Sacred Contracts XXXIX: Altar(ations)

I.    
    
Four years ago I received    
a Universe house of my dreams—  
created my first altar facing South;    
    unbeknownst to me  
    as the energy of new beginnings;    
    
I lost it two years later—  
  through no fault of my own;  
in my new home, the altar faced West;  
  unbeknownst to me    
  as the energy of release, letting go;    
    
today, in pure spirit communique  
I was told, in Universal simplicity,    
  "Time for the altar to face East";  
I researched, discovered    
East is the energy of awakening    
  and enlightenment.    
    
I asked myself,  
before I ever had an altar  
  "Did my heart always face South  
   toward the energy of emotions    
   to be conquered?    
    
   "Or, is that the final frontier  
   of being human?"    
    
We are born with knowledge  
of previous lives’ experience;  
  unbeknownst to us    
  archived within memory  
  of both joy and suffering  
    
We are all the better for it.    
    
II.    
    
When I was 35    
I was told to pray    
  for a gift:  
  be it riches, health, or love.    
It took me one second    
to pray for wisdom.    
    
You see, I thought    
if I was wise,    
I would know how to attract  
whatever I desired  
  then adapt to any circumstance    
  I faced, and survive.    
    
It didn’t happen overnight  
but something else did:  
  mistake after grueling mistake;    
because you must experience    
  the contrast of wisdom    
  in order to differentiate.  
    
Milton once said,  
 ‘The most difficult journey    
  a man will make is within himself.’    
Most never succeed    
  until numerous lives are lived.    
    
Our lives are a spiritual  
evolution from birth;  
  unbeknownst to us  
  though we often suspect  
  even speculate such truths.    
    
I still make mistakes—  
  but I am the better for it.    
    
III.    
    
If I could give one piece of advice  
to those who remain behind  
  in this celebration of life,    
  it would be the book of Proverbs:    
    
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;  
love her, and she will watch over you.  
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.  
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.  
    
Yet, be aware of the following:    
    
For in much wisdom is much grief;  
and he that increaseth knowledge  
increaseth sorrow.  
    
You’ll grieve for people:    
  the downtrodden, sickly, poor;    
You'll grieve for the world:    
  pollution, global warming, death;    
you yourself have been  
  or are still living there;  
  we ALL have, or are    
  in our human experience.    
    
IV.    
    
This moment, I am blessed    
with all my heart desires:    
  prosperity, dream job, health    
  most importantly, Love.    
    
My prayer has been answered;  
  I give praise and gratitude—    
It could change tomorrow  
but would not matter;  
because I had it for a time;  
  and I refuse to be bitter—    
  we are never guaranteed    
  the tangible forever.    
    
You will wish everyone    
had what you have—    
  not wealth, material possessions  
  nor love, but endless possibilities  
manifesting from wisdom    
easing ceaseless misery    
    
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,    
and the man that getteth understanding.
 
    
V.  
    
Truth is a double-edged sword    
which divides two factions    
of spiritual and physical—  
    
Wisdom is the balm  
that seals the wound    
with knowledge and Love.    
    
But, you have to be willing  
to lose everything you own  
  to gain everything you want.    
    
~