This is not my first exposure to Ramadan. My Egyptian son-in-law lived with us in the states and he explained it’s meaning to our family. We participated by fasting and being mindful of his culture and practices. Being in Egypt for Ramadan is vastly different. The holiday is vibrant, sacred, celebratory, and brought to life by the people, colors, sights and sounds. What stood out to me, yesterday, were all the people handing out juice to everyone as they drove home at the end of the day. It was a lovely act of kindness towards those that might be weary from fasting all day and working. I loved witnessing the community gathering together. Lots of tables were set out in front of restaurants so families could eat together and the air was filled with positive vibes, endless strands of lights and decorations. My exposure to Ramadan transformed from experiencing it on a mental level to engaging with it fully from a heart space.
Later in the evening my Egyptian son-in-law called us together for a prayer meeting to honor all our faiths and spiritual practices. In attendance were Muslims, Christians, Universalist Unitarians, and those that honor all positive practices. I am a Goddess/Divine Feminine Practitioner/Devotee who honors the Hindu Gods as well as some of the Tibetan Buddhism Deities.
My son-in-law asked if he could show my altar, which I keep in my bedroom, to our guests. I had no problem with it. One man that serves in the Egyptian military stated that he had just encountered an image of Ganesha on a poster and he had lots of questions about “The Elephant” he noticed on my altar. This led to sharing and a long discussion about religion and spirituality.
I am grateful my family of mixed cultures, lifestyles, races, views, religions and spiritualities are committed to making space for each other. It’s not always a-walk-in-the-park. In the past there were blow-ups over holidays, perspectives and beliefs, but we continue to show up for each other by choosing love and respect. We don’t have to agree on everything or persuade the other to see things our way. We recognize that each of us has our own interpretation of God/Goddess and our own path in this lifetime. We try to take a non-dualistic approach. Most of our differences surface when one or the other feels that their voice isn’t being heard.
Living in a family that has endless differences and perspectives but also has a strong foundation rooted in love and respect, is both a blessing and an invitation to take our commitments beyond the front-door. Attempting to live our beliefs and practices while going about our day–engaging with our surroundings and other people, quickly highlights the truth of how skilled we are at embodying our practices. If I’m not challenged, its fairly easy, but if someone cuts me off while I’m driving or I encounter people I am not fond of–well let’s just say, I fall short. A long string of cuss words along with my middle finger may make an appearance. My prayer this Ramadan is that I will continue to try to live my practices when I engage with the world.
Wish Me Luck. This is Not an Easy Task.
Ramadan Blessings to ALL.
patriciabusbee.com 