Have you ever tried to get really clear in your mind what heaven is? Have you written in your journal your thoughts about paradise?
It’s harder than you might think to picture heaven. Everyone’s idea is different. Religion might suggest some images, but having a really detailed mental picture of heaven is a rare thing. Most of the time we stay fixated on our earthbound lives and don’t dwell on future nirvanas.
Go ahead, test my theory. Can’t you tell me write now what heaven is to you? Can you describe it in detail? You might come up with “a Caribbean island” or “chocolate fudge ice cream” but I’m talking about the ultimate heaven, the one beyond everything you know, the final destination. What would you like that to be?
If you use your journal to explore this question, let me suggest going about it in a reverse-engineered way.
- Instead of asking, What is heaven like? Ask, What is heaven not like? That may be an easier way to approach the intimidating task of picturing ultimate bliss. I may not know what heaven is, but I sure know it’s not shivering in the dark or wishing for love or being a bully. Spend five minutes making a list of all the things heaven is not. Then find heavenly alternatives for each item. Heaven is not shivering in the dark; it’s basking in the light, and so on.
- Describing in words something that is seen with the mind’s eye is a great challenge. Some are very good at it, but it takes a lot of practice. So rather than asking, What does heaven look like? Ask, What does heaven feel like? It’s a big challenge to convey complex mental images, but sometimes you can more easily express the emotions that come up for you. “When I think of heaven, I feel restful, calm, quietly happy.” Or maybe, "When I think of heaven I feel immense power."
- Rather than trying to describe heaven in earthly terms, you can make good use of other abstractions, like color and sound, to enrich your idea of the place. Use some pastel sticks or markers to show your imaginings in your journal. Listen to music to inspire your words or doodles.
- While considering what we want or expect our heaven to be, it may be helpful to journal about what heaven wants us to be. What are the entrance requirements to your heaven? How will you play your part in heaven?
- And instead of wondering if you will ever be good enough for your heaven, take seriously the question of what kind of heaven best suits you. Think of it not so much as measuring up to something, as evolving into the unmitigated totality of yourself. Think about the place where dwells the most perfect expression of You.
Don’t you think that if we spent more time imagineering our concepts of heaven, the happier we are likely to be? Certainly it’s worth the occasional journaling entry; and it might even change your world!
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