2/20/04
There are sections of the Bible that are confusing. Sometimes I can find insight when I look in those places. This week I was studying about the “ner tamid” - the eternal light. This is an instruction about the lamp and that should be burning at all times in the place of meeting. Its in the placement in the text where, to my mind, there is an anomaly because it is presented immediately after the Israelites are giving the ten commandments but basically before anything else. On the surface it seems akin to going to a builder and talking about the porch light; where it needs to be placed, how it looks, how long it is to be on, before you talk about what the structure. Where is the building going to be? Who is going to be in it and what going to happen inside? What’s important about the porch light? Why does this come first?
Sages say that the “ner tamid” is about something beyond a physical lamp, its speaking to that light within, that divine spark in each of us. For many of us this is very useful and often a metaphor that we look to for that of God within. We can feel it within ourselves we can see it in others, whether it is like a gentle like a still wind or fierce like a piercing north gale.
A number of queries can come from this that could be good for Friends to consider:
Do we tend our measure of this Light?
Do we care for it - keeping the glass chimney clean and clear? Or do with load it down with baggage, whether material stuff or distress?
Do we bring it what it needs to grow and be strong or are there times when we take it for granted?
Are we comfortable with this spark in ourselves and others even when it is that fierce, fierce light?
Do we work or struggle to hear it even when its almost silent?
Do we make this light the very first thing; when we rise in the morning, when we walk out the door, when we start a new project, when we greet someone for the first time in the day, is this the very, very first thing that we look to, that Light.
It is this Light of God that shines so bright in the world that is our strength and it is our hope.
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Feb. 29, 2004
“Oseh shalom brimrovav hu ya seh shalom alenue vkol isreal vimru amen”
“ May the source of peace in the heavens cover us and all the people in peace.”
This is a prayer that is said over and over again in many different ways in many different languages. It is a good prayer. However if praying was enough it would have happened by now.
For God to grant us this peace maybe we must be ready with clean hearts, minds and souls. If there is strife in a community of Friends perhaps it shows we are still chained by our egos for it is our ego's acting out that cause us to be unkind or take offense and lash out.
God has given us the opportunity to bring peace to the world so let us begin.
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Mar. 6, 2004
This morning in meeting for worship I began my prayers with the blessing for the miracles of life.
Soon after an eagle like bird joined us. Sitting on a branch right outside the north window, she spread her wings to the sun. The caws of the crows announced her presence. Just so for us; we sat on benches turning our soaring hearts to the light, doing our best not to be distracted from the myriad of mundane thoughts flying around our brains.
As the bird flew off I wondered if she would return. The crows spoke where she was. Like that bird, we are surrounded by the cackling of our every day concerns. They serve a purpose of telling us where we are. Like the bird, in worship we try to leave them behind and stay in the light. We look for that inner place of peace where we can let its brilliance surround and comfort us.
Toward the end of meeting the bird returned. She had left behind the noisy crows. Just so for us as we journey beyond worldly issues, even beyond words themselves, to simple be in the wondrous presence of our Creator.
I ended where I began, praising God who clothes the naked whether with feathers or cotton. Praising God who has made the bird a Turkey Vulture and me the essence of who I am.
March 14, 2004
Imagine If this morning you empty all the thoughts you had during the week onto a table; much like a women might to organize her pocketbook. And then you group these thoughts into piles; one for work, another for family etc. How big would the pile be that was thoughts about God? This particular pile of thoughts would include how to bring to the world this Light, this Love, this Peace.
Over and over again the adage you reap what you sow proves itself. Our thoughts are the seeds of our lives; by them we make our reality. Look at your table. By your thought are you making manifest mostly material interests, pride, guilt or intellectual masturbation? Or are we making God more real in our lives? Are we concentrating on the beauty joy and love of creation where God is present and is made manifest in all our endeavors.? What’s on our tables? This is the food of our souls.
March 21, 2004
Whenever we catch a glimpse of a sunset, the songs of returning geese, the warmth of a spring breeze and fail to take a moment to appreciate its beauty we are rejecting God. Every time we have an opportunity to challenge prejudice or alleviate oppression and we fail to act we are disappointing God. Every time we disrupt another humans relationship with others we are abusing God. And every time we turn our back on love or lack compassion we are hurting God. What has God ever done to us? What has the Eternal Spirit done to deserve all the rejection, abuse, disappointment and pain we heap upon him/her/it daily. Do we think that an hour or two in prayer is enough to repair this? When are we going to turn around, consider repentance; acknowledging our responsibility to the one great force of the universe. Are we waiting for a particular month or year? When are we planning to make our amends to this source of infinite goodness who wants nothing more the our happiness and peace between our fellow humans? today? tomorrow? Death actually comes quickly. the chance can so easily slip though our fingers. The time is now, at every hour of every day.
March 28, 2004
It we quiet our minds and in prayer /meditation connect to our Creator we have taken one step on a long journey. If we quiet our hearts we have taken another step. If our mind and hearts are joined by our bodies we are further along. However if the distractions of our mind, hearts and bodies are simply shut away temporarily in a side room its like worshiping in Friends Meeting when there is a party going on outside.
The breathe of God can be used to clear these distractions and leave us fresh, open and vulnerable in the divine presence. Even then however we haven’t reached our destination. It is only when we join the party with our total peace that we will reach our true goal. Now we can dance through the spheres of faith, wisdom and understanding, love and discernment, beauty, eternity, awareness, silence, and that of God within everything. Nothing else matters - nothing matters – nothing but nothing – Ein sof.
Sat, 28 Aug 2004
Fear is a powerful and dangerous state whether is is fear of something different, or fear engineered by a system with all its wars such as a "war on terror.” Even if something catastrophic happens, fear is unproductive.
Who are we suppose to be scared of; other people. Who are we suppose to protect against; other people. We are told it could be anyone; the stranger or the teacher but especially someone who looks different, prays different, loves different. Coincidentally it is usually someone we have stolen from or want to steal from, whether land or oil or labor.
When we fear someone they become the enemy and it becomes impossible to repair the damaged relationships. Yet our higher selves can sense that there is that of God within each of us, a brother/sisterhood with everyone.
Fear not only alienates us from each other but we become far more easily manipulated and willing to act in ways we normally feel are shameful. In a culture of fear, authoritarian leaders can justify whatever decision they think will assure them more complete control. People fall under the spell of an illusion that they are powerless to prioritize anything that isn't protection. When we are told its for our own good many accept the unacceptable. Rumor feeds alienation and things that we find bewildering are ignored.
The truth is that we need to develop the courage to walk through the flames of change. When we are willing to journey into the unknown and uncertain for a higher purpose, we have potential to gain great spiritual awareness.
As I thought about the "war on terror" I realized that actually this was something I needed to pay attention to, but instead of coming from outside sources whether down the street or across the ocean I need to look at those places within myself.
There is a proverb about a grandparent and the wolves. A grandparent says to their child "There are two wolves fighting to the death within myself. One is the wolf of compassion, love and goodness, the other the wolf of hatred, greed and fear. Which one will win asks the child?
The grandparent answers; whichever one I feed. Next time I hear about the "War on terror" I will remember this and say yes this is my battle, my challenge too, to only feel goodness.
What can I use to gain enough strength to conquer this fear? For me this involves study (using my mind) worship (using my heart) and good deeds (using my hands). Walking the good path of spiritual faith and practice. Walking in beauty and new ways of being.
Sept 19, 2004
How do you take hold of the air, or grasp the water in your hands, or embrace the light? Yet these elements that seemingly have no tangible substance are so powerful that even if we could tap them in wind, hydro or solar power plants we could never use a fraction of their potential.
Just so the human heart, spirit and soul.
God has given these as gifts to each and every human being on the planet. Air, water, light, heart, spirit, soul it makes no difference whether we're rich or poor, specially challenged or physically perfect, wanted or rejected by society, good or bad. By being born they are our birthright.
With this kind of inexhaustible power at our fingertips and within ourselves there is no good reason to be afraid. Yet fear itself has a dangerous and seductive power. It begins by alienate us from each other. When we fear someone they become the “other” or worse, an “enemy” and it becomes difficult to relate to them or even ourselves as people of God.
Fear also makes us become far more easily manipulated. People fall under the spell of an illusion that they are powerless to prioritize anything that isn't protection. Rumor feeds alienation. Things that we find bewildering are perceived as being beyond our comprehension and our sense of our own intelligence is diminished. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t protect ourselves from realistic threats rather we need to keep any in perspective and not let our innate inner power slip away or be marginalize…
10/24/04
George Fox said to "live in the Life and Power that takes away the occasion for war" Gandhi said that "we must be the peace we want to see in the world". What did they mean? By peace did they and do we mean simply the lack of war? Did they and do we mean a state of rest and freedom from anxiety? The Hebrew word for peace is Shalom. However as with all Hebrew words it actually has multiple meanings. In addition to the absence of war and that inner state of serenity it means wholeness, completeness and being in a state of realized oneness with God. Perhaps (at least for me) this is the answer. "That Life and Power", "Being peace" refers back to a sense of completeness, of being wholly (holy) in the Spirit of God. Perhaps it is when we can reach this state of consciousness and can hold onto it throughout our hour to hour daily lives both individually and collectively that Eden will return to the world once again.
10/31/04
When sitting in worship/meditation our material self start to drift away and we connect with that which is eternal; that source of infinite compassion, truth and peace. In this state we sometimes we get "messages" whether from the cry of a blue jay, seeing the face of a friend, a spoken or written word or a inner sense of a personal insight.
Recently in this place I was reminder of the lyrics to a song "Messengers on High". the last verse is "every soul we chance upon and every floor we dance upon all can be a messenger on high." There was one word spoken in a heavy accept and instead of "floor" I thought he said "flaw". What an interesting concept!
I usually carry my flaws so heavy that instead of me dancing upon them, they dance upon me. Thinking about them as having a higher purpose, bringing a message or something that can carry me forwards not backwards, turns them into a blessing. Then my mind turned to a particular prayer which says "renew our faith in life, release us from pain and strife, remind us of who we are as we return to you." Reminding us of who we are is so that we can be "messenger of high" and through this experience not only are we a help to those around us but together we return to that place of connection, and oneness with that which is pure love.
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11/07/04
As scientists gaze at the stars using more and more sophisticated equipment they come to realize that beyond the farthest star are whole universes and beyond that more beyond. Just so, as we turn our eyes to heaven in prayer or close them to look inside our hearts. When we ask "who" is this source to which we direct our minds we finds no limit to the question.
Sometimes in prayer we might also find ourselves asking "why". Why do good people die or Bush is elected President or any of the other questions for which there is no solid answer. Contemplating such questions which are beyond our ability to answer with facts becomes futile. This can leave us questioning what are we that we can aspire to have a relationship with that which is so far beyond the beyond of our understanding.
In the Bible when Sarah dies it says that she was 127 years old. However the Hebrew doesn't say 127 rather it says that she was 100 years old and 20 years old and 7 years old. This is the only place it breaks time down like this. Why? Maybe it is something like the riddles asked by the Sphinx. Sarah was 100 years old because she had the qualities of an elder, a matriarch. She had wisdom, experience, serenity and power. She was 20 years old because she had the qualities of a bride and young mother. She had stamina, love, commitment and beauty. She was 7 year old because she had the qualities of a child. She had enthusiasm for life, wonder, joy and innocence.
Perhaps this is how we can answer the question about ourselves. When we exhibit the qualities of wisdom, serenity, love, beauty, joy and innocence we can connect to that source that is beyond the beyond and bring this force into ourselves, our families, community and the world.
11/28/04
Thursday (Thank-giving) night I had a dream. I was helping some folks do something when an office chair just by itself, rolls up and starts to follow me around. So I decide it wants to take me somewhere and I sit down. It turns and rolls into an elevator that goes up and up and up. Finally the door opens and I am so far up that even the clouds are far away. There is a lot of building going on with girders and beams. Divine beings are bringing things to be used in the construction up a ladder then going back down. They are working at an accelerated pace.
This remind me of a Bible passage I studied a few weeks ago where Jacob saw that ladder. When he awakes from his dream he declares in surprise that he has slept on holy ground and honors it in his way. For me, I hold that every place can be sacred, every time a time of blessing, each of us holy people; it all depends on what we do with it.
This week I studied is a continuation of Jacob's story. He is returning to his ancestral home after fourteen years in hopes of making amends with his brother Esau. He left out of fear that Esau was going to kill him for stealing their father's blessing. Just before he gets there, Jacob learns that his brother is waiting for him with an army of 400 soldiers. He is afraid and reminds God of the bargain they made. For those who are troubled by the concept of bargaining with God it is troubling that Jacob had so little faith that he reminded God of his promise. Certainly we can see from this how fear can interfere with faith.
In addition though, one of the beauties for me is that these texts portray the patriarchs and matriarchs of all of Judaic/christian traditions as ordinary human beings full of the same traumas, guilt and anxieties that trouble us. Through this and the previous lessons we can see that as with them, we have the ability to transcend the material and be and to act as holy persons, right here - right now, each and every day, every minute. As we rise to the higher planes and become these holy people (our true selves) we can bring this holiness down to our communities and bring holiness to the world.
12/12/04
I recently saw a project where they asked the children if they could ask God one question what would it be. A lot of the children said things like “was it hard to create the world?”, “Were you tired?” A ten year old girl asked “why did you create bad things?” “Why do you let bad things happen to people?” These are questions that troubled many of us and I have thought about it for many years. When I came to understand that it is precisely because we live in a world or experience of duality. On a basic level there is no way we can have life on the planet without having death. Certainly there are horrendous, terrible, painful awful things that happen in the world but also there is beauty and joy. It is in this duality that the world continues. Like a magnet with plus and minus that repel and attract each other, this provides a system of energy.
But there is something inside me that seeks a place beyond the duality. In this seeking I feel a presence; a presence of something beyond life an death, beyond whatever exists in this dynamic, a presence that is even beyond the beyond. I feel a force of such great, great love. This universal love envelopes my life and take me beyond this world of good and bad. In this source I find my strength. And so if I am going to offer a prayer I would be simply say thank-you. Thank-you for your presence. Thank-you for the beauty. And thank-you for the infinite great light and love and peace.
12/19/04
I can’t help but believe that on some level or planes of existence there is no such thing as time. Yet in this material world it very much is a part of our lives. The seed germinates, grows, matures and dies. Although that process can be interrupted, there is no way of getting the plant back into the seed. Just so with our lives.
However we do have choices on what we do with our time. Sunday mornings we can go into a Quaker Meeting house. As we sit in worship connecting with that spark, that power within each of us, we transcend mundane time. Time becomes something holy. If we choose, we can take this with us when we leave the building. We can if we make a conscious choice, take this experience into our everyday lives. In this way ALL our time is sanctified and it loses it power to overwhelm us. From here, the points of difference between people, those places in other people that we feel are bad or despicable, they fade away. And the only thing that’s left is that spark, that goodness, that Love.
12/26/04
In Deuteronomy 6 is a phase that has been quoted over and over. “V’havta et Adonai elohecha b’col l’vevecha u’v’col nafshecha u’v’col m’odecha“ – “ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul.” Often this passage is coupled with one from Leviticus 19 “Your shall love thy neighbor as thyself.” “V’havta l’rayacha b’mocha” For Friends the phase that there is that of God in everyone ties these two together for if you love God and you see God in each other then it follows that you love each other and importantly, yourself.
Its one thing to say these words its quite another to do them. This morning I’ve been remind of another passage from Psalms 104 that says “How manifold are your works oh God, in wisdom you have created them all.” The Hebrew is “Ma rabu ma-asaycha Adonai kolam b’chochmah” Which could also be translated “all of them created with wisdom.” This pairs with another Quaker phrase “you shall walk cheerfully over the earth answering that of God in everyone” .
What is it that we recognize in each other? How can we answer that of God if we don’t see it? What can we see? IF we really look we can see wisdom; the wisdom contained in everything around us, in people, in the beautiful world and all of creation. In seeing this wisdom we can have something to recognize when we see it again in ourselves and others. In this fashion the words that we should love each other as ourselves become not mere words but they become something by which to live our lives. As we answer this higher wisdom in our friends, in our community, in our possessions and in this beautiful world we recognize God’s blessings that are all around us. Then love and peace surround us and we dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
