This
past week, while camping in the Badlands and hiking in the outdoor
areas near my home, I've been pondering the fact that my path really is
Inter-spiritual. Like so many seekers these days, my soul is
multi-faceted, and I resonate with aspects of several different
spiritual traditions. For example, this past week, the beauty of the
Lakota country up north, together with a book I've been reading by
Russell Means, have nourished amply the indigenous part of my soul. On
Tuesday night, I gave a talk for an M.D. on Contemplative Hiking and
Wilderness Spirituality, which together form a core aspect of my path.
After the talk, a woman came up to me and began sharing about her
Buddhist meditation practice, the spaciousness of which never fails to
minister mightily to another aspect of my soul. Then, yesterday, I
listened to a sermon by Black evangelical pastor T.D. Jakes, sent to me
by a friend. One of Jakes' major points was the fact that we are made
in the image of A CREATOR, which means that WE TOO are therefore meant
to live a life of creativity. This is something I've known for quite
some time, but the sermon reinvigorated my understanding in a fresh way.
Some would claim that we can only hit "spiritual water" if we dig ONE well deeply; that is, if we focus on only one tradition. However, I tend to favor the interpretation given by Inter-spiritual author Mirabai Starr, who points out that many of us find ourselves called to dig that single well "with MANY DIFFERENT TOOLS." I still do consider myself a Christ-follower, which means less that I focus the light of my attention on Jesus, and more that I look THROUGH HIS EYES at the world, enabling me to see all beings, traditions and landscapes in a calm, radiant light that melts them all into One. If Jesus truly is a "light, " as many Christians affirm, this means that he humbly works to reveal THE WORLD in a fresh and loving light, rather than training the light narcissistically back on himself. It is indeed true that, for me at least, this self-emptying light is "colored" by the unique personality of Jesus, which contributes to the light a calm and loving radiance. But it is rare that I focus the light back on him or on his words. In fact, I feel I honor Christ best when I follow him in forgetting both he and myself in order to reveal - and learn from - the wisdom of those around me.
On this path, I feel myself called - in union with the self-emptying Christ - to highlight the innate wisdom contained in every tradition, every person, every landscape, and every aspect of life. This past week, that meant highlighting the beauty and goodness inherent in Lakota spirituality, contemplative hiking, Buddhist meditation, and in the sermon of a Black evangelical preacher. In particular, this meant LEARNING from all of these amazing sources of insight, just as God learns more about his - or her - divinity through OUR eyes! I know this path is not for everyone, but for me, it definitely fits!
Photos: (Top) Nelson Larkspur and cascade, Greyrock Trail, Roosevelt National Forest, CO; (Middle) Western Wallflower, Lory State Park, CO; (Bottom) Formations in Badlands National Park, SD. These photos were taken May 16-20, 2015
Some would claim that we can only hit "spiritual water" if we dig ONE well deeply; that is, if we focus on only one tradition. However, I tend to favor the interpretation given by Inter-spiritual author Mirabai Starr, who points out that many of us find ourselves called to dig that single well "with MANY DIFFERENT TOOLS." I still do consider myself a Christ-follower, which means less that I focus the light of my attention on Jesus, and more that I look THROUGH HIS EYES at the world, enabling me to see all beings, traditions and landscapes in a calm, radiant light that melts them all into One. If Jesus truly is a "light, " as many Christians affirm, this means that he humbly works to reveal THE WORLD in a fresh and loving light, rather than training the light narcissistically back on himself. It is indeed true that, for me at least, this self-emptying light is "colored" by the unique personality of Jesus, which contributes to the light a calm and loving radiance. But it is rare that I focus the light back on him or on his words. In fact, I feel I honor Christ best when I follow him in forgetting both he and myself in order to reveal - and learn from - the wisdom of those around me.
On this path, I feel myself called - in union with the self-emptying Christ - to highlight the innate wisdom contained in every tradition, every person, every landscape, and every aspect of life. This past week, that meant highlighting the beauty and goodness inherent in Lakota spirituality, contemplative hiking, Buddhist meditation, and in the sermon of a Black evangelical preacher. In particular, this meant LEARNING from all of these amazing sources of insight, just as God learns more about his - or her - divinity through OUR eyes! I know this path is not for everyone, but for me, it definitely fits!
Photos: (Top) Nelson Larkspur and cascade, Greyrock Trail, Roosevelt National Forest, CO; (Middle) Western Wallflower, Lory State Park, CO; (Bottom) Formations in Badlands National Park, SD. These photos were taken May 16-20, 2015
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