Connected & Moving

Ahh, the end of the year. The sun's coming out and the textbooks are beginning to close! Smiles abound in the spring season, widening with the knowledge that summer is almost here. Let's for a moment enjoy the spring season, before moving into the summer. The snow's melted, the birds are chirping. For the natural world, in the springtime we see life in action.

Everything in the world is moving. To be alive, means to be constantly moving. Our heartbeat must constantly move, our breath as well. One can marvel at the remarkable consistency of the waves of the ocean. EVEN minerals show a life force in action (extraction of fission energy). According to Torah, this movement occurs because all of creation is connected to its source, A Divine life force that is perpetually infusing everything with life. And life causes movement.
We see this by the fact that everything that's alive - moves.
Interestingly, the only being that stops moving at times is us human beings.

An animal stops at times because it's his built-in nature. You won't find a tiger, though, staying in for the day because he wants a "day off" to sleep in :) We humans, though, at times decidedly stop. We lie on the couch or stay glued to a TV or computer. Worse, we can fall into a despondent, depressive state.
How come we humans can stop moving; can stop appearing alive?

Kabbalah explains that this is because we are able to forget, to not feel & be in tune with, the fact that we are connected to our life force. When one realizes that at every moment (even when things are apparently going bad in one's life), that he or she is directly connected to their life force - G-d, one becomes joyous, happy. This is even many times expressed in movement; dancing or actively sharing this feeling with another. Because knowing that you are connected to your life force brings life,
vitality, and therefore movement.

Being happy isn't changing into something new. Rather, it's going to the natural state a creation in this physical world is supposed to be in. Alive, moving. You are connected - therefore alive, vibrant, and happy.

But feel free to laze around a bit too ;)

Shabbat Shalom and a happy Spring & Summer to you!

-Daniel