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Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. I hope persons of varied wisdom paths will find inspiration here.
Blessings,
Brian Kenneth Wilcox
MDiv, MFT, PhD
Interspiritual Teacher, Author
You are invited to join Brian at his fellowship group on Facebook - OneLife Ministries – A Contemplative Interspiritual Fellowship.
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Human diversity makes tolerance more than a virtue; it makes it a requirement for survival.
*Rene Dubos. Celebrations of Life.
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Essential to all spiritual practice is respect. If you truly love your human beloved, you will act in certain ways and not other ways, to show reverence and love. Yet, what if you do this, but your heart is not truly respectful of her or him? Can one do all the right things toward the beloved and it not reflect the posture of the heart, a heart that might not be aligned in Love with loving - as outward appearance seems to say? So, with the Divine Presence, our Love.
Likewise, we can show respect and love to our human beloved in ways another may not to his or her beloved. Is it not possible persons can choose different and equally valid ways to show such affection? Is this not possible, too, in reverence toward the Divine Beloved?
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A Sufi saint set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca. At the outskirts of the city, he lay down by the road, exhausted from his journey. He had barely fallen asleep when he was brusquely awakened by an irate pilgrim. "This is the time when all believers bow their heads toward Mecca and you have your feet pointing toward the holy shrine. What sort of Muslim are you?" The Sufi did not move; he opened his eyes and said, "Brother, would you do me the favor of placing my feet where they won't be pointing to the Lord?"
*Anthony de Mello
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Reverence for the Divine Presence is important, but Spirit knows the heart, the intent, the love in the person. While we follow sacred customs and rites, we can become too strict, too concerned about these external matters. Likewise, then, we become critical of others who do not follow the details we do. We think them less spiritual, or less loyal, or even disrespectful. Then, our piety and practice becomes a springboard for judging others. We act like God gets upset about these relative concerns, when God might really think it all not that important at all.
Certainly, if I choose to follow some reverential act in respect for the Divine, for me to deny that practice is a matter which can be seen by me as disrespectful. For another person that may not be so.
Most of all, we need to remember that all religious and spiritual practice is to lead us to be more caring and less judgmental beings. Does the Spirit really care if my feet are pointed to a holy shrine? If I prostrate? If I bow my head? If I take off my shoes? If I do a mudra or the sign of the cross? Possibly, such does not matter, unless it matters to me? Or, unless I agree to observe such with others as a matter of agreement in practice?
What is important is where the heart is directed. Possibly, finally, that is all that matters.
So, yes, be respectful of other persons' customs in spiritual faith and practice. Likewise, respect your own. Yet, remember these are only means, varied means, not absolutes.
©Brian Wilcox, and OneLife Ministries. 03/13/2010
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian Kenneth Wilcox, SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is a member of United Communities of Spirit: A Global Interfaith Initiative, for advancing the cause of understanding and peace among persons of different faiths and beliefs. OneLife Ministries seek to share this spirit of unity among all peoples of faith and humanity as a whole.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings at briankwilcox@yahoo.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*You can order his book An Ache for Union from major booksellers.
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