Commitment to the Work

Image by Sven from Pixabay

During the recent retreat, I saw a peer commit 

himself fully to a minor role in a short play. 

His dedication pierced me deeply. 

Not only was he committed, but he also worked through and 

transformed so much last minute stress, 

accepting the little that was given to him and 

working with it so purely.

Then, I heard a voice in my heart say: 

"if we commit fully to the Work, just as he 

did to his role, the light will certainly shine within us."

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Life Is...

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. 

Don't resist them - 

that only creates sorrow. 

Let reality be reality. 

Let things flow naturally forward 

in whatever way they like.

~Lao Tzu

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I Watched The Solo Dance ...

 

AI generated 

I watched the solo dance 

of the main character last night in "The Nutcracker" 

as he finished and stood still. 

The ballet dancer was breathing heavily 

and straining with all his might 

to achieve such wonderful and graceful composure! 

Then, floated away, off stage. 

It was like watching the filaments of a flower 

shaking in the wind! 

And connecting to all those moments of effort 

that had brought him there 

to eventually perform 

those exquisite movements for us 

to view through time. 

Being in presence 

allowed me to connect into his energy 

all the way into 1968 when the production happened. 

The soul is timeless 

and can embrace eternity 

and reach into each effort. 

I can only imagine what GOD feels through us!

~C

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This Beloved...

Katharine Ward

“This Beloved of ours is merciful and good. 

Besides, he so deeply longs 

for our love that he keeps calling us to come closer. 

This voice of his is so sweet 

that the poor soul falls apart 

in the face of her own inability 

to instantly do whatever he asks of her. 

And so you can see, 

hearing him hurts 

much more than not being able to hear him… 

For now, 

his voice reaches us 

through words spoken by good people, 

through listening to spiritual talks, 

and reading sacred literature. 

God calls to us in countless little ways all the time. 

Through illnesses and suffering 

and through sorrow he calls to us. 

Through a truth glimpsed fleetingly 

in a state of prayer he calls to us. 

No matter how halfhearted such insights may be, 

God rejoices whenever we learn what he is trying to teach us.”

― Santa Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle

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I Have Been...

 

AI generated image

I have been asking myself 

what is the practical understanding of refinement. 

And this meeting

and my work within this meeting 

has been showing me. 

I started the meeting outside feeding, 

feeling in essence 

as the sun is shining in the blue sky. 

But it wasn’t hydrogen 12. 

I could hear the music with my emotional thought. 

I love the music but how deep was it going? 

I had to start sacrificing the I’d 

which was and is not easy to do. 

The work of refinement 

is very grounded in a way, 

right here in this moment. 

So easy to lose sight of. 

I remember Ouspensky sharing 

that false personality 

is everything but your efforts. 

And refinement 

is about seeing more I sense. 

How much can I see in this moment?

~S

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