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Wisdom Quote
We do not wake up in this world calm and serene, having the luxury to act or not act. We wake up crying, on fire with desire, with madness. ... Spirituality concerns what we do with desire. It takes its root in the eros [life-force] inside of us and it is all about how we shape and discipline that eros.
*Ronald Rolheiser. The Holy Longing.
Wisdom Story
The teachings of the Buddha have a story about an accomplished sitar player...
The Buddha found a sitar player a particularly difficult student to teach meditation, because his mind was either too loose or too tight. When too tight of mind, and trying too hard, the man could not meditate or recite prayers given him. When too loose of mind, and not putting forth enough effort, he would get mentally dull and, then, fall asleep.
The Buddha, finally, asked him, "What do you do when you go to your house? Do you play your musical instrument?"
"Yes, I do play."
Asked the Buddha, "Are you good at it?"
"Yes, actually, I'm the best in the country."
"So, how do you play? When you are playing, do you tune the instrument? And do you make the strings tight or loose?"
The sitar player replied, "If I tighten the strings too much, they make a sound like tink, tink, tink. If I don't tighten them enough, they make a sound like blump, blump, blump. The cord is properly tuned when I reach a point that is in balance, neither too tight nor too loose."
The Buddha smiled and exchanged an extended look with the man. He spoke, at last, "That's exactly what you are to do with meditation."
And I say: That's exactly what we are to do with Life.
Reflection
How are you expressing the eros [life-force] within you?
How does the story above relate with the quote from Rolheiser? With your life?
Are you living in balance? Explain.
In what ways might you need to seek a more balanced life?
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his wife, Rocio, their two dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, and their fish, Hope, in Southwest Florida. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in Georgia. His passion is living a contemplative life and inspiring others to experience a deeper, increasingly-fulfilling relationship with the mystical Christ. He advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity as part of the transformation of the Church in seeking to meet the spiritual needs and longings of persons and empathic relating with persons of diverse spiritual traditions.
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