Jennifer Bonadio

What is faith? Some use the word to refer to a set of beliefs that they adhere to or live by. Others consider that it is something akin to trust or hope. I find myself leaning into faith so much lately, and, in turn, deepening my understanding of it. For me, faith is not at all in the mind, and is not about beliefs, it arises from and abides in my heart. Felt rather than thought, it is often misunderstood by the linear mind as wishful thinking or blind following. I understand it as an active engagement of the unknown, a movement toward it as something full of possibility rather than fear. It is an opening to meet the not-seen, but known… held in the humble truth that there is something so much greater than our personal story at play. It feels like a spaciousness that is at once vulnerable and open, a clarity that does not need certainty, a deep heart yes to who I am in my heart of hearts. To live with faith is to live wholeheartedly…

A wise man, Teilhard DE Chardin, wrote that faith is an operative, it can change outcomes and affect materiality. It seems he was referring to the energy and power of faith to move us, indeed, to move mountains. The faith gives us the energy to carry on, to stay engaged with life. To ‘act as if’ is a powerfully creative act, ‘as if’ the road will rise up to meet you. Faith knows that life will go on – it has no opposite. There is a bigger picture, even if it cannot be seen. Faith is a balm for grief and a well of strength that we can tap into when times are challenging…or heartbreaking.

Faith supports the qualities of the deep heart – the courage, compassion and curiosity that we need to fuel us forward. These qualities help us to change, to grow, to heal, to reach out, to open to others who are different than us.  It takes faith in Life, in Love, the Divine (or however we frame the all that is that is bigger than us) to keep going, to wake another day and begin again.  How can we cultivate faith?  Simple practices and rituals of prayer, breath, meditation all help because they help us remember who we are in our hearts. Being in nature, spending time with our beloveds, finding joy in the little things, all that nourishes your heart, cultivates faith.  Community, congregation, ceremony, sacrament, the rituals of hope, all these can nourish faith. When consciously prayed for, and intentionally lived, faith is a powerhouse, and can help us to carry on, creatively and humbly, with Love. It can be the difference between just surviving and truly thriving. I have faith in the amazing potential and resilience of people – I know together we can move forward with love and grace. As another wise man, Charles Eisenstein, says – we can create “a more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.” When we ‘put faith’ in something or someone, we give it our heart energy, we imbue it with Love. I am putting my faith in Life …