Seeing the Invisible

“Oftentimes, we ask to see God, as a benefit to us, to feel His presence. But in our searching, we frequently overlook the opportunities to experience the Creator that are right in front of us.”
~Karen Berg

Those of us with normal vision receive about 80% of the information we process from our eyes. Over the course of a lifetime, most of us will rely on our eyes more than any other sense, using images to understand and form opinions about the world. Yet there are aspects of our world that we can’t see with the naked eye. Some are part of our physical world, like wireless signals, radio waves, or radiation. And others, like love, an angel at your side, Light, or the energy of a prayer, are part of our spiritual world. We can see the effects of these invisible forces, yet we cannot perceive them through sight.

The truth is, when it comes to the spiritual world, we are all quite blind. The things we can perceive are just a tiny fraction of what actually surrounds us. We all fall into one of two categories: those who are blind and know it, and those who are blind and oblivious. How aware we are of our spiritual blindness can determine how smoothly we travel through life.

Those who are aware of their spiritually blindness move through life as if navigating a dark room, moving forward with awareness and thoughtfulness, cognizant that there are things around them they simply cannot see. Because of the great care they take moving through life, they are able to discover life’s most valuable treasures—blessings that are often lying right in their path.

The other group—those oblivious to their spiritual blindness—believes that they can see everything around them. Their ignorance makes the road much rockier, causing them to fall into spiritual traps they might have noticed had they been more careful. Imagine being asked to walk through a dark, unfamiliar room with your arms tied behind your back! You would eventually make it to the other side, but who knows what damage might be incurred?

Kabbalists teach that we are better off going through life as if we were blind. Our understanding of the spiritual world is very limited. No matter how much we learn, our spiritual vision is rarely 20/20. When we understand this and approach the world with consciousness, we are more likely to really see what lies before us—whether it’s a beautiful sunset or a bump in the road.

The physical world is filled with darkness as well as beauty. “Although the Creator can be found in all things,” says Michael Berg, “the decision to look for Him lies in our hands.” By moving through life slowly, with attention and awareness, we are more likely to see the work of God in times of darkness and in the Light. “Eventually, when we no longer question whether or not we are seeing the Hand of the Creator,” Michael continues, “when we acknowledge that absolutely every thought of a spiritual nature is a direct revelation from the Creator, we will begin to rise to the level of the prophets.” This can be especially challenging to those of us who have a strong spiritual practice and study often. We can become overconfident in our understanding of how our spiritual system works and can end up missing important signs or lessons. By humbly approaching each day with awareness of the unseen world, we are more likely to discover the wonders of God.

Spiritual growth is a result of taking the long and winding road slowly and carefully. This takes patience, perseverance, and courage. Only with such awareness will we be able to truly see the Creator’s work around us; only then can we find the dangerous traps before we step into them, and see the blessings we are meant to uncover.