The Gusting Winds of Silence

Last Wednesday was undoubtedly an unusual day in Manhattan. The energy in the city was unique: People seemed less intense, more polite and possibly more peaceful. New Yorkers gathered throughout the city to color, paint, sing, pray and write messages of peace. I found myself gravitating farther south as I wandered the streets, floating through Union Square, Washington Square, Soho, Tribeca, and finally arriving at the financial district, or more specifically, Ground Zero.

In the past twelve months I never traveled down to the site -- I just couldn’t go. On this one-year anniversary, however, I couldn’t imagine not going. The waves of crying and heartache, the imagery of the “new” Wall Street area and the visions of destruction from last year were constantly interrupted by a peculiar force of nature. Never, in all my years living in New York City have I experienced a wind of such gusting magnitude. Twenty-five miles per hour. Thirty miles per hour. Thirty-five miles per hour. The power of the wind struck me wherever I went, but as I neared Ground Zero the wind’s velocity dramatically increased. Big tin garbage cans tumbled down Broadway. The air was filled with clouds of dirt and gravel from neighboring construction sites and from the great big plot of land that was once home to the fourth tallest structure on the planet. I literally had to put my full body weight and muscular tension into each step I took. It felt as if I were about to get swept off the ground like a delicate feather entering a wind tunnel.

Was it just a coincidence that the winds were in a fury on this particular day? (By the way, the air was perfectly still on the 10th and the 12th.) I suppose it could have been, but it certainly didn’t feel that way. Risking what you might think about what I’m about to say -- I feel certain there was a Presence in that wind. It felt as if thousands of voices joined together to say, “Hey, we are still here. We are with you. We are okay.” Perhaps this is why I cried. Perhaps I cried out of joy and love for all the souls that were watching over the tens of thousands of people that came to pay tribute on this one-year anniversary.

You may not believe what I’m proposing. And perhaps you’re right in doing so. But what if this intuitive feeling is true and the gusting winds of silence was a message to us that those lost souls aren’t lost at all? What if all our lost loved ones are still with us right now?

You are here right now to create magnificent beauty in your own special way -- true beauty is found in the love of all life. May you create an abundance of joy, love and compassion to help heal and evolve our planet.

Love & Happy Journeys!
Scott Jeffrey

What now?

I’ve noticed a subtle build up of awkward tension increasing as we moved closer and closer to today. We don’t know what to do -- especially in New York City. Should we go out? Should we stay home? Should we go pray? Should we just cry? The discomfort lies in not knowing what is the “proper” or the “right” thing to think or do.

A sage once said, “When you don’t know what to do, do what you know to do.” I know we need to love. I know we need to focus on peace. I know we need to grow.

If you feel like going to dinner with your friends tonight, go. And be grateful for having these people in your life. If you want to spend time with your spouse and/or family tonight, go for it. And embrace the love you share for one another. If you want to go pray at a religious service tonight, please do it. And connect with your Creator. If you want to cry tonight, cry. And feel for all the voices that were silenced on that one tragic day.

The meaning of any event is dictated solely by the meaning we give the event. 9/11 can be a day of startling devastation that shows us that no one is safe and that life is disposable. Plenty of people have chosen this meaning to represent this day. However, 9/11 can also be a day of REAWAKENING -- a day where we consciously hold life’s precious morsels of truth in our hands and vow never again to let go. It can be a day that marks a new beginning where each moment is sacred and where life is about love and peaceful coexistence. What is 9/11 going to mean to you?

Today, we need to take a step back, be nice to people, consciously breathe, love deeply, think inspiringly, live boldly, and stay present right now in this very moment. It’s a day to focus on the service of others; to give unselfishly; to share your love; to connect deeply with those around you. Your seemingly small actions have the power to transform the world today and here on out.

The magical lyrics of John Lennon’s “Imagine” seem like an appropriate way to end today’s message:

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No Hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Love and Happy Journeys to all of you!

Scott Jeffrey

Enlightenment & A Frozen Hot Chocolate

I live near a place called Serendipity, a restaurant famous for their sundaes and desserts. Serendipity has been a popular establishment with teenagers and tourists since its opening in the 1950s. Since the movie “Serendipity” with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale came out last fall, the place has had a staggering one- to two-hour wait every night of the week.

And what is Serendipity most known for? Frozen hot chocolates. I learned a long time ago that one couldn’t fully understand the delicious and mammoth blend of twelve-chocolates dessert without experiencing it. Think about it: A frozen hot chocolate. It’s like one of those “koans” developed by the Zen Buddhists to produce changes in our perceptions and understanding. A koan is a puzzle that cannot be simply answered because it is paradoxical. For example, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” A frozen hot chocolate is a paradox within itself.

Let’s demystify the term “enlightenment” for practical usage. To be enlightened is to be wise. Wisdom comes through understanding. Understanding comes through experience. Experience is a byproduct of action. The experience of having a frozen hot chocolate for the first time is similar for everyone. Following your first spoonful, a spark fires across your brain and the accompanying facial expression is one of “Ah, I get it.” Yes! A moment of enlightenment.

Having a frozen hot chocolate isn’t necessarily an experience we all must have (though they are darn good), but what are some experiences that are “Musts” for you within this lifetime?

For me, I have yet to travel to New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, Thailand and India, to discover the true beauties of poetry, to find the woman of my dreams, to hike the Appalachian Trail, to thoroughly understand the implications of quantum theory, and to become fluent in another language. Also, I have yet to sky dive or hang glide, to master a form of martial arts, to free-climb in Yosemite, to ski the Alps, to stare into my child’s eyes, to write a bestselling novel, to become a proficient speed reader, to fully trust my intuition, to achieve the physique I envision for myself, and to live in the present moment. (To name a few.)

Again, what are some of the experiences that you Must Have in this lifetime? (List at least twenty.) Which experiences are you committed to having within the next six months? (List at least three.)

Remember, you don’t need to travel to distant lands or partake in an extreme sport to fully experience life: Magical life experiences await you in this very moment. Take a fully conscious, slow deep breath. Smile for no apparent reason. Sing when no one’s listening. Dance when no one’s watching. Learn to find the beauty in everyone you meet. Love yourself unconditionally right now.

Life is a series of moments -- we choose the quality of these moments. Be aware of all the richness interwoven through your life experience and embrace an exciting adventure.

Happy Journeys!
Scott Jeffrey