Explore the Garden of Wholeness

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Reflections

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Posted On October 7, 2016

We are born into the garden of innocence: whole and complete, pure and untainted, sealed with wonder and awe. When we cried, someone comforted us. When we were hungry, someone fed us.

But somewhere along the way, we knew we had to leave home. We knew we needed to heed the counsel of Adam and Eve, leave the garden of innocence, so we could rediscover the garden of wholeness dwelling within.

Our journey was fraught with adventure and peril as life taught us its wisdom. Hardship, attachments, and false gods flung their darts, trying to numb and harden us, trying to veer us off path. But we pressed on.

Slowly, as others taught us how to open our hearts, we experienced traces of clarity. Insight. We began to transform. Unfold. We discovered our deepest desire is to become who we are in God.

And one day, as we sat in the Quiet surveying the paths we had trodden, we awakened to the truth that the Life-Giver has chosen us for his in-dwelling Presence. And in that moment, the gate opened. There in the garden of wholeness the herbs and spices, the rich fruits of love overflowed within us, filling us with aromas of:

Serenity
Balance
Acceptance
Integration
Discernment.

For the first time we felt complete.
One with ourselves.
One with others.
One with the Creator.

Our feet had caught up with our hearts.

—brian j plachta

Written by Brian J. Plachta

Following the Breadcrumbs God Leaves Along Our Path

What if God is speaking through ordinary moments more often than we realize?

A conversation that stays with us. A door that closes. A quiet nudge we can’t quite explain. An unexpected invitation that seems to come at just the right time.

The challenge is learning to notice these moments before we have any idea where they’re leading, and trusting the next step.

Over time, we may begin to see that God’s guidance doesn’t always come as an answer. Sometimes, it comes as a trail.

What to Do When God Seems Silent

Has silence ever made you feel like God is far away? When we feel this way, it’s easy to start looking for answers or waiting for a clear sign. But prayer can also be as simple as slowing down and noticing what’s already here. The breeze. The waves. Your breath. The quiet. God’s presence doesn’t always come through words. Sometimes we just need to be still enough to notice.

Let God Alone Define You

Ever have someone’s words get stuck in your head?
Maybe they criticized you, misunderstood you, or told a story about you that doesn’t feel true. And before long, you’re holding a courtroom in your mind—defending yourself, replaying the conversation, wondering if maybe they’re right.

There’s another way.

Bring it into the quiet with God.

Ask: Is there something here I need to learn? Is there something I need to own? And what was never mine to carry in the first place?

We can stay humble enough to receive the truth without letting someone else’s opinion become our identity.

Because in the end, God alone defines you.

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