Over the years, as I dug deep into religious teachings of Christianity, Buddhism and Zen, I noticed a common inference, symbols and abstract use of the word rock. For instance, in Christianity, the rock symbolism is heavy-duty. So much so, that both the church, Christ and God are associated with rocks. To wit: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2. This implies the never-changing, always-present strength of God, and underscores the concept of security, protection. Consider the verses- “rock of ages”, “cleft of the rock”, “build the church upon the rock”, “God is the Rock” and so on.
In Buddhism, you may have come across pictures of rocks stacked on top of each other and the rock is one of the most recognizable aspects of Japanese culture. Intended to stimulate meditation, are beautiful gardens beautifully adorned sand and rocks to bring out the meaning of life. Rock stacking has carried spiritual meaning across cultures for centuries. The act of balancing stones carries with it a practice of patience and a physical effort of creating balance. Each rock can signify an intention of grace for thankfulness or offered up for another in need.
I did not think too much about the symbolism of the rock until one day during meditation when I realized the rock within. The rock is not a symbol but a matter of fact. It is the solid knowing of truth and the willingness to rest upon it. When we settle in the rock within, we become grounded and unmoved by the fears of the external world. We are released from the winded mind, and the consistent changes of the world. The rock is the truth within that we can depend on and rest upon. It holds us steadfast amidst all criticism and censors.
Finding the stone is the greatest treasure hunt, a romantic interlude within the self. When you come to know that you are resting in the beloved, the lover, and the love, within you, you will know the secret of the radically free. Sexuality and spirituality become one Divine Taste, meeting with no resistance from the conflicts of the egoic mind.
When we fall in love with who and what we are in truth, we stand on a solid rock. It is the enlightenment itself.
