We are Microcosms of the Whole Universe

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour.

William Blake

We are made of star stuff. The chemicals that compose the matter of our bodies are the same chemicals that compose the matter of everything else that exists in the Universe. Neil deGrasse Tyson says, “We are all connected. To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.” And since all matter is composed of energy, that means we are also connected energetically.

When we recognize these connections, we can begin to see how the patterns, challenges and evolution of our lives mirror those of our world. With hindsight, we can understand that the biggest challenges have always offered the most profound opportunities for self-awareness, growth and learning.

Think about a time of loss or disillusion in your life, whether it involved an important relationship, a job, a home, or perhaps a dream, and consider what the ensuing grief inspired in you. What did you learn about yourself, your resilience and your determination to move on? How did these losses help you to understand more clearly what truly resonates with the longings of your heart, and what new experiences did you attract into your life with this new-found wisdom?

Now, take this perspective and zoom out to a global view. We are living through very challenging times which can be causing grief and despair for many. We are witnessing cruelty and injustice in many parts of the world and it hurts our hearts. But we are also witnessing what is being inspired by these challenges. There is an uprising of compassion and activism, a surge of heart-centered awareness and a powerful determination to make things better. Those who have been silent are being inspired to use their voices and those who have been complacent are taking action.

As difficult as it can be to move through some of the highly-charged challenges in our own lives and in the global community, we can choose to view them through the lens of opportunity. And it is through that lens that we will be inspired toward something better, something that is more aligned with our humanity, the frequency of our spirit and the wisdom of our individual and collective hearts.

We came here as experiencers and adventurers, participators and observers, representations of Source wisdom and contrast. And as such, the trajectory of our own paths and the evolution of our planet are determined through the expression of our truth and the way we choose to respond to the challenges that arise on our path.

Here’s one way to look at these challenges. Imagine yourself happily traveling down a beautiful but narrow path when suddenly a huge lump of wet clay is dropped at your feet. You are unable to get around or over it, so you may find yourself stalled for a while as you work through the range of emotions caused by this unexpected obstacle and consider your options. The choices include simply forcing yourself through it, leaving yourself covered in a sticky mess which will take a lot of time and effort to shed, or struggling to push it down so that it becomes part of your path, or perhaps using your creative spirit to mold it into something beautiful that can be shared with others. Eventually, you realize that the only way forward is to make something else out of the mess in front of you.

Every challenge, both in our own paths and the collective path of humanity, can be used as an opportunity should we allow ourselves to see the choices that can be inspired by the challenge. And there are no wrong choices, as even those decisions which lead to other challenges can inspire more wisdom, more clarity and a deeper understanding.

Choose from your heart. Choose with a sense of curiosity and wonder. Choose with an eager anticipation of what might be inspired by your choice. And understand that your own life’s path is a sacred metaphor for the path of our world and our magnificent Universe.

We are all connected. And YOU are a creator.