“What a gift it is to take time to acknowledge time. To stop for a moment to receive the moment, to drink from its wellspring, to connect to it. To realize every now and then that we are in
motion, our bodies are aging, our spirits are blossoming, our feelings are ripening. We are on a journey from and to eternity. We are being carried by a force so clear and real that we are
blinded by it and often numb to it. Tapping into it when we can, gifts us with a reminder of the preciousness of our lives, of our mere existence. To experience Life, we need to occasionally feel
it, to stop the world and get off.”
Rabbi Gershon Winkler
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Now, The Expansion of the Present
There has been a popularization and emphasis in recent years among some spiritual teachers of the concept that realization is achieved by expanding the present moment, the Now. They urge us to let go of neurotically dwelling on the past and anxiously anticipating the future, to the detriment of hardly being aware of the present, which is all that really ever exists. Expanding a sense of the present, of the Now, will provide a refreshing and invigorating perspective. Such a realization does not require a long and arduous search and effort or assistance from others. We all have the self-contained ability to arrive upon this realization right now.
This is really not a new message, as it has existed in various forms in spiritual teachings for a long time. It is no better portrayed than in the modern American tale of The Wizard of Oz. A traumatic event spurs Dorothy to embark upon a search to find her home, which she thinks she has lost. During her search, her consciousness is greatly expanded and opened to realms beyond her wildest imagination. It takes an encounter with a humbug wizard to lead her to the final realization that the ability to find home was always in her possession all along. It didn’t require a great search and lengthy effort to arrive upon an elusive goal attainable only in the vague and uncertain future of sometime later. It was available right now! The humbug also assists her traveling companions in coming to the realization that they all already possessed the qualities they were searching for elsewhere, so maybe he wasn’t such a humbug after all! This is a portrayal of what one teacher has coined “The Paradox of Instruction” – all that a spiritual teacher can really do is take something out of a student’s back pocket, buff it up, and give it back as a gift. The honest spiritual teachers admit to this sleight of hand; the less than honest ones lead the students to think the gift has come from somewhere else, and that they are indebted to the teacher for what has been bestowed upon them from out of their own pockets! But perhaps Dorothy’s and her companions’ searches and adventures leading to their revelations were somehow beneficial, and maybe even necessary. Perhaps without those preliminaries, they wouldn’t have been able to realize the value of the gifts bestowed upon them by the wizard.
Traditional Jewish sources provide certain insights into two profound “expanding the moment” events that occurred in close proximity to each other in the Torah: an elevation of the masses to a high level of consciousness that occurred right after they successfully left Egypt after the parting of the Red Sea, which instigated the group composing the famous “Song by the Sea”; and a similar raising of group consciousness at the foot of Mt. Sinai at the time of the giving of the Ten Commandments. The revelation shared by the masses at those times involved seeing that what was occurring at that precise time and place was perfect, that everything that had occurred before had led inexorably to that time and place, that everything that was going to occur thereafter proceeded inexorably from that time and place, and that everything that had occurred and that would occur was in perfect accord with the Divine scheme of things. There was a realization brought into consciousness of the perfection that was, is, and always will be. (Hayah Hoveh V’Ehyeh). The past, present and future merge; they exist everywhere all of the time. There really is only the present. The universe is unfolding as it should, but not in complacency; for every entity of every kind has its unique function and mission to fulfill in that unfolding, whether consciously or unconsciously, and perhaps even with a sense of urgency.
This is really not a new message, as it has existed in various forms in spiritual teachings for a long time. It is no better portrayed than in the modern American tale of The Wizard of Oz. A traumatic event spurs Dorothy to embark upon a search to find her home, which she thinks she has lost. During her search, her consciousness is greatly expanded and opened to realms beyond her wildest imagination. It takes an encounter with a humbug wizard to lead her to the final realization that the ability to find home was always in her possession all along. It didn’t require a great search and lengthy effort to arrive upon an elusive goal attainable only in the vague and uncertain future of sometime later. It was available right now! The humbug also assists her traveling companions in coming to the realization that they all already possessed the qualities they were searching for elsewhere, so maybe he wasn’t such a humbug after all! This is a portrayal of what one teacher has coined “The Paradox of Instruction” – all that a spiritual teacher can really do is take something out of a student’s back pocket, buff it up, and give it back as a gift. The honest spiritual teachers admit to this sleight of hand; the less than honest ones lead the students to think the gift has come from somewhere else, and that they are indebted to the teacher for what has been bestowed upon them from out of their own pockets! But perhaps Dorothy’s and her companions’ searches and adventures leading to their revelations were somehow beneficial, and maybe even necessary. Perhaps without those preliminaries, they wouldn’t have been able to realize the value of the gifts bestowed upon them by the wizard.
Traditional Jewish sources provide certain insights into two profound “expanding the moment” events that occurred in close proximity to each other in the Torah: an elevation of the masses to a high level of consciousness that occurred right after they successfully left Egypt after the parting of the Red Sea, which instigated the group composing the famous “Song by the Sea”; and a similar raising of group consciousness at the foot of Mt. Sinai at the time of the giving of the Ten Commandments. The revelation shared by the masses at those times involved seeing that what was occurring at that precise time and place was perfect, that everything that had occurred before had led inexorably to that time and place, that everything that was going to occur thereafter proceeded inexorably from that time and place, and that everything that had occurred and that would occur was in perfect accord with the Divine scheme of things. There was a realization brought into consciousness of the perfection that was, is, and always will be. (Hayah Hoveh V’Ehyeh). The past, present and future merge; they exist everywhere all of the time. There really is only the present. The universe is unfolding as it should, but not in complacency; for every entity of every kind has its unique function and mission to fulfill in that unfolding, whether consciously or unconsciously, and perhaps even with a sense of urgency.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Quote of the Week 35 - A Light for the Upright
“Even in darkness a light shines for the upright”
Psalm 112
Psalm 112
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Sabbath
For many years, I considered my twice-daily meditation sessions as sufficient observance of the Sabbath, without setting a full day aside. However, in more recent years, I have begun to see the value of some kind of regular Sabbath observance, even if not along all of the strictures in traditional Orthodox observance. For me, the spirit of Sabbath observance is to set aside a day to remove oneself from the normal humdrum activities of daily life for a period of regeneration, contemplation, meditation, rest, relaxation, spiritual inspiration, etc.
The common notion of the term “recreation” is to engage in sports, outdoor activities, etc. as a form of this kind of respite. However, the real etymological spirit of recreation is to re-create, to go back to our roots and create anew. In this sense, that is what the Sabbath is about, and while common recreation activities might be helpful, the more quiet forms encompassed in traditional Sabbath observances provide opportunities for deeper spiritual introspection instead of the mere diversions encompassed in the more common forms of recreation activities.
General conceptions of Sabbath practice involve both remembering not to do things that are done at other times, and observing special activities to do. Focusing on spirituality and related topics is the key, and can include studying, reading, writing, meditating, resting, etc. The focus should be on pleasant interactions with others, avoiding controversy or engaging in subjects such as politics, news, work, current events, etc.
I would encourage everyone to consider engaging in a little bit of Sabbath practice in this vein on a regular basis, whether it be on Saturday or Sunday or some other day of the week. I see great value to such a regular respite.
The common notion of the term “recreation” is to engage in sports, outdoor activities, etc. as a form of this kind of respite. However, the real etymological spirit of recreation is to re-create, to go back to our roots and create anew. In this sense, that is what the Sabbath is about, and while common recreation activities might be helpful, the more quiet forms encompassed in traditional Sabbath observances provide opportunities for deeper spiritual introspection instead of the mere diversions encompassed in the more common forms of recreation activities.
General conceptions of Sabbath practice involve both remembering not to do things that are done at other times, and observing special activities to do. Focusing on spirituality and related topics is the key, and can include studying, reading, writing, meditating, resting, etc. The focus should be on pleasant interactions with others, avoiding controversy or engaging in subjects such as politics, news, work, current events, etc.
I would encourage everyone to consider engaging in a little bit of Sabbath practice in this vein on a regular basis, whether it be on Saturday or Sunday or some other day of the week. I see great value to such a regular respite.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Quote of the Week 34 - Humility
From UK Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:
“Rabbi Hayyim ibn Attar (Ohr ha-Hayyim) adds a further fascinating insight [regarding the command in the Torah to not ill-treat a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in Egypt]. It may be, he says, that the very sanctity that Israelites feel as children of the covenant may lead them to look down on those who lack a similar lineage. Therefore they are commanded not to feel superior to the ger [stranger, sojourner, foreigner in their land], but instead to remember the degradation their ancestors experienced in Egypt. As such, it becomes a command of humility in the face of strangers.”
“Rabbi Hayyim ibn Attar (Ohr ha-Hayyim) adds a further fascinating insight [regarding the command in the Torah to not ill-treat a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in Egypt]. It may be, he says, that the very sanctity that Israelites feel as children of the covenant may lead them to look down on those who lack a similar lineage. Therefore they are commanded not to feel superior to the ger [stranger, sojourner, foreigner in their land], but instead to remember the degradation their ancestors experienced in Egypt. As such, it becomes a command of humility in the face of strangers.”
Monday, February 4, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Quote of the Week 33 - The Wisdoms
The following are quotes attributable to The Vilna Goan and the Maharal of Prague, respectively, contained in Jacobs’s Ladder and the Anatomy of Meditation, by Bill Heilbronn:
“When the light of the Torah came into the world, it split. One part went directly into Torah and one part went into the various wisdoms of the world. And the time will come when the light that went into the other wisdoms will come back and interact with the light of the Torah, revealing dimensions in the Torah that were not revealed to us before. According to how much a man lacks knowledge of the other wisdoms, correspondingly he will lack knowledge of Torah wisdom.”
“The other wisdoms are ladders upon which we may ascend to the wisdom of Torah.”
“When the light of the Torah came into the world, it split. One part went directly into Torah and one part went into the various wisdoms of the world. And the time will come when the light that went into the other wisdoms will come back and interact with the light of the Torah, revealing dimensions in the Torah that were not revealed to us before. According to how much a man lacks knowledge of the other wisdoms, correspondingly he will lack knowledge of Torah wisdom.”
“The other wisdoms are ladders upon which we may ascend to the wisdom of Torah.”
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Spiritual Response to Natural Disasters and Social Injustice
I received the following question via private email, and I am posting my response to the blog:
How can the heart be peaceful when it is truly put to the test through encounters with natural disaster, or even worse, social injustice? When, if ever, would anger be justified, or would there be a positive outcome to a limited degree of controlled anger if one sees others being mistreated? I struggle to have a peaceful heart when put to the test.
It is clear to me that in examining human history from its beginning through to the present time, there probably has not been a minute in the entire history of the world where the following has not been occurring somewhere at sometime: war, tyranny, social injustice. Additionally, natural disasters resulting in death and suffering are commonplace throughout history. There is no reason to conclude that any of this will every cease.
At the same time, it is also true that the following has been occurring continually all over the world throughout all times and places: love of all kinds, between lovers, friends, neighbors, parents and children; expressions of beauty in creative and performance arts; and struggles for more humanity and justice in the face of all types of social injustice.
We recently returned from a visit with my niece and nephew and their twins who are approaching their two year old birthdays. What I always take away from encounters with such young children is their natural joy and lust for life, just for the sake of living. They jump up and down on the couch, they squeal at the top of their lungs, they run around the house in exuberance as expressions of the sheer thrill of living. All over the world throughout human history, there are always such children expressing this sheer joy of life. We should also never forget that, and try to remain in contact with that, despite all of our adult neuroses and foibles.
I am certain that as there will always be injustice, there will always be struggles against it, and there will never be a lack of choice as to which injustice to struggle against. One spiritual view about anger is that a test of one’s spiritual development is to see how often you get angry, that highly evolved spiritual beings rarely get angry. This does not mean that you don’t struggle against injustice, but that your energy and effort should be fueled by something deeper than anger that provides a greater perspective and capacity to endure the long, arduous and frustrating road involved in most such struggles. The more firmly a foundation of inner peace can be established, the more effective one can be in struggles against injustice or in assistance in response to natural disasters. It is especially when one is “put to the test” that it is important to maintain an inner core of equilibrium. Perhaps a modicum of “controlled anger” is a useful tool, but effectiveness is lost when we are controlled by our emotions rather than the other way around, when we can productively and appropriately express and channel our emotional energies. Becoming spiritually developed does not mean being emotionally unexpressive, rather it places appropriate emotional reactions and expressions within the context of a deeper perspective which is lacking if the spiritual grounding is not present.
Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa are two good examples of spiritually-grounded social activists. We can place such people on pedestals and conclude that we as individuals could never reach such lofty states, but they never taught that their level of accomplishment was not attainable, but rather quite the contrary, that we all have the ability to function like they did. That should be our personal goal. The times of testing reveal how far we have developed. That is why I always encourage people to meditate regularly, because I believe that regular meditation provides the best avenue for the quickest route to lasting spiritual development and to being able to appropriately endure the various “tests” that life will inevitably provide.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi
How can the heart be peaceful when it is truly put to the test through encounters with natural disaster, or even worse, social injustice? When, if ever, would anger be justified, or would there be a positive outcome to a limited degree of controlled anger if one sees others being mistreated? I struggle to have a peaceful heart when put to the test.
It is clear to me that in examining human history from its beginning through to the present time, there probably has not been a minute in the entire history of the world where the following has not been occurring somewhere at sometime: war, tyranny, social injustice. Additionally, natural disasters resulting in death and suffering are commonplace throughout history. There is no reason to conclude that any of this will every cease.
At the same time, it is also true that the following has been occurring continually all over the world throughout all times and places: love of all kinds, between lovers, friends, neighbors, parents and children; expressions of beauty in creative and performance arts; and struggles for more humanity and justice in the face of all types of social injustice.
We recently returned from a visit with my niece and nephew and their twins who are approaching their two year old birthdays. What I always take away from encounters with such young children is their natural joy and lust for life, just for the sake of living. They jump up and down on the couch, they squeal at the top of their lungs, they run around the house in exuberance as expressions of the sheer thrill of living. All over the world throughout human history, there are always such children expressing this sheer joy of life. We should also never forget that, and try to remain in contact with that, despite all of our adult neuroses and foibles.
I am certain that as there will always be injustice, there will always be struggles against it, and there will never be a lack of choice as to which injustice to struggle against. One spiritual view about anger is that a test of one’s spiritual development is to see how often you get angry, that highly evolved spiritual beings rarely get angry. This does not mean that you don’t struggle against injustice, but that your energy and effort should be fueled by something deeper than anger that provides a greater perspective and capacity to endure the long, arduous and frustrating road involved in most such struggles. The more firmly a foundation of inner peace can be established, the more effective one can be in struggles against injustice or in assistance in response to natural disasters. It is especially when one is “put to the test” that it is important to maintain an inner core of equilibrium. Perhaps a modicum of “controlled anger” is a useful tool, but effectiveness is lost when we are controlled by our emotions rather than the other way around, when we can productively and appropriately express and channel our emotional energies. Becoming spiritually developed does not mean being emotionally unexpressive, rather it places appropriate emotional reactions and expressions within the context of a deeper perspective which is lacking if the spiritual grounding is not present.
Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa are two good examples of spiritually-grounded social activists. We can place such people on pedestals and conclude that we as individuals could never reach such lofty states, but they never taught that their level of accomplishment was not attainable, but rather quite the contrary, that we all have the ability to function like they did. That should be our personal goal. The times of testing reveal how far we have developed. That is why I always encourage people to meditate regularly, because I believe that regular meditation provides the best avenue for the quickest route to lasting spiritual development and to being able to appropriately endure the various “tests” that life will inevitably provide.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
