Aloha and the Divine Universe

March 17th, 2003
Aloha and Good Morning,

         As I packed for my annual pilgrimage to San Francisco for the Makahiki celebration that culminates with an opportunity to enter into the fire made sacred and walk upon her hot coals, I found myself reflecting upon my life and my hopes, my relationship and my desire to learn a better way of being, a better way of presenting myself, a better way of honoring and serving the beloveds in my life, my family and all of you.

         We do not live in a cold empty universe devoid of everything save a few pieces of swirling matter tumbling through the vastness of space. That may be an accurate description of how the physical universe seems to most people and yet are we not so much more than merely physical?

 Every living creature from the most advanced human being to the tiniest of viruses, and everything else, is an interconnected reflection of the Divine. I mean connected in the literal sense. Those who have eyes to see would perceive the tiny, spider web strands that stretch between all that is.

         The Hawaiian word Aloha, formed from the roots alo (Meaning to share) and ha (meaning breath, but also implying life and touching on the divine), can be translated as the breath of life that flows from the heart of god to me and through me to you – and from the heart of god to you and through you to me.  It has a similar

reciprocal symmetry to the equally beautiful Sanskrit word, Namaste, but with less shades of reverence and more entailments of the interconnected oneness of all things. As a word, it feels more matter of fact. The word aloha points to a profound sharing, for we are all connected and we are all one in our ultimate level of being. We cling to the illusion of separation because it is useful in our evolution. In my minds eye, I see that if one were to gather up all the shinning silver connections that flow from each of us to each of us and from there to everything else we would gaze upon the face of god.

       

 I believe that this divine, beautiful, interconnected universe is a conscious creation that acts like a womb for is it not the place in which we grow, develop and mature? Within the womb I believe we receive that which we truly desire even when we fail to recognize the form in which our desires return to us. I also believe that the energies and intentions that we consciously and unconsciously project outward always return. “Cast your bread upon the waters,” was the phrase Christ chose to teach this principle and its profound implications.

      

         So, this morning as my beloved partner arose to prepare for work and as I

arose to prepare for my trip, she made the comment “It must be nice.” My first thoughtless, automatic reaction was a burst of anger that flooded into my stomach at all the negative things I assumed she was implying by that comment.

         Then, after a moment to let the feeling flow through, I took a breath and found a place of stillness and into that stillness flooded an awareness that maybe, just maybe she was asking me for reassurance: reassurance that I notice and appreciate how hard she is working to support me and to help make my trip possible, that I notice and appreciate all the things she has to take on alone while I’m away, since I won’t be there to help her, and most importantly that I love her and will miss her while I am gone. My whole inner being changed and grew quiet in that moment of insight. And to myself I acknowledged, “Yeah, it really is nice.” This morning moment is my public acknowledgement of my appreciation for her and my appreciation for the moment of insight and growth presented by the universe in the form of a simple comment: “It must be nice.”

         I was remind once again that if I assume a negative response the divinely responsive universe will always provide opportunities in which people and events will response negatively to me. On the other hand, if I truly desire to live more positively, the universe will always provide opportunities in which my desire to be positive is challenged by seemingly negative events. In both cases the outward happenings could be exactly the same and yet one’s internal process is vastly different.

         I wish for all of you my deepest aloha in your personal journeys of growth and evolution. May we all begin to notice the growth opportunities the universe presents to us. So, as my partner would say: “Learn the lesson so you don't have to repeat it!” Indeed. May we all learn our lessons, not repeat them, and move on to the wonder and joy of being alive.

Love and Aloha,
Holman