Aham Brahmasmi: I am the universe

I signed up for Oprah and Deepak Chopra's 21-day Desire and Destiny meditation. In part, I enrolled because I want all the things the program promises: to discover my purpose, follow my passion, etc. etc. Mostly, what I really wanted was a reason to slow down, to intentionally pause, and to learn to be more present in my life.

Courtesy of GraphicStock.com

Of course, because I am not currently present, I missed the first three days of the 21-day experience, and started my meditation journey on Day 4 while driving my kids to their grandparents house. In case you have yet to try it, be forewarned that driving with kids and meditation do not go hand-in-hand. They're like oil and water. Or heavy metal music and a cup of chamomile tea.

I have a hard enough time keeping my mind from wandering as it is. Throw three noisy distractions in a confined space and it becomes virtually impossible to stay focused. Also, the meditation pose -- eyes closed, legs crossed, hands resting palms up on your knees -- doesn't work behind a steering wheel.

So needless to say, I missed most of Day 4 too. Except for this mantra:

Aham brahmasmi. I am the universe.

This simple line summed up my entire philosophy of life. I am not religious, but aham brahmasmi is now my religion. If I reach middle-age and decide to grasp at my youth by getting a tattoo, it will say aham brahmasmi.

I wish I could eloquently explain what this means to me, but I'm still struggling to put my 'aha' moment into words.

When we focus on the external world, it's easy to succumb to the fear that we are not enough. It's easy to believe that the world's resources are limited and insufficient. This fear is why we are taught to compete, to fight for our share of the pie, to envy those who have more than us and resent those who have less.

But, as Deepak explains, abundance surrounds us. When we focus internally, we see that the journey isn't about what the world has to offer us. It's about what we have to offer the world. I believe my purpose in life is to put positive energy into the universe, and by doing so, positive energy will return to me.

I see this in so many aspects of my life already. The more I embrace creativity, the more the muse embraces me. The more joy I share with others, the more joy I experience. The more love I give freely, the more love comes my way. Certainly, this philosophy has not spared me from pain or loss or suffering, but it has brought me an abundance of good. As Oprah says in lesson five, "What you focus on expands."

Creativity. Joy. Abundance.

I am the universe.

If you enjoyed this post, upvote, resteem and follow @redhens. Thanks!