Hello TSJ Peeps!
Solomon (our Big Mind) and I have been in a frustrating dialogue. My problem? So many things to share. Solomon’s concern? The usual. That you receive one thing of soulful value for you to reflect on.
Sigh. It is so hard for us to allow “the one thing needed” for this moment in our hurried, worried, and perilously driven world of distractions. Most of our distractions, however, lie out of sight as they are too close to see. It is our thoughts. It has been said by many spiritual teachers and restated by Richard Rohr in his book, The Naked Now, that “We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are.” If you are really stretched for time, feel free to stop right there. That is enough to keep us all in contemplation for some time! Wow. Thank you Solomon. I guess Tom really had a good talk with you this morning. Glad he put you over here by my right elbow!
I probably should stop right here. But may I share just a bit more?
Perhaps the easiest example we have all heard in this line of thinking is the familiar.. .almost cliché question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?”
And I do think that how we see one thing is likely how we see many things.
Of course, whether we see the glass as half empty or half full does not change the level of the water, but it does change how we experience the level of the water. How do you feel if it is half empty? Anxious maybe? Needing to do something now? Or how do you feel if it is half full? More relaxed perhaps? What if your life is half empty or half full on a larger scale?
So how we see things is a projection (like on a blank screen} of our thoughts and beliefs. And once thoughts are projected outward we can actually start to “see” (look at) and discover the seer within (yes, us at our core). That is when we have a chance to become transformed. We can only change when we become conscious (awake) to what and who we are and embrace that with compassion.
How is this useful to you as parents, teachers, business people, church leaders, etc.?
Well, all change that we want to see in the world starts within us. When we are with transformed people who love and accept us and help us feel safe and valued, we gradually change too.
What attitudes, beliefs, or values are we projecting? How do we know? Again, by how we see others, the world, and ourselves.
There is a Bible story I have never particularly liked. Now you can hear the seer within me. It is the famous Mary and Martha story. Martha was apparently warm, hospitable, and welcoming. She invited Jesus (and likely others) in to her home. She busily went about preparing a meal. Her sister, Mary, on the other hand sat and listened to Jesus, completely absorbed. Martha as the story goes, was distracted by all the preparations and angry at her sister for not helping her. She shot a remark to Jesus about this.
And Jesus’ response seems insensitive on a superficial level (glass half empty) and he said, “Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”
Just like the little bird that sits on the rock in the above picture does not quickly catch our eye, so the truth of what Jesus seemed to be saying has taken me awhile to discover. I have been distracted by defending the Martha in me. But rather than making it sound like Jesus was a unfeeling male who wants us all to sit and be … whatever… I now see another truth.
Inner distractions were Martha’s biggest problem. Her anger at her sister. Her worries about what people would think should she slow down and listen too. But the “one thing needed” was to be present to the moment … to her own feelings, to the desire she had to be in Mary’s shoes but could not allow herself that privilege…to whatever was going on around her.
When we become fully present to the moment we expand our awareness of the Presence of divine Love.
I “see” that more clearly each day. But I have a lot more seeing to do.
Playing in the pastures with you!
Margie and Solomon
