I Had An Epiphany! Now What?
“I had an Epiphany!”
We’ve all felt that inspiring moment of realization at one time or another, the powerful insight that was going to change everything. It’s a great feeling, right?
Today is the Day of Epiphany. I know that because as I glanced at the calendar to schedule my week of writing I saw “Epiphany” written on today, the day I was planning to publish a post. So, I had a little epiphany that I’d write about epiphany!
I didn’t wake up receiving 12 drummers drumming from my true love, but I woke up thinking about how much I love those sparks of inspiration, those rushes of insight that bring clarity.
The Day of Epiphany in Christian tradition signifies the 12th day of Christmas and ancient traditions culminated the season with a lavish Feast of Epiphany. It’s come to be known as “12th Night” in Great Britain. Shakespeare originally wrote his play, “Twelfth Night, or What You Will,” as part of the entertainment for Twelfth Night, Day of Epiphany celebration.
Epiphany is such a great word. In Greek the word means “manifestation.”
“I had an epiphany!” I’ve said. You’ve likely said it, or have heard it said, often.
An aha! Oprah says often, “I had an aha moment.” She’s even made it a thing, part of her brand.
So, is an “aha” a small Epiphany? Does an Epiphany have to be huge? I feel like it should always be written with a capital E because to me Epiphanies are major, whether they’re large or small.
What to do with an Epiphany?
Epiphanies feed creativity, particularly when we follow them, court them, nurture them, build relationships with them, introduce them to others so they can flourish and become something beyond themselves.
It got me thinking about Epiphanies and how often they show up in our lives. A light turns on, we have that aha moment where a realization hits home in a way it hasn’t before. It’s enlightening and can be life changing.
But, this is where the rubber meets the road.
What we do with the Epiphany - the awakening - is what matters, right? The doing looks different for everyone. Sometimes the doing is not actually “doing” anything. It’s being the Epiphany. Living the realization, one day, one hour, one moment, one second at a time.
It’s returning to the feeling evoked when the bells of Epiphany first started ringing.
The first step is to recognize it’s a new thought, a new feeling. It might bring up some fears of the unknown and fears that we won’t be able to stay in the new thought. The first tendency might be to turn the other way, to go back into hiding behind the old frame of mind where it’s familiar and seemingly safe. That’s my habit sometimes.
But, the second step is to stop. To breathe. To remember. To align our new feelings with the new thought.
Ahhh. To relish in that space.
The third step might be to share it with someone. As soon as you give voice to it, the resonance deepens and starts to become part of your physical, emotional and spiritual vernacular.
A little bit today, more tomorrow and so it continues as you listen with a more familiar ear for those bells of Epiphany to toll until they become part of your life’s symphony.
When was your last Epiphany? State it in the comments if you feel like sharing. Would love to hear from you.