Sitting on Sunday morning the image of a pearl arose and I remembered that a pearl is formed *through* irritation. A piece of sand or grit gets in the oyster and the oyster starts making a pearl around the irritant with layers and layers of pearl-essence, turning and turning the grit until it’s covered with a beautiful, shiny sheen.
And of course, loving metaphor as I do, I saw the association with the grit of life, the irritations of life, the aggravating, challenging circumstances of life that create multiple layers of irritation – and - the creation of a pearl. The oyster seemingly takes this grit, without complaining, and makes something beautiful of it… Or is it that something beautiful emerges *from* the grit of life, if we work with it, sit with it, roll it around, not spewing it out, but allowing it to be what it is, seeing it for what it is – the potential for beauty… The beauty of the pearl is a *result* of these layers of irritations and aggravations of life in a seeming process of metamorphosis…
What is revealed *through* the irritations, is this living essence of the pearl that in some ways created itself *because of* the irritations, through the rubbing and chaffing of the grit of life… As in – the irritations, the challenges of living, are still the Essence, revealing It’s beauty. The irritations and challenges of living *are* the living Presence emerging, or unfolding ItSelf , in and through what our minds and bodies find irritating and uncomfortable - if we give it a chance, if we stay with it, engaging in the experiences rather than running from them. If we learn to see the way the oyster sees :) – Ah – grit, let’s see what I can do with that…
And what is seen is that the beauty and wisdom of the irritations emerge over “time” it seems - or what appears to be time – waiting to be discovered within the shell of what I know to be “my life.” It is realized that the pearl is the culmination of many layers of realized wisdom that are formed along the way, from the nitty-gritty of living life as it is.
Even if we’ve had spontaneous awakenings to the Truth of our Essence, it seems life continues to give us experiences that expand the expression of the unfolding of that Essence, of Consciousness ItSelf, *through* the irritations and challenges of living. It’s an ongoing emergence, realizing that the totality of the experiences of life expands our awareness until it is ultimately realized that we are the wholeness of Being that we’ve been seeking – as we are – gritty as that may be…
It’s a shift in perspective from grit to Pearl…
~*~
Beautifully said. I love it "from grit to Pearl." I, too, know this is how life works but oh! how often we resist the forces of nature and universe and soul who often know better than we what we need to shine and be free. I am glad you are shining...xo
ReplyDeleteI love this analogy. Yes we can learn a lot from the oyster! And all done without complaining too, now there's something to emulate! And good reminder too that it takes many layers to make this beautiful pearl, it doesn't just happen all at once.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jan... Well the sheen is not quite lustrous yet :)
ReplyDeleteHey ZenDS! Yeah, it's kind of like the creative process - there's always more to be discovered!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Christine. My true nature is True Grit. ;-) It reminds me too that wild pearls (wouldn't that be a great name for a dharma group) are unique in shape, colour and size.
ReplyDeleteGenju, you crack me up! :0) Wild Pearls it is! Or, the Nitty Gritty Dharma Band :) LOL
ReplyDeleteFascinating post- thanks Christine!
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