This Week’s Quotation:

I am questioning the deep-seated belief that there is something outside us that holds the wisdom and power that is the primary influence in our lives and that we, as human beings, do not. That is superstition, the ultimate enemy of primal spirituality in the human experience.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines superstition this way:

A belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.

Any conception of causation that gives ultimate power to what is, for you, outside of you, is a false conception of causation, because the greatest power in our life is within us.

Becoming a Sun p. 231

The Greatest Power

For several years, I created and posted at least one Facebook meme a day to my author page. I enjoyed the artistic process and the connection with people. Over that time, I had the opportunity to notice what images evoked the most response from people. There was no image more evocative than a lion.

Why do you think that might be? Of course, I don’t know for sure. But here is what I think.

In the world we live in, there seem to be so many powerful external influences. It seems like we are told every day to wear a mask and stay away from each other, or the invisible virus boogeyman will get us.

Here in America, we have homegrown terrorists running around with guns, threatening politicians, and taking over our Capitol Building.

It’s like the world is challenging our God-given self-empowerment.

The image of the lion can remind us of the power within—life itself. It is the most important thing we have. And without it, nothing else in this world means much.

Even though good nutrition and worldly possessions can support the life in us, they can’t give it to us.

And even though the people close to us can uplift and nourish us, it is not them who give us life.

There is a lion within each of us. It is the life within us. It is our inner being. It stands proud and undeterred in the face of any pandemic or any human ignorance. It is courage. It is the greatest creative power in our life. It is who we are.

I doubt anyone told you this today. You are a lion.

Prudence may guide us to wear a mask and to stay away from dangerous people. That doesn’t change who we are.

So I say it again. You are a lion.

What does it mean to become a sun?

Every human being is already a sun on the inside—a being of intense love and light. The difference is that some people have the vision and courage to become a sun on the outside. This difference is our human destiny.