In contemplative practice, we recognize within ourselves the Spirit of God, the very breath of God, present in us from the moment of our creation (“The LORD God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” -Gn 2:7). In truth, our lives come forth from the Divine life and are a manifestation of it. We are fundamentally united to God at our origins. Our contemplative practice helps to put us in touch with this inherent Divine connection.

Of course, once we recognize ourselves as Spirit-wedded beings, the seeing doesn’t stop there. The breath of God is breathed over the whole of creation (“a mighty wind sweeping over the waters” -Gn 1:2), and as we dialogue with God within, we find our spirit calling to the Spirit continuously breathing life into every created thing. Soon, it becomes easier to see ourselves and our fellow inhabitants of creation as originating from a single Source. Suddenly, we know we are always surrounded by family, and anywhere we go feels like home. May each moment be a new homecoming!