Ramadan: Preparations in Nature
Everyone is busy …busy as bees…prepping for Ramadan. This seems to be a fairly new phenomenon. Maybe it’s the influence of the influencers. The house is decluttered and the freezer is full. Everything’s perfect, cooked and baked and prepped to perfection, stored in neat containers in organised rows and labelled helpfully.Checklists are ticked off, shopping is done. Its a good idea to be sure.
My freezer is empty though my preparations started 3 months ago. I read in the miraculous book of Allah that I have to spend time contemplating the signs , the ayaat, in order to connect with the Lord and Creator of the worlds. The signs are all around me it says so I decided to throw away the checklist and prep differently. First, by carving out my sacred time in the morning, post fajr for a mindful, God-conscious walk. Secondly by planting seeds at home and planting shrubs in the garden .
I get to connect with His creation and watch in fascination all the non-human beings as they perpetually surrender to His laws of nature, His laws of the universe. I also consciously connect with my body which is just another creation of Allah but one in which he put His Divine breath and gave the superpowers of free will and choice, and so I am reminded that Insaan ( mankind) does not easily surrender but has to choose.
I choose to use my time to increase my closeness to God, praying that I can draw near to Him and that I too could be amongst those who can feel His divine love deep in their hearts. I plug my earphones in, my morning adhkar recited beautifully to keep me company.
As I start my walk I connect first with my feet. The foundation is where it all starts.It has to be firm and steady, consistent and deep. Like the roots of the trees I pass by, an unseen, vast network of nourishment, I too want my faith to have such a foundation. As wide as the roots and as strong as the trunk, I realise that Lailaha Illalah is the energy running up the central spine and culminating in glorious branches and fruits and flowers. Nature shows me that the central spine is enduring, even in the harshest of winters the trunk still stands, while the glorious displays of leaves, fruits and flowers are intermittent, saved only for the good times after the winter.
As I walk towards Ramadan, I ask myself am I grounded? Is my spine strong, is my step firm? Is every part of me reciting Laillaha Illalah? Will I be able to blossom in God-conciousness after the challenge of the month of abstinence?
As I look up I see the birds playfully flying in pairs or groups , following the magnetic invisible paths Allah has provided for them and putting their full trust in the Creator, that food will be found and the stomach will be satiated. I ask myself, will I be able to trust like that? What can I do to help myself let go of outcomes and trust the process? I consciously release the shackles of attachment bit by bit.How bird can I be 🙂 I ask myself. I realise this is a hard Jihaad (struggle) and will be a life long battle, but its ok…Islam is the journey through life. Self improvement is never ending so I seek forgiveness from The Most High and forgive myself and keep trying.
As I connect to my body and other non-human beings, I can feel that we are not just made of dense particles but also of waves of light, the most powerful waves being emitted by the heart. Being in the company of the submitters to Allah truly increases the light and most certainly expands the hearts energy.. Connecting with trees, walking on grass, touching the soil, planting food seeds connects us with Allah in a most intimate way. The vibration of the outdoors brings me into resonance with the Divine, the smell of the soil in my garden grounds me in belief and the lessons from the birds and trees teach me patience and peace. I become aware of the fractal patterns of nature that reflect the patterns in our own lives too. In the spirals I see how time flows and patterns repeat. Only human beings stray from the universal laws distorting the perfect “fitrah” and yet Allah has given only humans the power to be aware of our thoughts and thus choose differently to bring ourselves back to perfect balance
As Ramadan approaches, I do feel prepared. I feel the energy around my heart expanded and radiant every morning. I feel my body stronger and firmer. The beauty in nature has taught me that simplicity is key and Divine love is ever present and nourishing . And now with that healing energy I retreat into the Ramadan cocoon. I dont have to keep up with the influencers, I release the need to create a perfect Ramadan. My suhoors and iftaars will be simple and easy, and my intention will be to spread ease and peace to my family. When I find myself in moments of self-inflicted stress, I will just breathe and look in awe and humility towards my influencers in nature and hope that I can spend more time in the company of the ayaat (signs of God) this month allowing their vibes to uplift and destress me and remind me of who I really am.
I hope you too will carve out a daily outdoor practice. Connecting your body, breath and the ayaat (signs) of Allah and really bringing yourself into the present moment from where all possibilities exist.
