October 2008 ~ Nichevo

For some of my "jottings" this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own.

The word for October is:

Nichevo – (nee chee VHO) Russian
Don’t worry, doesn’t matter, nothing to do about it.

(from the book) “Good Morning. This is God speaking. I will be handling all of your problems today, without any assistance from you. I’ll let you know if I require your input. So just relax and enjoy the day."

This (imaginary) message is a gentle reminder to simply lighten up. We spend so much time resisting life, trying to command it, ignoring the basic reality that what we resist persists. When we are upset and anxious, gently speaking the word nichevo reminds us that the challenge of the moment is simply not to hold on so tightly. Clinging to what is not controllable is, in part, the source of our misery. Bouncing between blame and self pity only brings more suffering.”

Learning to “let go” is a vital part of our spiritual growth. But, “letting go” is part of a larger practice. This is the practice of trusting or “having faith” in that which is larger than our own understanding. One of my teachers used to say: “Faith is like the motor in an automobile. In and of itself, it will not take you anywhere. Only when the ignition is turned on, does the power of the motor cause movement to happen. Belief is the ignition that activates faith.”

So, when we believe that God is our Source and our Supply, this belief quickens our faith and we can let go of our anxiety and attempts to control things that are beyond out control. We can whisper the word nichevo and know that we are not abandoning the direction of our lives, but rather we are surrendering to a larger power. One of the most dynamic and comprehensive affirmations we can know and believe and use is this:

There is only One Presence and One Power
in the universe and in my life, God, the Good.
Or, we can simply say, with understanding, “Nichevo!”

jbm