The Power of Intention

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Alan Cohen, be free, forgiveness, free, freedom, let go, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is one of those rare Saturdays when the possibilities are endless. There are no meetings to go to, no workshops at home or elsewhere for me to attend. The hours spread out before me like “a deep breath of life.” Ironic that I pulled the book of that title off my shelf just now to find a great page for pondering. Alan Cohen always has good advice for a day of deep breathing and reflection. Here’s part of what he offered for me today, definitely worth repeating. First the reflection, second a prayer of intention and then an affirmation for release.

Have you been punishing yourself or someone else for something that happened a long time ago? Any payoff you perceive for holding a grudge is an illusion: there is no value, only a weighty price. A friend of mine in chiropractic school showed me a diagram of what happens to a human body in the throes of anger or rage. All kinds of chemicals are released into the system that exact a heavy toll on our health and vitality….

Jesus was asked, “How many times should we forgive — seven?” Jesus’s answer was clear: “Seventy times seven,” meaning just keep on letting go. We must remember that forgiveness is more of a gift to ourselves than to the person we are forgiving.

“Give me the willingness to let go. Let me perceive no value in holding hurtful thoughts. I want to be free.”

I release the past and get on with my life. (A Deep Breath of Life)

Duty Calls!

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crisis, free, integrity, shame, Statue of Liberty, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, world refugee day, zero tolerance

How ironic, when distress has moved to outrage in our country over Donald Trump’s “Zero Tolerance” policy leaving families ripped apart at our borders, that today we observe “World Refugee Day,” as proclaimed by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. The questions I see before us today are:

How can we sit wringing our hands waiting for our Congress to do something? Where and how will we – each of us – stand up in the face of this crisis of integrity and shame?

Enough said. Today is the day to step up and decide our place in this moment of history. May we not fail our God, ourselves and those who have sought the welcome offered by the invitation on the Statue of Liberty: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Little Story

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free, love, Love Poems From God; Twelve Voices from the East and West, Meister Eckhart, smile, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Here’s a little story, seemingly perfect on this rather dreary-looking day that may yet be full of possibility. Consider it a gift From Meister Eckhart to raise spirits that may be struggling to move into the weekly routine. For others it may just be a smile and a “thank you!” See what you feel.

All day long a little burro labors, sometimes with heavy loads on her back and sometimes just with worries about things that bother only burros. And worries, as we know, can be more exhausting than physical labor. Once in a while a kind monk comes to her stable and brings a pear. but more than that, he looks into the burro’s eyes and touches her ears and for a few seconds the burro is free and even seems to laugh, because love does that. Love frees.

(Love Poems from God: Twelve Voices from the East and West, p.108)

 

 

 

 

 

Letting Go

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A Deep Breath of Life, accept, Alan Cohen, change, desires, divine, free, greater good, letting go, pain, Peace, resistance, service, surrender, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In our conversations this weekend about Mary Magdalene and Conscious Love, we have often spoken of the need to surrender to life, letting go of our “small-self” desires in service to the greater good. In our meditation sessions, we let go of any thoughts that arise in order to allow us to be present to the Divine. I found a resonance in Alan Cohen’s reflection for today in his book, A Deep Breath of Life, that seems appropriate to share as we depart from this very valuable group experience. Cohen writes:

True mastery lies in flowing with the events of life. We are empowered when we assume that everything comes from God and goes back to God. Nothing in form lasts forever, and when we can accept change, we are free. All pain is born of resistance. An attitude of non-resistance liberates tremendous energy. Pain arises when we fight against what is happening, and peace comes when we accept what is.

Cohen then proceeds to ask two questions: What in your life are you resisting? and How much peace could you gain by letting what is, be? Those seem worthy of some reflection as we begin a new week…

True Freedom

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abide, Abraham, christians, consistency of Jesus, free, freedom, go deeper within, hold on, integrity of spirit, Jesus, John, Lenten journey, loving word, remain, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth

A very long time ago I had a poster taped to the inside of my bedroom door. The image on it was of a rag doll type of figure that looked rather flat, as if it had been run over by a steamroller. Beside the figure was an old-fashioned washing machine and the text on the poster read, “The truth will set you free but it will put you through the ringer first.” Although it was a rather irreverent use of this morning’s gospel passage from John about the truth setting one free (JN 8:31-32), it did make a point about freedom. Jesus was talking to Jewish people who had already come to believe in him and they were confused, asking why Jesus would talk about them becoming free since they were descendants of Abraham who had “never been enslaved to anyone.”

Throughout history there have been many examples of people who have lived in the most dreadful conditions, have been treated badly by governments or dictators or those who claim to represent God, and still retain a spirit that is totally unfettered. How does one remain free is such circumstances? Jesus gives a hint to Christians in the aforementioned text from John which in its entirety says, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Verbs like remain and abide hold great power for those who understand the need to “hold on” no matter what external circumstances cause in one’s life. It is our interior freedom, freedom of spirit that comes from knowing and living in the truth that cannot be taken away. How does one achieve such freedom? Sometimes it seems to come easily in life if one is lucky enough to live in a country like the USA whose founding documents boast “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” especially if that creed is replicated in a family that nurtures not only those principles but also a faith in God and a religious tradition. Even for those that start life with those advantages, however, there comes a moment – or a series of moments – when recognition of injustices extant in the culture or in personal relationships cause one to go deeper into the underlying truths of life. It is at those points of challenge that we need to assess what we have been taught and come to a personal integrity of spirit that can never be taken away. It may be shaken in times of danger or our own weakness but if we remain awake to the truth that we carry deep within us, we will know the freedom of which Jesus speaks this morning. As we live into the last ten days of Lent, let us listen to the consistency of Jesus in his speaking, in his acting and in his loving word that carries him through his death to resurrection. And let the word that is the truth of his life reverberate in us as we remain in him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Time Is Now

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acepting, blessing, burdened with fear, Divine Light, free, glory, gratitude, heart of my heart, love, Nan Merrill, new dawn, Psalm 145, Psalms for Praying, radical trust, raise up, St. Bartholomew, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wonder

On this feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles, I was drawn to the translation of Psalm 145 written by Nan Merrill in her book Psalms for Praying. While very different from the traditional English translation, I found it a powerful message for today’s disciples. It begins around verse 10.

God Speaks: Divine Light shines in those who live in Love. I shall uphold all who are burdened with fear, and raise up all who call to Me. The time is nigh for you to choose, for great is the new dawn that fast approaches; I call each of you to open your inner ears, to see with spiritual eyes, and to trust that even amidst the outward chaos, all is working toward the wholeness of humanity.

The disciple responds: O Heart of my heart, envelop me! I know You are near to all who call upon You. Bring to my recollection all that I have denied, that I might be accepting and free, to help rebuild the soul of the world with radical trust, love and wonder! When I speak, let it be of blessing and gratitude; let your glory within me shine out to the world!

 

 

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free, give yourself totally, giving, Jesus, Matthew, possessions, struggle, surrender, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, vow of poverty, willingness

I sit this morning in the bedroom I call “mine” surrounded by more books than many people read in their entire lives. I have CDs that hold favorite music, this computer and a personal phone that accompanies me everywhere and various other “things” which seem more or less necessary to me. I think this morning of my early days in religious life when we learned to speak of “our” possessions rather than “mine” – basically so that nothing would possess us and to let us know that the vow of poverty meant we held everything in common.

In this morning’s gospel, Jesus challenges a young man who wants a deeper way of life than just following the commandments. “Go,” Jesus says, “sell all that you have and give to the poor. Then come and follow me.” (MT 19:16-22) What happens next is not a happy ending. “When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” The fact of his sadness is what makes me sad. He doesn’t go away in a huff, grumbling about Jesus asking too much or saying Jesus is unfair or crazy. He simply recognizes that he is not free to give himself totally.

I doubt I will ever be called to give up everything it seems I “own” – including the intangibles like relationships and convictions – so that all I have left is God, but this gospel always calls me to assess my willingness to do so if that day should come. I think I understand the struggle of the “rich young man” and pray each day for the gifts of willingness and surrender. Giving things away is also a good practice so that freedom to be available for whatever God asks is the first and only non-negotiable I bring to each day.