Epiphany



Epiphany is the end of the twelve days of Christmas. The Mayans had a 10 to 12 day period at the end of their year. Days which did not fit into another division of the year. Other cultures in prehistory have had this pause, as it were, in the regular course of the year. A vacation from time? A period of meditation and reflection?

Epiphany on the Christian Calendar is when the wise men finally met the baby Jesus. It is also when God appears to someone as in Allah appeared to Mohammad. Or it is the profound and sudden understanding of something. The example used in one dictionary was when you suddenly know where your missing car keys are. Really? I always see epiphany more like satori - sudden enlightenment and a state of consciousness attained by intuitive illumination representing the spiritual goal of Zen Buddhism.

I took just enough catechism to be entranced with the minor days of the Catholic Calendar. I loved Epiphany from day one. It was such a non-holiday. I also about the same time adopted the Ides of March into my calendar. There may have been a certain rebellious base in both of these, but as I have grown older I have embraced Epiphany and the days proceeding it (once we get by Christmas) as a chance to go inside and reflect.

Yes, life continues. I may live on a mountain top but believers do not deliver food and water at my feet. I try, however, to do all purposefully and consciously. Be in the here and now. Chop wood and carry water. And where ever possible in the day dial in a higher consciousness.

Interestingly the intrusions into life seem heightened the more I want to tune out. Someone I do not know has called me on both my land line and texted me on my cell phone about Charlotte's dog Pearl. She has called from two different numbers and never left her name or what number to return her call. It is not a close friend of Charlotte because she would know Pearl is dead. That is the Satori she has not reached. My epiphany is if it is truly important communication will ultimately be achieved. Until then it is noise. And there is too much noise.

Meanwhile my mind is processing three new artistic compositions, any resolutions I might make and keep, and tuning into my body which I have been ignoring because of the too busy holidays.

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