Life as a Divine Play: Allow Rebirth to Unfold Within You
I don’t try control many of the things that go on in my life anymore. I had to let go and just start trying to participate in it. What does that mean? For me, I’m done trying to exert dominance over it. It doesn’t work. It always seems to do what it wants to do anyway, right? I’m done trying to predict outcomes. I usually guess wrong. Lastly, I’m trying to resist the unexpected shifts that happen. Fighting something I have no hand end leaves me angry and frustrated. So, what’s the remedy? Just join it. Just flow with it. Move with life’s rhythm as much as you can. Whatever is meant to be will be. (Important to note here – this does not mean we as humans are without choice. Please don’t misunderstand me there. It’s just that whatever road we take, whichever direction we head, often has unintended outcomes and consequences. I just needed to point this out).
When we learn to shift our perspectives and learn to accept without judgment, we are allowing ourselves to participate in the joys (and pains) of the living, which is only a small portion of God’s divine play, lila. This concept is a reminder that in life, things are not rigid and fixed as we are led to believe. It is an ever-expanding, ever-unfolding expression of culture, creativity, mystery, sadness, happiness, motion, music and so much more. As we increase our awareness of the interconnectedness of the universe and all within it, our focus is less fixed on the individual battles of the day-to-day as if we are separate from the “bigger picture.” In fact, as soon as we are able to witness our experiences as part of something larger, we separate from our ego and link with the “living dance” of life. And if this is your song, this dance will bring you the kind of rebirth that opens you to your natural ability to begin again.
Lila (Leela)
The concept of Lila is derived from Hindu philosophy (Sanskrit for “divine play”). It offers a beautiful and poetic way of understanding purpose for existence. Rather than seeing creation as a strict command bound with heavy responsibility, sages from long ago described the universe as something born from pure joy and curiosity – one of the natural expressions of how existence is manifested by the Divine Creator. According to the Hindu scripture, the ultimate reality conceived this world (and probably many others) not out of obligation, but out of a supreme state of bliss.
The traditions grew and stories revealed that God not only was sole creator but that he participates in life with a sense of creativity and love (according to how he sees fit). He doesn’t just sit above us observing, he plays within it. Despite that representation, at the very core of its understanding is that life is not a burden one is meant to carry. It is an experience to explore, to live, and to transform back into the connectedness we share with all. Everything we experience is part of a divine unfolding.
Playing Beneath the Struggle
Often, we look for restarts in life after times have become too heavy. For example, when we experience heartbreak, transitioning from one stage of life to another, in times of confusion, or when we are just plain emotionally drained. We also tend to fall into a mindset that tells us everything negative that is going on around us is happening to us and that we have to fight our way out each time. To counter, the concept provided by the imagery of lila suggests that beneath the surface and beneath the foundation of every hard experience, every tough time we face, there is a subtle movement inviting us to see things differently.
Time for another moment of realness, this attitude – “Life is a divine play” – doesn’t mean your struggles aren’t real. This doesn’t mean that you don’t experience the earthly harshness of a world filled with what seems to be pure evil. This lets us know that there are more things at play than evil and that we have not yet heard or seen the entire story.
When you allow yourself to see your journey, not as a straight line, but as a fluid series of moments constantly unfolding, there is a new sense of wonder. With wonder comes curiosity. Curiosity is one of the many elements of a Kind Rebirth.
No Script Needed – Letting Go of the Need
Suffering is one consequence of attempting to control outcomes. When we rehearse negative or unproductive conversations, cling to old narratives, replay and relive mistakes, or force our lives to follow some script that we naively created long before we were wise or experienced enough to know ourselves, we have attached ourselves to an unyielding program destined to fail and disappoint. Lila, however, invites us to release this imaginary account of events because life is made of a script that is wildly dynamic and highly responsive.
Letting go of the script of a life imagined allows for rediscovering possibilities you would not otherwise have obtained. Holding tightly to unsubstantiated plans restricts rebirth opportunities. Rebirths occurring in unscripted moments fuels connections, realizations, and shifts in thinking. Allowing your rebirth to evolve means to trust that idea that not everything must be controlled in order for things to work out positively. Free yourself enough to give yourself permission to step into the next scene without worry and without knowing exactly how it will end.
To live in a/the “divine play” is to remember that you too are both observer and participant. Everything you do influences the story, but you are equally shaped by it. As you start your rebirth of a responding, adapting, improvising, learning, releasing, and growing, stay open! Stay curious! Let this next version of your self emerge with grace.
Stay mindful…
Rebirth
