A Canvas for the Heart - Understanding Physicality

As we all know, 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' The traditional understanding of this popular adage says that each person perceives beauty in their own, unique way. However, when we really think about it, life isn't an experience derived from mere sight alone. Rather, it is the combination - and cooperation - of all our senses, processed by the mind and deepened by the heart to form a wholesome and multifaceted picture. Therefore, it would only hold true that if one wishes to maximize the quality of their life experiences, they must tune in to their senses - both individually and as a group - and get in touch with the true meaning of what they are picking up. Only then will it be possible to bring meaning to our interaction with the physical world, instead of it being just a mundane and obvious element of our existence.

 Ultimately, we want to be able to bridge the gap between our souls and the physical world which surrounds us.

Recently, I had an experience which brought this concept to light - literally.

We were just wrapping up our little barbeque, when my friends and I savored the last few moments of a fantastic day at the beach. As the sun began to fell, a silence started to set in as the crashing of the waves subsided. A cool breeze fluttered against my bare skin.
Then, in what I perceived as only a matter of seconds, the skies illuminated into a glorious aurora of red, orange and blue tones, painting a breathtaking masterpiece in front of our very eyes. As clouds changed shape and moved across the sky, new colors started emerging, creating new medleys of vibrant hues every second. It was like watching an Impressionist painting being formed, stroke by stroke, detail by detail, color by color.

As this beautiful phenomenon unfolded before me, I could still feel the cool and sharp breeze whisking by my face, carrying with it the refreshing aroma of the sea. Accompanying all this, was the subtle ambiance of the relaxing, pulsating waves slowly rolling onto the shore.

It was a powerful moment. And all I wanted to do was capture it, take some of it for myself, and keep it stored forever in a safe place that no one can touch or see other than me. I wanted this experience to be - mine.
I knew that there was some deep message written in the patterns in the sky, communicated through the breeze, the soft waves, and the ocean's aroma.
I knew this experience had held some personal significance - it was trying to tell me something. I didn't figure it out then, and I'm still trying to figure it out now. But the point is that I was able to capture the experience inside myself. It forever lies in me, and will always be there for me to recall, reinterpret, relive.

That day, my senses, as a whole, were a Canvas for the Heart, vessels through which my feelings, passions, dreams, and goals can interact with the outside world. The depths of my soul were now the experiences of reality. The world around me and the world inside me were one.


I beseech all of you to take advantage of what you have - G-d bestowed upon us an amazing gift - the ability to sense. He didn't do this for no reason - He wants us to interact with the world around us which He created, so that we can draw personal and unique meaning into our lives. If we don't realize this, we will close ourselves off to an entire dimension of meaning, hope and inspiration. And possibly even more crucially, we will close ourselves off to an entire dimension of ourselves.

"The senses are our bridge between the incomprehensible and the comprehensible."
- August Macke
                                                                                                                   
 - PH

Footprints in the Sand - The Other Side

Most of us are familiar with Mary Stevenson's poem "Footprints in the Sand." Her poem primarily focuses on guidance from G-d and seeking help from a higher power during times of need and distress.

However, this idea has a flip-side, which can also be expressed through the metaphor of the footprints in the sand.

Often enough, we feel relatively confident in our own efforts in life. We put in what we put in, and then we expect results - or, at least, some type of meaningful response to our actions. For every task or mission we do, big or small, we set a predetermined amount of personal effort we will need to put in, and once we reach that quota, we tell ourselves "it's out of my hands now."

But if we are really honest with ourselves, and we take a broader look at the patterns of our lives and our nature, I believe we will find that we more often than not set the bar a little too low for ourselves.
After all is said and done, we look back, and everything seems to be a mush - indiscernible, vague outlines of what we accomplished. The essence of what we did in the past is lost with the past, as the new cycles and rhythms of life set in and take course - designating all that wasn't preserved properly to memory, instead of preserving our past accomplishments as everyday realities.

Every step we take in our life - big or small - is a footprint in the sand. However, if we do not take strong, deep, and meaningful strides which really create an impression on the sand - that is, our life's big picture - then the next set of waves will come and wash those footprints away.

Our challenge as spirited and capable people, dedicated to ourselves and the world around us - is to make lasting footprints on the ever-changing beach of life. Because when we near the end of our stroll along this shore, and we take a moment to recall what we did, we should be able to turn around and draw a clear line of footprints all the way back to where we started - back to our roots, our childhood, and back to the very first steps we took in defining ourselves in this vast beach we call the world.

And perhaps, if we can create our own set of lasting footprints, G-d, too, can accompany us with His set as well.

I wish you all good tidings and good stridings.

- PH

The Violin of Idiosyncrasy

We are constantly in a battle. Whether we are aware of it or not, from the moment we breath the air of this earth, we are entered into a competition which will be the drive for everything we do. It's us against every other person in the world.
Everyone is trying to be themselves, but the problem is that we share a relatively small world, one that is rapidly growing and is less capable of supporting such a diverse group of passionate and driven individuals. There's just not enough energy, not enough time, not enough room. Therefore, it necessitates the masses to follow common trends and routes in life, in order to simplify and more efficiently manage the human population.

What does this mean for us? In a world like today's, and especially in the world that will be handed to our children in a few years - what will happen to individuality, and the personal escapades into our own, unique genius and flair - the ones which are key ingredients to developing truly great people?

What is the responsibility of our generation? What can we do to preserve the "me" of humanity, in order that it not be lost completely for our kids in the next generation?

I think the answer lies in the image inside this post. Take a look at the picture: Why is the musician emphasized? Why can we only see him clearly, vibrant and alive - while the swarm of other people just blur and fade out, as if they weren't significant in some way?
The answer is because this musician has accepted the challenge and responsibility upon himself. He realizes that the state of humanity may radically change, and wishing to preserve his individual spirit, he fights for the two things he believes to be truths in this world - himself and his music.
Standing in the middle of the bustling Shuk (market) in Jerusalem on a Friday afternoon, and NOT pushing his way through a crowd to pick up some dried fish or a bag of candies, and instead deciding to stop his world and play his violin - is his way of telling the world: "Don't forget who you are...and you, and you, and you... Never lose yourself in a mindless routine lifestyle, and instead locate that which defines you - and run after it!"

When we take a second to figure out - even vaguely - why we are what we are, and where we want to be, and not where society and its restrains want us to be - we can pave the way to the development of true excellence and greatness within us - which we can then feed back into our societies, ultimately benefiting everyone in it. It isn't about rebelling against anything or anyone - it's about embracing yourself while still functioning within the system you are given to work with.

You have a name. You have a fingerprint. And it's not a coincidence - it's a sign to everyone of us that we have something NEW and UNIQUE to give to the world. Now let's go find it.

- PH