Repose--Resting Into Peace

"In Repose"

Recently we were driving along the Columbia River. It is an amazing river—so unlike the rivers that I grew up near in Colorado. The Columbia is the kind of river that songs are written about. —Like Shenandoah—the kind of river one falls in love with and longs to return to. It is wide and beautiful cutting a large swath through the countryside as it meanders to the ocean.

There are places along the river where it is often windy and so the water is frequently choppy. It makes it a great place for windsurfers and sailors. It was twilight as we were making our way west towards home. Passing an inlet we saw the most beautiful reflection of the pinks and dark blues that were fading into the night sky.

My husband remarked about the stillness of the water and how that in the many years that he had lived in the Northwest he had seldom seen the water so still that it reflected so perfectly. The beauty was exquisite.

How like us, I mused. We are seldom still long enough to perfectly reflect Spirit. We are usually trying too hard or running too fast. But when we become still, ah, then the perfect opportunity to reflect opens before us. We are like a photographic plate in this instance, creating a clear reflection of light, mirroring the pattern that God wants to shine to the world.

This captures the idea of repose. It is the temporary cessation of activity, a rest into peace. The idea captures the essence of the feminine principle. It is when we can put ourselves in this frame of mind that we are best able to reflect. And in the reflecting we get a picture, an image, of what God has in mind for us.

Who would have thought that the road to self-understanding and even to enlightenment was to become still. Our greatest life answers are not found, they are seen and sensed in the quietness. Not only do we see God’s picture for our life reflected in the stillness, we can also sense how we can best be of service to others, not by speaking, but by listening.

Of course there is a time to do, a time to speak, and a time for action. But these are best preceded by times of stillness and repose. Next time you don’t know what to do, you have forgotten who you are, and are overwhelmed, try a little repose. In our busy world, we all need to learn this beautiful art of resting into peace.

Repose, anyone?