Shalom.
It is more than peace. It is harmony. It is a peaceful relationship with self and the world and God.
Shalom.
The word rose and fell from our lungs like slow reaching waves on soft sand. Each wave washed layers of harmony, lifting and floating and rebaptizing the room of worship leaders in these unexpected waters of beauty.
The harmony? The “Shalom” sound that washed over us? It was a brilliant and beautiful minor chord–peacefully dark–profoundly dark, this rich layered chord that we don’t often rest in during our sweet happy Sunday services.
And so we sat in the wash of darkness.
And just as the tide of minor notes rolled in, it rolled out, leaving us in a salt-air of silent Shalom. Serenity. Sitting inches from someone else, I was oblivious. I was standing alone on that peaceful beach with my toes still damp.
And these words floated into my mind like a beacon: “It is right. It is ok. You are ok.”
The words–the thoughts–were as clear as the slow Shaloms that passed through our unhurried lungs. And these words were just as soothing.
I didn’t fight for that moment. I didn’t push for it. There was too much stillness in my own soul for me to even have the chance to say “hmm… I wonder what this will be about?”
The words found me. The Shalom with self and world reached for me. And it enveloped me and it swaddled my soul like the soft hands of my mother when she carefully calmed my colicky cries.
And the cries faded. The fight faded.
I’m no longer fighting for light. For illumination. For revelation. I’m no longer fighting to see and to know. I’ve released the weapons of my own resistance, resting them on the white seat I sat in during that Shalom. And I’ve laid myself down, belly side up and vulnerable to whatever the next day has for me with its unknown colors and costs and cares.
And I, with an ocean of hope in my deep-down insides, cannot wait to discover what the day will bring.
this is beautifully haunting.
You should’ve been there. And I don’t say that lightly.
I remember realizing it was as “still” as my soul has felt ever. I didn’t even notice the frustrating ringing in my ears that I usually always hear, even when I’m speaking, ESPECIALLY when I’m silent .. it was as if that ringing disappeared too … and I didn’t realize it until afterwards.
Sadly, though equipped to do that all by myself, I haven’t revisited that place since Refuge.
Ringing? That’d threaten any daily shalom I’d ever hope to maintain.
Shalom Mandy – may this day bring you peace. I recall many incidents in my almost 7 decades of life that’s shook my being, my core values. Many incidents, serious and life challenging – and yet when I gave control to my Master, he brought me (or should I say us – mama and I) through. Three years sgo mama went thru a breast cancer scare, I am going through “heart disease” issues as I type this. Do I like it? No, but I trust my Master to give me peace and bring me through all the unknowns ahead.
Shalom Mandy
Shalom to both of you, Papa.
What a beautiful and moving description of being immersed in Spirit. Thank you.
I can’t get enough of this word. I love the peace that comes with it and the challenge to flourish to create. It is like this perfectly balanced relationship of peace and confidence. Surrendering all fears and being determined to flourish through out the day.
Still flourishing? Love to you Kamrie.
Thank you for sharing, so eloquently, that beautiful moment of of harmony with us.
Harmony is, as your write, more about acceptance than finding peace. To me harmony is the center of the yin yang of daily life. It is about balance, not plus or minus.
The sound of waves rolling in over the ocean is the perfect music to clear our minds and help focus on nothing. This is when what is at our core becomes clearest. We share that core with every being on our planet, every particle of matter in our Universe. Understanding this, accepting it, is am amazingly beautiful moment.
Thank you again for motivating me to think about harmony and helping me experience my own beautiful moment.
Ed: I’ve even found a few computer programs & sites that will play “ocean” sounds for me when I can’t get myself to the beach. It really helps me calm myself down.
Shalom to you today.
Wow…
Wow.
hey Candi, thanks for reading.
i’m with candi…. wow. just wow.
i’ve read it 3 times. i may read it 10 times more. there’s a lesson in your last 4 paragraphs i deeply need to embrace… i used to know it well. now, maybe not so much. thank you, mandy.
(and, i want to come visit that amazing tree in the water.)
Keep reading as much as you need to.
And come see me. I will happily take you to that tree.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
As I read this, God spoke directly to me through your words of “You are ok.” My response was immediately, “No, I am NOT ok,” but He reiterated to me, “You are ok. The surgery was successful, you are ok.” Surgery in this particular instance is spiritual surgery and I’m feeling pain like I NEVER wanted to feel again, but recovery is never pain free and I’m ok. Soon I will even be able to feel ok too.
Thank you
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