Spiritual Anti-Gravity

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; that word is love.” -Sophocles

My brother Boaz is a compact, slim, yet physically fit guy. For many years now, at family weddings he has taken to having my larger and more massive father sit on his shoulders. The contrast of masses always amazes me. After carrying my father for many minutes, Boaz will say, “He was light.” My father will similarly echo, “I was thinking light.”

Is it possible for ones feelings or emotions to somehow affect the inexorable pull of gravity? The Ohr Hachayim seems to imply so.

The Ohr Hachayim explains that in the process of creation, God could have chosen from an infinite number of geometric arrangements. He chose a sphere that orbits the sun and turns on its own axis daily. The Ohr Hachayim explains that every being therefore starts off spiritually and physically equidistant from God (who is really everywhere, though he is most often identified with the Heavens). There is no advantage to country or time zone. Every thing (the Ohr Hachayim includes mineral, vegetable and animal as well) pines for God to the limit of their capacity, from around the globe.

The pull of gravity, the equal (more or less) force that it exerts on all upon the planet is, according to the Ohr Hachayim, also a spiritual force. Our thoughts, emotional and spiritual condition can have an impact on this universal power. It is apparent that when a person is depressed, they feel heavier, while a happier person will be lighter on their feet. It may not only be psychological, there may be some physiological aspects as well (any physicists out there want to do a study?).

May we be able to lighten our spirits and our weight.