“Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and serenity of distant fields and meadows - then let your heart say in silence, ‘God rests in reason.’ And when the storm comes, and the mighty wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky, - then let your heart say in awe, ‘God moves in passion.’ And since you are a breath in God’s sphere, and a leaf in God’s forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion.” - Khalil Gibran
This quote is not about God - it’s about the rhythm of the universe. Reason/Passion, Sun/Moon, Yin/Yang - it’s all one big dance. This passage is a suggestion on how to manage our human life in the midst of this dichotomy. If you move in passion at every turn, you will consume yourself. If you rest in reason, you will ossify and turn to dust. So he says - let your reason inform your passion. He suggests that you rest in silence and move in awe. How can you manifest this in your daily life? Let your reason set the parameters of your expression.
Set aside intentional time to be alone with yourself, morning and evening. Sit in meditation, journal, reflect. As the Buddhists would say, contemplate the Four Immeasurables [Loving-Kindness, Equanimity, Joy, Compassion]. Imagine how you would approach your loved ones, friends, coworkers, your entire day - if every morning you contemplated Loving-Kindness (Metta). Metta can be developed by meditating on the love required by a mother and father to raise a newborn. Contemplate the sacrifices, dedication and love - truly visualize and feel what it must have been like. Don’t just imagine, but embody. This is how you actually generate these feelings.
Bookend your days with virtue - and allow the rest to unfold.
It is as it is.
-Sasha