I am excited to share my review of Deeper: Finding the Depth Dimension Beneath the Surface of Life by Sharon Grussendorff.
Deeper: Finding the Depth Dimension Beneath the Surface of Life is nicely divided into 7 Parts:
Part 1 – The Invitation to a Deeper Journey
Part 2 – Inner Transformation
Part 3 – Becoming Still
Part 4 – Letting Go
Part 5 – The Invitation to Know Ourselves Deeply
Part 6 – Transforming our Pain
Part 7 – Flowing Outward
Let me highlight what I found most helpful! I particularly enjoyed the bite sized chapters and I think you will too!
this post may contain affiliate links
Depth Dimension
“I once heard Finley describe the depth dimension of life using the analogy of a multidimensional timeline. The period of time from our births to our deaths— our chronological lives, with all the events we experience along the way— is plotted on the horizontal dimension of the timeline. At each moment on this horizontal line, there is also a depth dimension. This is the dimension in which we know our abiding union with God. Our capacity to experience this is infinitely deep, but the depth dimension can only be accessed in the present moment.”
James Finley makes a wonderful point! Do I access the beauty that each moment contains? Do I skim the surface, or do I dig below the surface to experience all the depth and beauty that this moment contains? Do I text or read emails while I eat lunch with a friend, or do I give my full attention to the conversation that we have? When I take a walk, do I reflect on the past or worry about the future or do I utilize all of my five senses to enjoy and relish my surroundings?
Enwombed In God
“[The Hebrew] word for mercy has sometimes been translated as “enwombedness,” implying the bond between a mother and the child in her womb, a nurturing, tender, intimate, and all-consuming love.
… God’s blood runs through our veins, God’s breath breathes in our lungs, and our heartbeats are intimately matched with the rhythm of God’s heartbeat. There’s nothing we have to do to make this happen— it’s already occurring, all on its own— but we need to experience it and allow it to transform our sense of ourselves. We realize we are not separate autonomous beings who are doing it all ourselves; instead, we are held, nurtured, and completely surrounded by God, intimately connected with God’s very Being.”
I think we often forget this. We are enwombed in God! We are in complete union with God from the top of our heads to the bottom of our toes. We are enclosed in the love of God at all times. This is exciting! We are never apart from God. It is impossible. We live, move and have our being in God. God is within us and stays within us at all times, forever.
Reality
“We are constantly building a story around stimuli and events, and then we believe in this version of life our minds have spun. We have to learn that our minds cannot be trusted to give us an accurate picture of reality.”
What we see and hear is not always the full truth. It is our perception at that exact moment. I have often made a judgement or rendered an opinion only to realize that I did not have all of the facts. My judgement was unfair. My opinion was incomplete because I did not see all of the parts that were needed. I often tell myself to slow down. Do I have all of the facts? What did I miss? Do I have an accurate picture of reality?
God’s Voice
“I have realized that God’s voice is never harsh or grating. The Beloved will never judge or condemn us.”
That is wonderful insight! I have noticed the same. God loves me. God is always present. God’s love for me is unconditional. God is very patient with me. God seems to gently nudge me. I hope you too can begin to see these gentle attitudes of the Divine.
True Self
“Nearly eight billion of us are all reacting out of these same negative motivations, all feeding into each other’s turbulent sea of reaction and feedback. No wonder the world is such a mess!”
Each one of us is the unique manifestation of God. Once we begin to live from this realization we will no longer feel the need to be afraid, resist, defend or seek the approval of others. We will simply need to be who we are and let others do the same. Imagine if more and more people lived life with the self-knowledge of who they are: the unique manifestation of God.
Mindful Tea/Coffee Drinking
“Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, exactly the way you like it. Find somewhere to sit where you are relaxed and comfortable. Drink your tea very slowly, swallow by swallow, bringing your attention to the smell and the flavor of the tea, savoring it fully. Try not to think about the next mouthful or the time when your tea is finished or how you should drink all of your cups of tea this way. Just stay with this mouthful, and enjoy it.”
I enjoy a good cup of French pressed coffee. I should slow down and try this exercise. Thank you Sharon for bringing this to my attention!
God’s Boundless Love
“Our wounds run deep, but the tender love of God is infinitely deeper. This means that the deeper we venture into our painful places, the deeper will be our awareness of God’s boundless love. Our spiritual roots grow and spread, grounding us in Divine love.”
God is with us in our wounds. When my father passed away, my first centering prayer sit was most difficult. I sobbed and then ever so gently returned to my sacred word. I did this over and over and over again. And then there was peace. It made me realize that not only was God with me but that God seemed to replace my pain and grief with His boundless love.
All-Pervasive Depth of God’s Love
“Only when we release our attachment to the feelings we equate with love can we experience the more subtle but all-pervasive depth of God’s love, which underpins and infuses every moment of our lives.”
I particularly love this idea. I need to let go of the feelings of love. Why? Because when I do, I will open myself to the all-pervasive depth of God’s love which underpins and infuses every moment. Wow! My perception or definition of God’s love and the real Divine Love are millions if not billions of miles apart. I want to experience this Love that permeates me and all of my surroundings.
Next Steps
“We need to make space for God’s will, through our ongoing choices to let go of our own wills, so we can flow with the movement of God’s Spirit in our lives.”
I am very much work in progress! I will return to God each day for my twice per day centering prayer sits. I need them! More importantly, I need to surrender to God so I can flow with the movement of God’s Spirit in my life too!
I encourage you to check out this wonderful book!
this post may contain affiliate links
