The Journey of Life

This article on the portion of the week was originally published in 2018.

Each one of us has come to this world for a special purpose. The Creator made each of us for a reason, for nothing in life is in vain. Like little birds that leave the nest, we are here to spread our wings and commence on our special journey. For some, life can be a rollercoaster of events with seemingly nonstop action. For others, life is simple and quiet with little fanfare. Each of our journeys is distinct, but there is a common thread that binds them all together. Even though our life journeys can begin in millions of different places in the world and we emerge from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and faiths, we all share the same authentic mission at heart. We all are making the journey towards the discovery of our soul — the spirit within. The discovery of our soul is the activation of the Creator inside of us. This is our shared human experience. Even though each of us has vastly different stories, our inner story remains the same. This week, we are guided and supported in taking new steps toward the discovery of our soul — our truest mission in life. We have been placed in this physical world to aid in this holy mission. For it is only by accepting the journey in this physical world  that we are able to discover the journey to the world within. 

"This week, we are guided and supported in taking new steps toward the discovery of our soul — our truest mission in life."

Our cosmic support this week is the portion of Vayetze. Vayetze means to “go out.” Situated in the thick of the month of Sagittarius, we are encouraged to “go out” and take the spiritual journey. In the portion of Vayetze, our spiritual father, Jacob goes out from his land and embarks on his journey, and consequently reveals to us our own. We read how Jacob first establishes a connection with the Creator and asks for His assistance. Jacob prays for protection and guidance from the Creator right from the beginning. The beautiful and well-known vision of “Jacob’s Ladder” is found in Vayetze, where Jacob sees a network of the Creator’s angels ascending and descending between the physical and spiritual worlds. Jacob, through his meditations and prayers, is able to connect to his guardian angels in order to assist him. Jacob then meets Rachel and falls in love with her. Rachel represents all the beautiful and wonderful things of this world that we can enjoy. However, the physical things in life can grip us, if we allow them to, and distract us from discovering what lies within. After meeting and falling in love with Rachel, Jacob then meets her sister Leah, who represents the spiritual world. Like us all, Jacob stood between two worlds: the physical world and the spiritual world. This is the journey we all face and the balance we must seek to achieve. Jacob at first did not want to associate with Leah, but he knew that he was born to discover more than just the physical world that Rachel represented. Jacob knew his soul needed to be discovered. Jacob initiates a special relationship with Leah, where he is able to develop his Spiritual Light and learn to become a being of sharing and giving. All the while simultaneously maintaining a relationship with his great love, Rachel, who represented this physical world in which the journey takes place. Jacob eventually fathers the 12 heads of the tribes of Israel through which he is able to rise above and control the influences of the 12 zodiac signs. His spiritual discovery with Leah and Rachel gave him mastery over the physical world. Like a hand controlling a shadow cast upon the ground, Jacob was able to achieve mind over matter which is the goal each one of us is born to achieve. 

"We have been placed in this physical world to aid in this holy mission."

Jacob’s evolution in spirituality while living in this world is the story of each one of us. Every week, we do not read about characters of the past, but we read about our very own lives. We are born into a beautiful world full of great pleasures and enjoyments, but are they the only reason we have come to this world? It is said that Buddha left his privileged upbringing as the son of a King to discover the secrets of life and his purpose. He could have indulged in his wealth, but instead listened to that small voice within. He decided to take the journey to discover the purpose of life. Our patriarch, Jacob empowers us to do this very same thing. We can live 70 years as if we have lived just one day. But in contrast, when we forge on our spiritual path, we can live just one day as if we have lived for 70 years. It is always a matter of if and when we choose to begin. There is a spark of the Creator in every one of us that is waiting to be found and ignited. We live in a world where we need to strike a balance between how far we travel outwardly and inwardly. We need to find the balance of the physical and the spiritual, and of receiving and sharing. Our bodies are in need to constantly receive, while our spirits burn with the Desire to Share and give to others. Our Inner Light pines to help those in need and bestow our love on one another. We live in the world of Rachel, but within us Leah beats. It is only when we love the spiritual as much as we cherish the material world that we will be able to complete our personal mission in this world, and the mission of all humanity. Jacob is our channel for this. He has made the path for us, we only need to be open to walking it and asking for his assistance.

This week in your meditation, I ask you to close your eyes and travel within. Turn away from the physical world, if just for a moment, and go within. Focus on your breath. See the rise and fall of your abdomen and feel the air entering and leaving your lungs. Can you hear your heart beat? There is a Light inside of you, a beautiful Light that is destined to grow brighter. Having closed your eyes and turned away from the physical world, allow yourself to go deeper into your spirit. Ask the Creator to send His angels to help guide you in discovering who you truly are. To discover your soul is to discover the Creator within and your capacity to give and share. There is an endless love within you that yearns to pour out to all of humanity. You find, at last, the source of kindness, mercy, and compassion. This journey to discover the Creator within is why we came to this world. It is the journey of a lifetime.