Exposed

The Joy of Being Seen

Jun 28, 2017

Saying For Today: And you might say, "What must I do to let this happen?" And I say, "Nothing." Does anything else in all Nature have to do to be what it is?

My eyes moved through the books, I opened one. And opening, the words spoke resoundingly, "We long to expose ourselves." I felt the truth. The longing spoke through me. I tasted the bliss, the joy of exposure. I see the return to "Eden" is a return to the bliss of letting myself be seen, really seen, not with the eyes of matter but the eyes of Spirit. To be open, naked, and seen is the deep yearning of the human, reverberating in all our false paths to intimacy. Spirituality, then, is not about hiding so to be safe from being seen, but about coming out of hiding. This does not mean trusting everyone, telling all, but this does mean being moved through the fear into the naked revelation of who you truly are. Then, you do not need to try to be yourself or prove to anyone you are yourself, for you know you are, and that is enough, that is Fullness. Those with eyes to see will see the grace of the Light shining through your grand and joyful humbleness. Do not try to be seen, simply relax into the joy of be-ing. What does this have to do with Love? Well, do you want an illusion of you to be loved, or you? Would you not rather be loved, than something you pretend to be to be loved? I prefer the risk of being exposed.

In trying to be yourself, you negate yourself. In letting yourself come forth as yourself, you are seen to be you. Does the Sun try to be the Sun? You see the Light, and you see the Sun. Others see your Effulgence, and they see "God". Grace clothes Itself with you. Now, why not let the Light fearlessly shine through you and as you, in an intimacy sublime and indescribable? And you might say, "What must I do to let this happen?" And I say, "Nothing." Does anything else in all Nature have to do to be what it is?

©Brian Kenneth Wilcox 2017. Brian is a Hospice Chaplain, living out his vow to serve all living beings by serving those preparing to die and their friends and family. Brian lives a vowed life, alone in a quasi-hermitic life, and integrates varied religions, but most especially the contemplative paths of Buddhism and his native faith, Christianity. Brian received a 'mystical' Christ-experience at age 9, and was introduced to a peace untouched by pain and suffering. Later, in his mid-30s, after surviving a dark night of despair, Brian was vowed to a contemplative Christian way of life on St. Matthew's Feast day, 1995, by Greenbough House of Prayer, in Georgia, USA. This began many years of ardent reading, spiritual practice, and exploration of many spiritual paths, including publication of his book An Ache for Union: Poems on Oneness with God through Love. The Journey has led Brian to the joy beyond the ache, a contentment in experiential union with Grace. Brian lives with the affirmation that Love, not as emotion but Divine Presence, transcends all paths of religion and is our Source and Destination. As St. Paul writes in the Christian Bible, "Now remain always, faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love." Peace to All!

The quote "We long to expose ourselves" is from Richard Rohr. The Price of Peoplehood. The book the quote was found in is Richard Rohr. Radical Grace. Edited by John Feister.