Thursday, June 26, 2008

Once in my twenties, I was listening to a mentor give an after-dinner talk on communication. As an aside he said, “And as we all know, insight is not transferable.” As we all know? I queried myself. The line never let go of me….
If we cannot pass wisdom around the table the way we do food, then why do I write another book, or teach? Even though insight is not directly transferable, the desire for it can be. It can be prompted by a deep love of the subject, the lure of the teller’s example, or a traumatic surprise in one’s life.
Kent Ira Groff. WHAT WOULD I BELIEVE IF I DIDN’T BELIEVE ANYTHING: A HANDBOOK FOR SPIRITUAL ORPHANS.
In the modern era, people came to church and asked, “Who is God?” But today, if people come to church at all, they ask, “Who are God’s people? How does Christianity cash out in community and in practice?”
Leonard Sweet. OUT OF THE QUESTION…INTO THE MYSTERY.

Tripping over Joy

What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?

The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God

And that the Beloved
Has just made such a Fantastic Move

That the saint is now continually
Tripping over Joy
And bursting out in Laughter
And saying, “I Surrender!”

Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think

You have a thousand serious moves.
Renderings of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky. I HEARD GOD LAUGHING: POEMS OF HOPE AND JOY.

Saints Bowing in the Mountains

Do you know how beautiful you are?

I think not, my dear.

For as you talk of God,
I see great parades with wildly colorful bands
Streaming from your mind and heart,
Carrying wonderful secret messages
To every corner of this world
…..

Renderings of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky. I HEARD GOD LAUGHING: POEMS OF HOPE AND JOY.