More quotes from the Chapter on Meditation and Mindfulness
When you want to lay yourself open for the divine
like a snare that is hollowed out to its depth
like a canopy that projects a shadow
from the divine heat and light
into your soul,
then go into your inner place physically,
or to that story or symbol that reminds you of the sacred.
Close the door of your awareness to
the public person you think yourself to be.
Pray to the parent of creation, with your inner sense,
the outer senses turned within.
Veiling yourself, the mystery may be unveiled through you.
By opening yourself to the flow of the sacred,
somewhere, resounding in some inner form,
the swell of the divine ocean can move through you.
The breathing life of all reveals itself
in the way you live your life.
- Jesus, Matthew Ch 6, translated directly from the Aramaic
[I]f children were told from their birth:
"You are eternal, you have a place in you that is full of wisdom, full of strength, full of blessedness," this truth would become a power in their lives even when they grow up and other negative influences begin to prevail. . . . A wonderful beauty of appearance and of character comes to you.
- Swami Ashkananda
Empty your mind of all thoughts.
Let your heart be at peace.
Watch the turmoil of beings,
but contemplate their return.
Each separate being in the universe
returns to the common source.
Returning to the source is serenity.
- The Tao Te Ching
To know Tao
meditate
and still the mind.
Knowledge comes with perseverance. . . .
When enlightenment arrives
don't talk too much about it;
just live it in your own way.
- Loy Ching Yuen
God is not found in the soul by adding anything, but by a process of subtraction.
- Meister Eckhart
In the pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is added.
In the practice of the Tao,
every day something is dropped . . .
True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way.
It can't be gained by interfering.
If you want to be given everything,
give everything up . . .
If you open yourself to loss,
you are at one with loss
and you can accept it completely.
- Tao Te Ching
If you think of yourself as something,
then God cannot clothe himself in you,
for God is infinite.
No vessel can contain God,
unless you think of yourself as Ayin . . .
Think of yourself as Ayin and forget yourself totally.
Then you can transcend time,
rising to the world of thought,
where all is equal:
life and death, ocean and dry land.
- The Kabbalah
The recollection of God makes the heart calm.
- The Qur'an
Secretly we spoke,
that wise one and me.
I said, Tell me the secrets of the world.
He said, Sh . . . Let silence
Tell you the secrets of the world.
- Rumi
Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
12.23.2004
Luther
I just finished watching the movie Luther - a story about the life and teaching of Martin Luther, the German Augustinian monk who sparked a cultural, political and theological revolution during the 16th century.
Watch it. Rent it. Buy it.
Become enraptured with the sumptuous images of the period. Become embroiled in the life and inner ruminations of a man who followed God and his conscience to a fault.
Luther is the kind of theologian I dream about becoming - someone passionate about their faith, knowledgeable about Scripture and theology, dedicated to the vision granted him by his angelic muse.
I pray that one day I will have the courage, passion and will to serve God and imitate Christ as Luther imitated and served.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
Watch it. Rent it. Buy it.
Become enraptured with the sumptuous images of the period. Become embroiled in the life and inner ruminations of a man who followed God and his conscience to a fault.
Luther is the kind of theologian I dream about becoming - someone passionate about their faith, knowledgeable about Scripture and theology, dedicated to the vision granted him by his angelic muse.
I pray that one day I will have the courage, passion and will to serve God and imitate Christ as Luther imitated and served.
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
12.21.2004
Be C.H.R.I.S.T.
So I had a random idea the other day (actually about 2 months ago) as I was teaching a religion certification course for yet another cute "let's take a word and make it something religious" idea (like WWJD - What Would Jesus Do; PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens; FROG - Fully Rely on God, etc.).
I liked C.H.R.I.S.T., but instead of making it into a sentence, I assigned words to each one. This is what I got:
C - Congruent
H - Holistic (or Holy)
R - Relational (or Radical)
I - Incarnational (or Inspirational)
S - Sacramental (or Sacred)
T - Transparent
Congruent
Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines congruence as being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence. Gandhi had a quote that went to the effect that you find true happiness when what you believe, what you say, and how you act are all in accord. My boss likes to say that as Christians we should walk the walk, not just talk the talk. All of these fall under this idea - that we should act as we name ourselves: followers of Christ Jesus.
Holistic
going back to Merriam-Webster, I find that holistic means relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts. When we become followers of Jesus, one of our tasks is to take all the disparate parts of ourselves - mind, body, soul, spirit, thought, sexuality, relationality, etc., and integrate it. We are called to imitate Jesus, and Jesus is imaged as being fully integrated - not suppressing or repressing parts of his psyche/soul, but being in harmony with himself. We are called to take care of ourselves in all aspects, to care for ourselves as living temples of the Living God.
Relational
St. John says that we cannot profess to love the God we cannot see if we cannot love the people around us who we can see. God invites us as individuals to become part of a greater whole. Hence the way we relate to others is a direct measure of how we relate to Divinity. Especially for Christians (but Buddhists also stress this), then, Church (community) becomes a place where we get to see how fully we have become like Christ. We are called to be in relation to those around us because they are images and reflections of Divinity.
Incarnational
I think many people have trouble with this one. They want to leave this messy, materialistic place for a more spiritual plane. But we tend to forget that God was one of us - Jesus ate, drank, sweated, used the restroom, had bad hair days, needed to bathe, etc. Our world is full of the grandeur of God - the heavens proclaim the glory of God. The Gospel of Thomas says it thus: lift a rock and you will find me; split a piece of wood and you will find me there (loosely quoted - can't remember the exact quote and too lazy right now to look it up!). We are called to be people that love our earth and love those around us and love ourselves because God has placed us here for our enjoyment and his glory. This is not a bad place, this is not just a waiting place until we get to something better - this is a place of divine purpose and sacred beauty - a place of wonder and awe where God can break into our lives at any moment through the vehicle of his creation.
Sacramental
Pretty much what I said in Incarnational :-)
Transparent
Similar to Congruent, we should live our lives and pray our lives in such a way that we remember that God knows us through and through. We should strive to put away our duplicitousness - the need we have to lie to ourselves and others, the need we feel to try and justify whoa and what we are because we're not sure if other people will like/accept us. We should live lives that will be broken open at the end of time for all to see. We should live lives that we can be proud of - moment to moment, year to year, lifetime to lifetime.
Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
I liked C.H.R.I.S.T., but instead of making it into a sentence, I assigned words to each one. This is what I got:
C - Congruent
H - Holistic (or Holy)
R - Relational (or Radical)
I - Incarnational (or Inspirational)
S - Sacramental (or Sacred)
T - Transparent
Congruent
Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines congruence as being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence. Gandhi had a quote that went to the effect that you find true happiness when what you believe, what you say, and how you act are all in accord. My boss likes to say that as Christians we should walk the walk, not just talk the talk. All of these fall under this idea - that we should act as we name ourselves: followers of Christ Jesus.
Holistic
going back to Merriam-Webster, I find that holistic means relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts. When we become followers of Jesus, one of our tasks is to take all the disparate parts of ourselves - mind, body, soul, spirit, thought, sexuality, relationality, etc., and integrate it. We are called to imitate Jesus, and Jesus is imaged as being fully integrated - not suppressing or repressing parts of his psyche/soul, but being in harmony with himself. We are called to take care of ourselves in all aspects, to care for ourselves as living temples of the Living God.
Relational
St. John says that we cannot profess to love the God we cannot see if we cannot love the people around us who we can see. God invites us as individuals to become part of a greater whole. Hence the way we relate to others is a direct measure of how we relate to Divinity. Especially for Christians (but Buddhists also stress this), then, Church (community) becomes a place where we get to see how fully we have become like Christ. We are called to be in relation to those around us because they are images and reflections of Divinity.
Incarnational
I think many people have trouble with this one. They want to leave this messy, materialistic place for a more spiritual plane. But we tend to forget that God was one of us - Jesus ate, drank, sweated, used the restroom, had bad hair days, needed to bathe, etc. Our world is full of the grandeur of God - the heavens proclaim the glory of God. The Gospel of Thomas says it thus: lift a rock and you will find me; split a piece of wood and you will find me there (loosely quoted - can't remember the exact quote and too lazy right now to look it up!). We are called to be people that love our earth and love those around us and love ourselves because God has placed us here for our enjoyment and his glory. This is not a bad place, this is not just a waiting place until we get to something better - this is a place of divine purpose and sacred beauty - a place of wonder and awe where God can break into our lives at any moment through the vehicle of his creation.
Sacramental
Pretty much what I said in Incarnational :-)
Transparent
Similar to Congruent, we should live our lives and pray our lives in such a way that we remember that God knows us through and through. We should strive to put away our duplicitousness - the need we have to lie to ourselves and others, the need we feel to try and justify whoa and what we are because we're not sure if other people will like/accept us. We should live lives that will be broken open at the end of time for all to see. We should live lives that we can be proud of - moment to moment, year to year, lifetime to lifetime.
Enjoy! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
12.15.2004
Who Am I
Two posts in one day! :-)
Here is the real me! :-)
Which OS are You?
Which File Extension are You?
Enjoy! :-)
Hugo
Here is the real me! :-)
Which OS are You?
Which File Extension are You?
Enjoy! :-)
Hugo
Untitled
i wrote this in high school . . . i still like it . . . enjoy :-)
silence reigns, the heart is still
but peace, far from everlasting, is ephemeral
for eyes that see and hearts that hear
for a soul so longing to render aid . . .
watching . . .
slowly withdrawing to an inner place
far from the prying eyes and soundless talk
inner contemplation seeks a guide
to the suffering on the outside . . .
yes, it is there
no matter how much materialistic people deny it
no matter if stone-covered hearts refuse to see it
it is there
in a neighbor--a listless smile
a relative--a gloomy face
a friend--the quietness that comes from the depths of a
soul yearning for a love and peace that is always
just one step away
one horizon further
one prayer ahead
but that never reaches them and drives them to an even
deeper despair
than at first
yet i pretend that all is well
as my soul cries out for justice
trapped by walls that have no boundaries
save those set in my mind
i wait
and listen
and watch
while the sickness that spreads over our world
corrupts and eats at the vitality of others
like a cancer
yes, there must be suffering . . .
through it the world is being cleansed . . .
yet, "why do the weary have to walk so far?"
better yet, why doesn't the mass of humanity respond?
in the face of such suffering they turn their thoughts inward
and forget their family
because of selfishness, tinged with fear--
of being themselves
of baring their hearts
of being hurt--
they turn a blind eye and a deaf ear
to the struggles of their friends
a mask of contentment is worn for all to see
people say "things are great--no problems here"
yet inside, they are as dark as their companions
who willingly show a distraught face . . .
who is the stronger?
and where is the aid that should be freely rendered
as we bear each others' burdens?
why is it so hard to love?
i look to Christ . . .
i know my answer lies within, as
Paraclete gives boundless wisdom
as Healer heals, and Lover loves
and Peacefulness yields his life for all
yet why must we remain so ignorant?
the suffering of one redeems us all, yet recognition . . .
love is twisted
faith destroyed
hope, lessened until it is no longer . . .
yet Christ
he loves so much
dying as he did of a broken heart
a heart filled with all the pain that was
that is
that will be
he cries out in the form of every single person who is hurting
he stares at us every day, desperately seeking
our aid . . .
yet we beg off--
too much work, not enough time
"i come before you do--fix it yourself"
the excuses are endless, the pain evergrowing
by refusing to help a soul two are worse off
i cry out to Justice, yet Justice, it seems, hears not
but i forget . . .
without Good Friday there is no Easter Sunday
without a crown of thorns there is no crown of glory
without dying there is no life
dear God forgive me for doubting . . .
"against You only have i sinned"
for it is during our weakest moments
it is during our trials and tribulations
it is while our heart is in pieces
shattered by the pain that assails us
that we draw near to You
that You enfold us in Your arms of love
that You carry us
that You let us feel the love You have for us
it is then that we are most fit to love and be loved . . .
silence reigns, the heart is still
but peace, far from everlasting, is ephemeral
for eyes that see and hearts that hear
for a soul so longing to render aid . . .
watching . . .
slowly withdrawing to an inner place
far from the prying eyes and soundless talk
inner contemplation seeks a guide
to the suffering on the outside . . .
yes, it is there
no matter how much materialistic people deny it
no matter if stone-covered hearts refuse to see it
it is there
in a neighbor--a listless smile
a relative--a gloomy face
a friend--the quietness that comes from the depths of a
soul yearning for a love and peace that is always
just one step away
one horizon further
one prayer ahead
but that never reaches them and drives them to an even
deeper despair
than at first
yet i pretend that all is well
as my soul cries out for justice
trapped by walls that have no boundaries
save those set in my mind
i wait
and listen
and watch
while the sickness that spreads over our world
corrupts and eats at the vitality of others
like a cancer
yes, there must be suffering . . .
through it the world is being cleansed . . .
yet, "why do the weary have to walk so far?"
better yet, why doesn't the mass of humanity respond?
in the face of such suffering they turn their thoughts inward
and forget their family
because of selfishness, tinged with fear--
of being themselves
of baring their hearts
of being hurt--
they turn a blind eye and a deaf ear
to the struggles of their friends
a mask of contentment is worn for all to see
people say "things are great--no problems here"
yet inside, they are as dark as their companions
who willingly show a distraught face . . .
who is the stronger?
and where is the aid that should be freely rendered
as we bear each others' burdens?
why is it so hard to love?
i look to Christ . . .
i know my answer lies within, as
Paraclete gives boundless wisdom
as Healer heals, and Lover loves
and Peacefulness yields his life for all
yet why must we remain so ignorant?
the suffering of one redeems us all, yet recognition . . .
love is twisted
faith destroyed
hope, lessened until it is no longer . . .
yet Christ
he loves so much
dying as he did of a broken heart
a heart filled with all the pain that was
that is
that will be
he cries out in the form of every single person who is hurting
he stares at us every day, desperately seeking
our aid . . .
yet we beg off--
too much work, not enough time
"i come before you do--fix it yourself"
the excuses are endless, the pain evergrowing
by refusing to help a soul two are worse off
i cry out to Justice, yet Justice, it seems, hears not
but i forget . . .
without Good Friday there is no Easter Sunday
without a crown of thorns there is no crown of glory
without dying there is no life
dear God forgive me for doubting . . .
"against You only have i sinned"
for it is during our weakest moments
it is during our trials and tribulations
it is while our heart is in pieces
shattered by the pain that assails us
that we draw near to You
that You enfold us in Your arms of love
that You carry us
that You let us feel the love You have for us
it is then that we are most fit to love and be loved . . .
12.10.2004
One Spirit, Many Wells - Chapter 10
Meditation and Mindfulness
Meditation is stopping, calming, and looking deeply.
-Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ
Thus any feeling whatsoever - past, future or present; internal or eternal; blatant or subtle, common or sublime, far or near; every feeling - is to be seen as it actually is with right understanding: "this is not mine. This is not myself. This is not what I am."
- The Buddha
In dealing with pain and negative experience, meditation helps us also. When it comes to fear, for example, I recommend people talking to fear as if it were a being (which it can be). Ask it questions: "Mister Fear, why are you here today? What are you here to teach me?" If we don't befriend fear (Jesus said, "love your enemies"), fear might take us over. It might become a demon or a boogie man in our psyche. Chodron recommends approaching what you find repulsive, help the one thing you cannot help, and go to the places that scare you. This begins when we sit down to meditate and practice not struggling with our own mind.
- Matthew Fox, quoting and expanding on Pema Chodron, Buddhist Nun
The heart is said to be in the midst of the person. Since God dwells in our hearts, God is said to be in the midst.
- St. Thomas Aquinas
When all the images of the soul are taken away and the soul can see only the single One, then the pure being of the soul finds passively resting in itself the pure, form-free being of divine unity, when the being of the soul can bear nothing else than the pure unity of God.
- Meister Eckhart
Meditation is about returning home, returning home and finding the greatness that was thee all along. As Eckhart put it: God is at home; it is we who have gone out for a walk.
- Matthew Fox
Meditation is stopping, calming, and looking deeply.
-Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ
Thus any feeling whatsoever - past, future or present; internal or eternal; blatant or subtle, common or sublime, far or near; every feeling - is to be seen as it actually is with right understanding: "this is not mine. This is not myself. This is not what I am."
- The Buddha
In dealing with pain and negative experience, meditation helps us also. When it comes to fear, for example, I recommend people talking to fear as if it were a being (which it can be). Ask it questions: "Mister Fear, why are you here today? What are you here to teach me?" If we don't befriend fear (Jesus said, "love your enemies"), fear might take us over. It might become a demon or a boogie man in our psyche. Chodron recommends approaching what you find repulsive, help the one thing you cannot help, and go to the places that scare you. This begins when we sit down to meditate and practice not struggling with our own mind.
- Matthew Fox, quoting and expanding on Pema Chodron, Buddhist Nun
The heart is said to be in the midst of the person. Since God dwells in our hearts, God is said to be in the midst.
- St. Thomas Aquinas
When all the images of the soul are taken away and the soul can see only the single One, then the pure being of the soul finds passively resting in itself the pure, form-free being of divine unity, when the being of the soul can bear nothing else than the pure unity of God.
- Meister Eckhart
Meditation is about returning home, returning home and finding the greatness that was thee all along. As Eckhart put it: God is at home; it is we who have gone out for a walk.
- Matthew Fox
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