about a small part of all the I is.
Create for your soul the state of intimate solitude. The Holy Nights are a time and a place to establish a state of consciousness where you release, avoid, ignore, or disappear all reflective identifications and images. Create a void in your soul. Usually a void will immediately call in some substance to fill it. For just the briefest moment attempt to hold the void. The void is the I that contains all the other I’s. Trust your angel, the guardian of your void, to help you in this experience. This may be only a fleeting sensation.
I am sure you know how to ride a bike, but the first time you tried to ride a bike without training wheels or your parent holding you up, you could only maintain your balance for a fleeting moment. But you kept trying. Keep trying for the experience of intimate solitude.
A Walk with I am I
Another exercise, perhaps easier, perhaps not: Your “I am I” invites one of your “I am 'something's” to go for an inner walk - a walk of intimate solitude - and have a conversation. Your “I am I,” innocent and full of wonder, wants to learn about and from the “I am ‘something’.” Tear up some strips of paper and write on each one an “I am” image. “I am my thought that_________.” I am too fat. I am a writer. I am my feeling of sadness. I am afraid of dying. Fold up each strip and put them in a bowl. Mix them up. Choose one. Now go for an inner walk of intimate solitude. Ask your “I am__________.” a question. Listen to the answer carefully with your heart. You will find self-knowledge in the answer.After doing this exercise several times, I suggest you take “I am a self-judger” or “I am a self-critic” for an inner walk. Don’t be surprised if what you learn about this “I am”, brings tears or laughter.
The need for intimate solitude is the soul's need for self-knowledge. Meeting this need is a source of great joy, self-liberation, and tender wisdom.
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A note of appreciation
I want to thank everyone for sharing their comments. You are enriching my experience of each need. They are truly beautiful. Lynn
