The Law of Undulation: Understanding Life's Natural Rhythms
Have you ever noticed how your spiritual and emotional life seems to move in waves? One day you're riding high on faith, feeling deeply connected to the divine, and the next you're in a valley, wondering where that connection went. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone—and more importantly, you're not doing anything wrong.
Understanding the Natural Rhythm
There's a fascinating principle called the law of undulation that explains this phenomenon. Like a bird in flight that moves forward through a series of rises and falls, our spiritual and emotional journey follows a similar pattern. Think about your own breathing for a moment: it's impossible to inhale forever or exhale forever. Life itself is built on this pattern of peaks and troughs.
The Purpose in the Pattern
Many of us make the mistake of seeing these spiritual and emotional fluctuations as failures or signs of weakness. We believe that if we were "doing it right," we'd maintain constant spiritual heights or emotional peaks. But what if these valleys serve a purpose just as important as the peaks?
Consider a field that needs both growing seasons and fallow periods to produce its best harvest. Or think about how a muscle needs both tension and release to grow stronger. These natural rhythms aren't flaws in the system—they're essential features of growth and development.
The Valleys as Training Grounds
Here's a perspective shift that might change everything: what if these low periods aren't punishments but opportunities? In the peaks, we learn what it feels like to be connected to our faith and purpose. In the valleys, we learn to maintain that connection even when we don't feel it. That's where real spiritual strength is built—not in the feeling, but in the choosing.
Think of it like a train journey. When the train goes through a tunnel, has it stopped moving forward? Of course not. The engine pulls with the same power and purpose as when you're in the sunlight. Similarly, your spiritual journey continues even when you can't feel it as intensely.
Navigating the Waves
Like a skilled sailor who learns to work with both the crests and troughs of waves, we can learn to navigate these spiritual and emotional cycles. Here are three key principles to remember:
Every Valley is Temporary The very nature of undulation guarantees that no low point lasts forever. Just as winter gives way to spring, your spiritual winter will yield to new growth.
Every Phase Has Purpose Both peaks and valleys contribute to your growth. The highs build our joy and gratitude; the lows build our patience and faith.
Forward Motion Continues Even when you can't feel it, progress is still happening. Sometimes the most significant growth occurs in what feels like stagnant periods.
Practical Application
When you find yourself in a valley, resist the urge to see it as failure. Instead, treat it as a training ground. Use these periods to practice what we might call "practical faith"—choosing to maintain your spiritual practices even when you don't feel like it.
Remember that feelings are like weather—changeable by nature. The real victory isn't in avoiding the valleys but in learning to walk through them with grace. This understanding doesn't just apply to spiritual life; it extends to emotional well-being, creative pursuits, and personal growth of all kinds.
A New Perspective
Perhaps the most liberating truth about the law of undulation is that it frees us from the expectation of constant spiritual or emotional highs. Just as we don't expect the sun to shine 24 hours a day or the tide to stay eternally high, we can release ourselves from the pressure to maintain perpetual peak experiences.
In embracing this natural rhythm, we find a deeper kind of peace—not the peace of constant elevation, but the peace of knowing that both the peaks and valleys serve a purpose in our journey. The ups and downs aren't signs that we're doing something wrong; they're evidence that we're alive and growing.
Moving Forward
As you continue on your spiritual journey, pay attention to these patterns in your life. Notice how the valleys often precede periods of significant growth. Observe how the challenges of the low times build resilience and deepen your understanding.
Remember: the real measure of spiritual maturity isn't the ability to stay perpetually on the mountaintop—it's the wisdom to find meaning in both the heights and the depths, and the courage to keep moving forward through both.
The next time you find yourself in a spiritual or emotional valley, take heart. You haven't lost your way. You're not failing. You're simply experiencing one part of a natural and necessary rhythm. Keep walking, keep choosing, keep growing. The valley is not your destination; it's part of your journey.
