A new day dawns, and with it, we confront the mysteries of our existence, the echoes of feelings and situations that, like waves hitting the shore, seem to return again and again. Every beat of the human experience hides a seemingly familiar melody, a rhythm that reflects us all. Isn't it in recognition of this shared essence that we find the balm for our individual challenges? Today, we will delve into the sacred framework that makes up our humanity, building bridges of understanding between us and others.

The Echo of Experience: Repetition as a sacred trait

Let's imagine for a moment a sacred act. A rite that, far from being eternal, pierces the veil of time, blurring the lines between past, present, and future. This is the nature of the sacred: Earthly experiences that intertwine us like threads in a vast and complicated human tapestry, incessantly repeating in a cyclical and temporal dance.

In the sacred, the whisper of the collective unconscious resonates. A voice that cries out: We are one. Carl Jung defended the idea of a vast reservoir where the experiences of our ancestors are stored, their triumphs, their defeats, the essence of countless repetitions. Yuval Harari, in his celebrated work "Sapiens", also strikes this chord, drawing patterns of behavior, ideas, and beliefs that resonate throughout history. This cycle of repetition, then, can be contemplated as a testament to our evolutionary condition.

Now then, how many of us, men and women in our 30s, 40s, and 50s, tread the same paths, and live the same moments? How many have done so before, and how many will do so after? Life, like a repeatedly played but constantly renewed tango, unfolds experiences and emotions that, despite their familiarity, never cease to surprise us. I recall an anecdote that illustrates this cycle: a friend and I, two men of similar age, found ourselves in a conversation that could have occurred in a Parisian café at the turn of the 20th century or in a medieval tavern. At that moment, I grasped the essence of our humanity in this ordinary and everyday act, perceiving the invisible bond that tied me to all those men who had once shared similar words and reflections. In this repetition, the sacred character of our experiences is revealed, showing that the timeless resides "in the common", in what connects us.

In the sacred, the whisper of the collective unconscious resonates. A voice that cries out: We are one.

The dance of everyday life: The sacred rituals of the day-to-day

The act of eating and daily rituals such as getting out of bed, showering, and brushing our teeth; are actions that, in their repetition, acquire a patina of sacredness. All human beings, regardless of their culture or geography, must feed themselves, an essential and repetitive rite that is as fundamental to our survival as sacred in its nature. Food, in its many forms and flavors, plays a central role in traditions and ceremonies around the world, enhancing its divine character. Though it may seem trivial to us, brushing our teeth is also a sacred act, a repeated dance that demonstrates the beauty of human life in its most basic essence.

Eckhart Tolle, in his influential book "The Power of Now", reflects on the importance of living in the present and how our daily routines, though repetitive, can become mindful meditations. But what if we take this concept a step further? What if our routines are not only a meditation but an artistic decision that celebrates the sacredness of our existence? In this dance of everyday life lies the beauty and divinity of being human.

Unveiling our humanity: "The generic man", "The generic woman"

To delve into the labyrinth of our identity, we must first recognize ourselves as biological beings, animals endowed with consciousness. Only by discovering ourselves in our animality can we unveil the figure of the generic man or generic woman that inhabit us. An echo of primitive humanity that, in its constant repetition, offers us a mirror to dissolve the deceptive reflection of the ego.

Is it not indeed in the surrender to our essential nature that we discover the balm of authenticity? By allowing the man or woman that we are to unfold, invading our most intimate corners, the path toward self-understanding becomes gentler and smoother. As we allow our humanity to flow and occupy the spaces where fears and anxieties once reigned, the ego dissolves and reveals the sacredness of our experiences and concerns, discovering in them the threads of our fundamental biological unity.

From Children to Adults: The Journey towards Individuality

This perspective invites us to understand ourselves, first and foremost, as the human species, woman or man, and then as individuals with singularities and particularities. This pattern is especially evident in childhood, where children are perceived in their generic essence before they are seen as individuals. Over time, the sea of the generic recedes and gives way to personality, opinions, and the person. However, isn't it true that many of our thoughts and emotions are the product of our generic condition, sex, and age, undeniable attributes of our humanity?

The sacred ritual of everyday life

At every moment, our experiences seem to resonate in the mirrors of other lives, like a reflection that, in its repetition and universality, acquires a sacred glow. From this perspective, sacredness permeates every corner of our existence, a constant reminder of our interconnectedness.

However, the sacredness of everyday life doesn't imply a conservative perspective but the recognition that even the humblest acts, such as washing our hands, can imbue us with meaning. When we perceive the sacred in our daily actions, we immerse ourselves in them deeply, a beacon that lights our path and reconciles us with our human essence.

The sacred vulnerability in relationships

Human relationships, in their diverse forms, have a sacred character. Father and son, mother and daughter, teacher and student; all are dances in which two souls intertwine. However, when these dances lack authentic connection and are reduced to mere superficial exchanges, anxieties are born. The sacred, then, is found in vulnerability, in stripping away the armor that the ego has built to protect us.

By allowing our walls to crumble, we reveal the primitive man and woman that lie within us. This act exposes us to our vulnerability by setting aside the illusion of control. However, by surrendering to our essential nature, we submit to something much larger than us, discovering its sacredness in that act. It is in this understanding, perhaps, that we find the meaning and purpose of our existence.

The guiding thread: Finding meaning in feeling

The search for meaning in life often resembles the journey of a navigator in an unknown sea. Isn't the compass of feeling the only instrument that can guide us toward safe harbors? Often, reasoning tries to impose a path, a philosophy like hedonism, for example. But if our ship isn't balanced and in tune with the internal beacon, that philosophy can wreck us in turbulent waters. Although it may seem attractive, the path that only makes sense on a rational level doesn't always resonate with our inner selves.

The true meaning of life, then, lies in doing what we feel has meaning, in undertaking the actions that we feel are worthwhile. It's nothing more than that; it's nothing more than the intimate experience, the melody born from our soul. We, and only we, are the true authors of our existential symphony, even though its notes often seem to repeat in the grand concert of humanity. The symphony of one man resembles that of another by 99%, and what changes are the stages and nuances, but the human stave is common.

Lighting from within

The essential thing, then, is to establish an authentic connection with our inner selves, a candid communication that allows us to extract the genuine from our essence and express it outward. Isn't it necessary to light our internal flame so that its light illuminates the shadows of our existence?

The Symphony of Life

The meaning of life is, ultimately, a lived experience, a symphony that is played and experienced, not a score that is read and interpreted. The sacredness lies in understanding that, beyond the diversities of our personality, the human core is universal. Despite the differences in the instruments and the notes that each one chooses, the music of humanity vibrates in a common tone. This fundamental resonance repeats again and again in the grand symphony of existence.

This interior that defines us unites us more than it differentiates us. The similarities that constantly repeat themselves invite us to become aware that, before individuals, we are building blocks; we are part of a grand universal orchestra. Understanding this, resonating with this music we all share, is perhaps the most sacred act we can perform in our earthly existence.