GaFarmGirl

We spend most of our lives chasing material things outside of us, believing that in it, we will find some completion. Then we find there is only a temporary sense of satisfaction, and then another material thing identified that we believe to be of value to pursue. True lasting value is in the things that are unseen in this world. The love, compassion, kindness, and encouragement that we can leave behind. All of the seen things will eventually deteriorate back to the dust from which they are formed, including the body. The soul or spirit will carry on with what it has been given. These are the true gifts and the only ones that we can carry with us and the only ones when left behind that can last a lifetime. 🕊️

Most people think meditation means shutting the mind up. They try it for five minutes, the thoughts get louder, and they decide they're no good at it. That isn't the practice. The practice is learning to watch. Let the thoughts come. Let them cross the sky the way clouds do, without grabbing hold of any of them. Watch one rise, watch it fade, and notice that you're still here after it's gone. That's the first discovery. You are not the thoughts. You're what's watching them. Then something shifts. Some thoughts turn out to be worth listening to. They've been trying to get your attention for years, under all the noise. Others are old fears, old voices, old stories that were never yours, and those are there to be seen for what they are and put down. A mind with no thoughts at all wouldn't give you any answers either. That's not the goal. The goal is a mind quiet enough that you can hear what it actually has to show you. Look at the figure in this image. No hurry, no struggle. A lantern beside them, a crescent moon, a rainbow bending across the dark. They're not chasing the sky. They're sitting still enough to see it. Be that still tonight. Even for a few minutes. Close your eyes, breathe, and let the thoughts pass without following them. The answer you've been searching for has probably been waiting for you to stop.

Have you ever heard someone explain something perfectly, yet it didn't truly make sense until you experienced it yourself? This is an interesting idea found in Gnostic thought, where spiritual knowledge, often called gnosis, is associated with direct insight rather than simply collecting information. You can read hundreds of books about patience, but one difficult experience may teach you what patience actually feels like. You can listen to countless lessons about self-worth, but the understanding becomes deeper when you finally stop accepting treatment that diminishes you. Information can be shared. Personal understanding often requires reflection, experience, and time. That's why two people can hear the same words and walk away with completely different realizations. They may be at different stages of life, carrying different experiences, and asking different questions. So don't become frustrated when something hasn't fully clicked yet. Give yourself time to think, observe, and experience. But remember, patience doesn't mean waiting passively for wisdom to appear. Stay curious. Ask questions. Test ideas against your own experience. Sometimes, understanding grows quietly before you even realize how much you've learned.