Developing Soul Vision
Entering our third year marked by a pandemic and political strife, I decided to strengthen my capacity to find silver linings. Seeing what’s good plants seeds for more good to grow in my life.
If I emerge from a challenging time stronger and wiser, it hasn’t been for naught. When the pandemic is over, new capacities will endure.
If there is a silver lining, I will find it, is one approach. But that does not encourage the development of eyes to see what is hidden.
I prefer this approach: I know there is a silver lining, there always is, so I’ll look until I find it. It’s an attitude, one of positivity and hope.
Silver linings don’t always appear, like a rainbow in the sky or a lily blooming inside in January, we often need to look beyond the physical, to develop soul vision to see what is invisible to the physical eyes.
How do we do that? It requires faith that no matter what comes, I know there will be something good in it. Every cloud has a silver lining.
Beyond the Negative Bias
At first glance, we are hardwired to see life’s circumstances through the lens of a negative bias, one that ensures survival. It focuses us on dangers and what is missing which can conceal the good that is already there.
Once we determine that survival is not in question, we can look beyond the negative bias and find the silver lining. Which doesn’t mean we don’t have our doubts, but they don’t block us from seeing what’s good. Here’s an example.
After twenty-two months of pandemic living, one negative test after the other and limited social contact, we invited friends to dinner over the holidays. They are vaccinated and tested negative before the gathering, like us.
But when they got covid symptoms and a positive test a few days later, we started testing daily. Within a week, we both had mild symptoms and positive test results.
When it was clear that the symptoms were manageable and survival was not an issue, I used soul vision to find the silver linings.
To tell you the truth, after almost two years of existential dread of the virus, it was sort of a relief to get it and realize we would be alright. As a matter of fact, one of the silver linings of having covid is our immune systems will be robust and better ready to handle exposure when we recover.
Quarantine Time
Spending ten days at home in cold, snowy wintertime with my husband is not the worst thing in the world! I can’t think of anyone else I would rather quarantine with.
In this experience, I am awakened to our lives together, the dance we do in sharing the tasks of daily life. When he cooks, I clean up and vice versa. The natural and healthy rhythms we share became pronounced while we were home in quarantine. Knowing that bodes well for retirement -another silver lining.
Health is a lifestyle for us; one that is not threatened by illness. With this expansive lens, I consider health as the ability to address whatever is happening in our systems (mind, body, and soul).
Health is more than an Absence of Symptoms
It’s not the same as the paradigm of health being an absence of symptoms. It is healthy, in other words, to take care of ourselves when we are sick. Health is a dynamic process to engage in, not a series of problems to be fixed or ignored.
As a matter of fact, occasionally experiencing illness and recovering from it, not only strengthens our immune system but also our resolve. I have accumulated knowledge and supplies for self-care that come in handy. It is empowering to know how to take care of ourselves.
We recognize that good can come from strengthening our bodies, our will, and the potential of our resources. It’s a silver lining that fortifies us.
There has been a level of dread in the air along with the virus throughout the pandemic. Consider the difference between dreading what’s to come and knowing we have what it takes to meet it. Guess which attitude contributes to better health?
Mindfulness
Here I sit at my computer on the first Monday in the new year, looking out at the fresh coat of snow, the blue sky, and puffy white clouds. I feel inspired to live fully, to be awake and aware, not hyper-vigilant or numbed.
That means I notice the physical sensations, emotions and thoughts that are presenting within my body and outside of it. It is a practice; the more we do it, the better we get.
It involves noticing sensations without judging them. For example, I am aware of physical symptoms like congestion and fatigue. I won’t ignore or resist them, but I will also notice other things. I will observe the days getting longer. Yesterday, I noticed it was still bright at 5:00 p.m..
In a few months, spring will come, and we will go to a little retreat on a spring-fed lake in the woods bought with the intention of bringing our grandsons there, while they are young and we are not getting any younger. Giving our attention to something we look forward to is a silver lining.
Heading Towards the Light
Feeling the excitement of coming out of the darkest time of the year, I celebrate the 2.8 minutes of additional light daily! It’s not springtime yet, but we are headed there.
We are on the side of the journey where we are walking towards the light!
Where will I shine the light of my attention? Will I walk toward the light, using soul vision to find silver linings and embrace positivity?
During this time of quarantine, there were clouds (missing our grandson’s third birthday was one of them) and just as many silver linings (seeing him after quarantine was greatly anticipated). To stay connected with him at his birthday, I decided to make him a doll in his likeness and name it after him. Crafting that doll kept me focused on my love for him and his little unique and wonderful self!
We are feeling well again and by next week, our quarantine days will be over. I trust when the pandemic ends, our society will find a silver lining in that we have gone to the threshold, seen what’s there, and discovered that we are resilient!
This year in 2022, my intention is to live fully as long as I have life, come what may. To find good in whatever experience I am having. To look back without regrets, to look forward without fear, and to show up for the present.
A gift I intend to receive.
