A Meditation of Sevens
Rev. Sandra Ash Gaskin
The number seven has always been a mystical and Divine number. In the metaphysical world it means ‘perfection’. In the studies of ‘Vibrations’ it means ‘Spirituality, mental analysis, & wisdom’. You will find lots of self help books that begin with the words, ‘Seven Ways to ____’. This number was given special significance in the Bible, used to represent an act of completion, or perfection. For instance;
· Pharaoh's dream (which led to Joseph’s rise to power) had 7 fat cattle and 7 starved cattle.
· The lamp stand in the Temple had 7 branches (as seen today in the Menorah)
· The Israelite annual holy days were filled with measurements of 7, including the Days of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles which each have 7 days.
· There are 7 weeks between Passover and Pentecost.
· The Israelites were to give the land itself a rest every 7th year.
· The Israelites marched around Jericho for 7 days before its fall, when 7 priests blew 7 trumpets 7 times.
· There are 7 recorded statements of Jesus while He was on the cross.
· Jerusalem is 777 meters above sea level.
· In Revelations, there were 7 churches with their 7 spirits.
· End-time prophecies speak of 7 stars, 7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 candlesticks, 7 vials.
· God created the week as 7 days at the time of creation.
· The 7th day was honored as ‘holy’.
Get into a comfortable position, whether sitting or lying down. Allow your body and mind to relax. Take 3 deep belly breaths, inhaling to a count of seven through your nose, exhaling to a count of seven through your mouth.
Give your mind permission to think back on your life. We will digress and relive our memories by ‘sevens’. See yourself as you are today… the result of years of learning, trial and error, celebrations as well as enduring times of sadness. You are the ultimate product of all you have gone through as well as what your ancestors have gone through and given you. They lived so that you might be here just the way you are today. You are their shining joy and accomplishment. Say a silent ‘thank you’ for all their sacrifices and gifts to you. If they made mistakes with you, thank them for teaching you not to make those same mistakes.
See yourself at 35. For some, this isn’t that long ago, or may not have occurred as yet... but try to see yourself at 35. Perhaps you are working, seeing some fruition of the dreams you had in your youth. Maybe you are teaching others insightful things that you have learned along the way. Let your present day self embrace the 35 yr old and thank that ‘self’ for maintaining the good work ethic, for persevering in disappointments and hard times. For being strong enough to let go of some dreams that didn’t nourish you, yet clinging to the hope of desires and passions for dreams yet to be, thank them now.
Now let the 35 yr old ‘you’ look backwards and see the 28 yr old you. Perhaps she is fraught with stress-filled days of watching the kids, cleaning the house, trying to maintain a passionate relationship with a husband. Or maybe she is a single hard working employee, trying to get ahead in the world while also seeking to find love in a fast-paced world. See her burning the candle at both ends. Empathize with her cries in the night, ‘God just send me some help!’ Now walk up to her & take her hands in yours. Look deep into her worried eyes & assure her that all is well. Let her know that for the most part she is sweating the small stuff. Encourage her to take time for the important things in life, like loving those children... sharing good times with her husband. Tell her it’s okay to let the house go occasionally, that relationships count more than the waxed floor. If she is single, let her know that this frantic time of her life will settle down. That she is a survivor, like you… because she IS you.
The 28 yr old is now smiling as she looks over her shoulder to see the 21 yr old ‘self’. She sees her sitting at a desk, pouring over books, reports, papers, homework. She is in her own world of worrying whether her grades will be good enough, whether the degree will be influential enough, whether the ensuing job will pay enough… ultimately wondering whether she herself is ‘enough’. Walk quietly up behind the 21 year old and place your hands on her shoulders. Let the warmth of your love and gratitude permeate her being and bring a restful feeling of relaxation to her taunt shoulders. Now whisper a gentle ‘thank you’ for her diligence. Thank her for the midnight oil she burned so many nights in her studies. Let her know that it was alright that she didn’t ‘ace’ everything. It was okay that she spent some nights partying, when studying was needed. Assure her that ‘Earth School’ is about much more than academia, but that you appreciate all she did to make your futures better.
The empowered 21 year old sets her pencils aside and looks back to see a sad and lovely 14 year old. She is crying and she doesn’t know why. There are new and strange hormones coursing through her body and she is left with only questions. ‘Why aren’t I popular? Why doesn’t he like me? Why do my parents restrict me? Why am I not worthy?’ Invite the 14 year old to come and sit beside you. This woman-child caught between dolls and boyfriends. This confused entity that faces the seduction of trying drugs, alcohol, or sex for the first time. Sense her angst in making these life altering decisions. Let her rest her head against you as she expresses her need for an identity outside of her parents. Let her tears flow as she tells you how she never feels a part of the right clique, and the boy she loves doesn’t know she’s alive. Feel her worry as she tells you she just started having periods and there’s so much she doesn’t know about her body, but doesn’t have anyone to talk to about it. Then gently dry her tears as you tell her, ‘Look at me... this is you. You’re going to make it through this hard time. Your tender body is going to develop into wondrous curves and delightful sexual feelings. There is nothing wrong with what you are feeling… it’s all natural. You’re going to grow up and away from your parents, but you’ll always love and respect them. You’ll experiment with things and substances that don’t nourish you, but you’ll have the strength to walk away from them. You’ll get that boyfriend you thought you’d die for, then discover he wasn’t all that, and you’ll have relationships with other nice guys. This black and white world of angst that you feel trapped in at this moment, will all pass away… as you evolve into a Technicolor world of adulthood. And worthy? Nobody has ever been more worthy than you, my special child of the Universe. Look at me! We go on to college, and even further. Be still, be calm, and know that you are loved for just being you.’
The 14 year old hugs herself feeling more self confident and accepted, as she senses someone she knows playing hopscotch out on the sidewalk. She walks toward a little 7 year old girl hopping on one foot furiously, hair in her eyes, her face all smiles. She is full of wonderment and trust, as she stops her play and asks ‘what’s your name?’ You tell her, & she giggles... ‘That’s my name too!’ You look into her smiling eyes that are without guile or guilt or shame, and your heart aches to be such an innocent again. Back in the days when Barbie was queen and friends made for happy tea parties. When your parents were royalty and knew the answers to absolutely everything… just ask them! When there were no worries about money, there was loads of it in the bank. And food was always on the table. And your teacher liked you best, you just knew it. Your grandparents called you Princess and you secretly knew they were right. God was in heaven and rocky road ice cream was heaven on earth. Allow your 14 year old self to stoop down & ask the 7 year old for a hug. Let all her trusting positive vibrations enter into you, as you give back your unconditional love into her. Smile with her as you tousle her hair & tell her that you hope she always has such a happy and fun-loving attitude throughout her life. And that you hope no one ever breaks her spirit of trust and belief that if she is nice to others, they will be nice to her.
The 7 year old waves goodbye to this nice teenager who shares her name. Over on the front porch she sees a mother holding a newborn baby and she is drawn to her. Skipping over to her, she looks down into the precious face of her infant ‘self’. ‘Oh!’ she exclaims... ‘She’s beautiful!’ The mother smiles in acknowledgement and asks her if she’d like to hold the baby. You sit down carefully beside her, and take the baby in your arms with such awe and honor. This tiny creature, so newly departed from the heavens to alight here on Earth, what secrets of glory she could tell if she could but speak. She opens her eyes and gazes into yours. It’s as if she recognizes her twin soul. You whisper into her tiny pink ear, ‘We all love you so much! You are going to grow up to have so much fun. I’m so glad that you came into this world.’
And as you gently rock this littlest of angels, you sense that the 14 year old ‘self’ has sat down beside you & you hand her the newborn baby. She kisses the baby’s cheek and wishes her sunshine and rainbows and then notices the 21 year old ‘self’ standing next to her. She tenderly holds the baby up & the 21 year old scoops the baby into her arms, wishing her wisdom and knowledge. To the side, the 28 year old laughs as she takes the baby and tickles her neck, comfortable with her mothering skills. She tells the baby to be strong, to grow in grace and not worry about things she can’t control. She hands the baby to the 35 year old who smiles knowingly and says, ‘Look at us… where we have come from, where we are going. It took us all caring for each other to make it this far’.
And now the entire group gathers around the mother, and softly returns the baby to her serene arms. They all reach out to touch this mother, this giver of life & they thank her. For the sacrifices, the pain, the joys, the angers, the satisfactions; all the feelings that bringing this child into the world has wrought for her. They express their gratitude, knowing that they have chosen this vessel to make their entrance into this world. And all is Love.
Breathing deeply 3 times for counts of seven, we are here in the present and we say Thank You.