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*Brian Wilcox. 'jumping for Joy'. Flickr.
And think not you can guide the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, shall guide your course.
*Kahlil Gibran. The Prophet.
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The following story is from the Hasidic path. The Hebrew חסידות can be rendered “piety.” Hasidism is a sect of Orthodox Judaism. Hasidics advocate spirituality and gladness through mysticism. The Rabbi plays a central role, being transmitter of the mystical Experience-of-Truth.
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The Jews in a small town in Russia were eagerly awaiting the arrival of a great, Hasidic Rabbi. This was going to be a rare event, so they spent a lot of time preparing questions to ask.
When he arrived, they met with him in the town hall. He sensed tension, as all prepared to listen to the answers he would give.
The Rabbi said nothing at first, he gazed into their eyes and hummed a melody. Soon, everyone began to hum with him. He started to sing, and they sang with him. He swayed and danced in solemn, measured steps; they joined in. They became so involved in the dance, so absorbed in its movements, they were lost to everything else on earth. So, every person was made whole, healed from the inner fragmentation that keeps one from "seeing" the inner Truth.
The dancing continued for almost an hour. Afterward, everyone sat in silent peace pervading the hall. The Rabbi spoke the only words he said that evening: "I trust I have answered your questions." He left without saying another word. Everyone went home gladdened of heart.
* * *
We do not so much need answers, but communion with Grace.
What is this communion? Person speak of this differently. I like to think of this as Intimacy, a closeness so close most of the time most of us do not recognize it. And not recognizing it is normal at some point, for we grow into intimacy with this Life, and the sharing is too deep for thought or words.
When we actively engage this communion, as in worship or meditation, or other means as suits different persons or particular occasions, out of this communion an answer may arise or not, yet the communion is of vital importance in itself. Communion need not be turned into a means to an end, but is an end in itself. In communion, we receive healing, bodily or other, and we are invited back into wholeness, into holiness.
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We can misunderstand this communion as somehow between us and what we might worship: God, Lord, the Light, ... Yet, we cannot have this healing, revivifying communion apart from other beings. There is no private communion, even if we are communing in privacy. Communion is open and open-ended. Communion has no walls including or excluding.
This winter, due to injuries incurred after coming to Maine, mostly in the winter months I was isolated, alone in a cottage, no familiar friends or family, and in pain day and night.
Finally, I went to a physical therapist. I observed when seeing him, afterward I would leave feeling whole, refreshed, as though I had returned to life ~ I could feel this viscerally. Reflecting on this, I appreciated how simply sharing with him was communion, and healing of spirit and body. In my religious upbringing, I could say through sharing with my physical therapist, Christ and I were sharing, communing ~ not Christ as a historical figure, but Christ as the presence of Life now, arising to love us in our interactions with one another, with human and non-human, seen and unseen beings.
*Brian Wilcox. 'Dancing on Air'. Flickr.
(C)Brian K Wilcox, 2019
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