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Wisdom Quote
The habit of ignoring our present moments in favor of others yet to come leads directly to a pervasive lack of awareness of the web of life in which we are embedded. This includes a lack of awareness and understanding of our own mind and how it influences our perceptions and our actions. It severely limits our perspective on what it means to be a person and how we are connected to each other and the world around us. Religion has traditionally been the domain of such fundamental inquiries within a spiritual framework, but mindfulness has little to do with religion, except in the most fundamental meaning of the word, as an attempt to appreciate the deep mystery of being alive and to acknowledge being vitally connected to all that exists.
*Jon Kabat-Zinn. Wherever You Go, There You Are.
Wisdom Story
Emmet Fox (1886-1951), scientist, philosopher, and spiritual teacher, told the following story ...
A friend of mine was visiting a great cathedral in Italy. Just inside the door was a magnificent mosaic extending the width of the building, but not yet completed. It represented the Last Judgment and the number of tiny pieces of different colored marble in it staggers the imagination. A man was on his knees working away and my friend, who spoke Italian, whispered to him, "What a stupendous task you have! I could not even dream of undertaking so much work."
The man replied quietly, "Oh, I know about how much I can do comfortably in one day. So each morning I mark out a certain area, and I don't bother my head thinking outside that space. Before I know where I am the job will be complete."
*Emmet Fox. Around the Year with Emmet Fox.
Comments
Our daily spiritual practice assists in living mindfully. This mindfulness is living in the moment. We can always apply this test to our spiritual practice: Am I living more patiently and trustingly in the present moment?
Our society is one of restlessness. "Rest" literally means, from the Latin, "to stand back." This standing back entails being able to live without a constant push, a hurriedness, a busyness. Spiritual practice helps free us from the compulsive rush that characterizes so much postmodern life.
A wonderful Scripture to meditate on sums us the Divine will for you and me. This Scripture is Psalm 37.7a (NKJV): Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him.
The Message gives a descriptive rendering of Psalm 37.7 for our times:
Quiet down before God,
be prayerful before him.
Don't bother with those who climb the ladder,
who elbow their way to the top.
Jesus, likewise, addresses our tendency to live in tomorrow, rather than in today, in Matthew 6.34ab: Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself.
These scriptures are not imposing impractical advice upon us. These scriptures, as all true wisdom teaching, show us how to live in alignment with the natural laws that reflect the Being of God. Resting in God and patiently waiting for God is the natural way to live. Not worrying about tomorrow is the natural way to live.
I can say, "But this is all nice advice, but it is not really practical." Then, I am only telling how much out of alignment I am with the Divine will. I am telling you how much I distrust Divine Wisdom.
Yet, I can say, "This is wonderful wisdom, but I find it very difficult to live this way." Then, I am being honest. I am admitting that I have not become conformed well to the way I am to live in this world.
We who engage serious spiritual practice discover, soon, that we are conformed much to the ways of the world ~ "world" being the habitual patterns out of alignment with the natural laws of the Divine. We find that devout attention to spiritual evolution shows us a way to transform these world patterns. We, also, find that the transformation is, usually, very slow. I find this to be true, for example, in regard to restlessness, even after a decade of practicing meditation and contemplation. Still, a meditative~contemplative practice will, even if slowly, transform impatience and restlessness.
There is little in our secular culture and church life urging us to grow in these qualities, for we live in an un-contemplative society and church. Impatience and disquiet mark the "world patterns" all around us. The restlessness and impatience of our surroundings offer us the opportunity to offer an alternative to such violation of the way Divine Wisdom reveals is the way to live. We can, if we choose and are faithful to our spiritual disciplines, offer others an example of the rest, trust, and mindfulness that offer hope to a society captive to the hurried push onward. We can offer a presence of deep living that nurtures life-giving connection with the natural world, others, ourselves, and the Sacred.
Spiritual Exercise
Meditate on Psalm 37.7a ~ "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him." Feel free to consider the meaning of the passage; however, surrender to feel the meaning of the passage. Feeling is needed in meditation upon spiritual truth.
Brian is available to respond to requests pertaining to seeking a Spiritual Director, his speaking, doing classes, workshops, or retreats for churches or other spiritual groups.
For submission of replies, see below:
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his wife, Rocio, and their two dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, in Punta Gorda, Florida. He is a United Methodist pastor and vowed member of Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in Georgia. His passion is living a contemplative life and inspiring others to experience a deeper relationship with Christ through contemplative prayer and living.
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