How To Rebuild Your Temple of Faith

How do I rebuild the temple of faith? What must I do or undo in order to regain a sense of the Presence of Spirit, so that I may feel a peace that transcends conditional prerequisites for wellbeing?

When life hits us with devastating force, what often gets jettisoned in the trauma, is our sense of being. Our sense of self defaults into what has become of us rather than the pure subjective awareness of the “I” that precedes and follows any happening.

Jesus referenced this transcendent self as “I am.” He said, “before Abraham was, I am.” This is the self that was not born and will not die. It is our essence, not merely our body and mind, that comprises our “happy place.” It was this recognition of a deep dimension within that prompted Jesus to say, “be of good cheer” despite the trials of life. Like Jesus, we too were created in the image and likeness of Spirit, and no matter the human drama that unfolds in our physical lives, this sanctuary remains a safe haven, untouched by the winds of misfortune. When I remember this truth and can feel its truthfulness, there is a warmth and peace that washes over me, and my heart and mind recline in contentment.

The challenge, of course, is that most of us get caught up in the maelstrom of life events, the ever-changing landscape of circumstances, relationships, with all the comings and goings in the world of effects. This is the default function of the surface mind that is on constant lookout for what we desire versus what we would push away. It is this pull and push dynamic that keeps us in a pervading sense of imbalance and unsteadiness. We get what we want, and we relax for a moment, and there is a momentary sense of wellbeing. That is, until something shifts and there is a loss or threat of loss and we are back to hungering and thirsting for a new reality. When caught up in this cycle of desire and aversion then peace of mind is always out of my reach. I am constantly seeking but not finding. Our faith has been hijacked by the mind with its bottomless desires and ever-present fears, and life then must be a certain way for me to be ok.

The good news is there is another way of seeing, of being with life that can bring us a sense of peace and equanimity. This is the posture of being with whatever arises as a witness rather than a victim. From this place, I keep a sense of myself as an aware observer and thus avoid the loss of my true identity in the circumstances of life. This is not to say that we disregard the body with its sensations and the mind with its thoughts and feelings, it's that we don’t surrender our entire sense of identity to these aspects of us. I have a body. I am not my body. I have a mind. I am not my mind. I have thoughts and feelings. I am not my thoughts and feelings. With observation, I become increasingly aware of the changeful nature of my physical nature and increasingly aware of the Self that observes but is not affected by these changes. This is how we experience Grace, the peace that surpasses human understanding. This is the master’s way of rebuilding the temple of faith where we can be ok even when life is any which way.

When the disciples were freaking out as the turbulent sea was tossing them about, the Christ presence reminded them to be still and experience the inner peace of their true nature. You and I have that same Christ presence with us in the boat of life too. May we remember to seek its wisdom and its voice to guide us as we navigate the ever-changing seas of our lives.

Remembering with you,

Larry