I very much appreciate the Sanskrit word "Namaste" employed as a greeting, especially when it is used to mean "The Divine in me honors the Divine in you." It implies that whenever any of us meet, there are always more than simply two individuals communicating with one another. Instead, we are seeing THROUGH one another in order to contact the deeper underlying Reality.
As all of you know, I enjoy using landscape photography as a means of seeing THROUGH the plants, animals, rocks, landforms and skies to the underlying Reality to which each points, and of which each is an embodiment. A vivid example of this happened the other day when I photographed two horses grazing in a field near my home, with the foothills looming through the mist just beyond. At the time, I saw in the horses a symbol of two people interacting with one another, always in the context of a Reality greater than both (symbolized by the misty foothills), to which each relates whenever they see one another.
Those of us called to become spiritual mentors or leaders must work diligently to allow our own individual selves to become transparent windows THROUGH to the Divine Presence radiating outward from within us. We may not always be successful, but that, at least, is our intent. Similarly, we also seek perpetually to see THROUGH the surface qualities of those whom we encounter in order to find and highlight the Divine present within them as well. Often this work calls for offering heartfelt compliments as a means of helping awaken others to their own inner divinity. These are given from a "Namaste" attitude, one that intends to move beyond the one giving the compliment and the one receiving it in order touch the Reality underlying both individuals. At times, this calls for complimenting the other person's PHYSICAL presence - usually in a generalized way - which is especially important in our time, when all of us fall so easily into a tendency to denigrate what we perceive to be our own physical flaws. "You are beautiful!" or "That outfit looks great on you" as well as "You are an amazing person" or "I love your combination of spiritual depth and earthy humor" are all means by which we can highlight the spiritual radiance of one another.
Even though I've worked very hard to make sure the compliments I offer are coming from the Divine within rather than from my own grasping ego, I find that there are still times when the recipient thinks of the compliment in individualistic terms. This happens especially when the recipient of my compliment is a member of the opposite sex. Sometimes they even take offense at the compliment, or think that I am trying to "get something" from them in return. I try to guard against this misunderstanding by offering the compliment and then immediately changing the subject, or (if I'm writing) putting a good amount of space between the next communication. However, even then, sometimes the compliment is still misunderstood. I suppose this is simply one of the hazards of being called to highlight the goodness and beauty of others. Fortunately, I find that as I age, my compliments are taken more and more on this deeper level, rather than as attempts to "get" something from the other person :)
I take consolation from the fact that something similar often occurred with Christ. When Jesus told his hearers "I and the Father are One," he meant that he had become transparent to the indwelling Divine, whom he called "Father." Everything he spoke came from THAT reality rather than from his ego. However, members of the religious hierarchy took his statement instead to mean that he was saying "I am God." Even after he went on to explain "I am God's SON," they still continued to mistake his words, thinking that it was his individual ego that was speaking rather than the indwelling Divine. If even Jesus was misunderstood - especially after years of working to make sure his individual ego had become transparent to the indwelling Divine - I suppose all of US can just DEAL with being misunderstood!
Photos: (Top) Horses and foothills near Bellvue, CO; (Middle) A pearl-like sun makes its presence known through the mist, Lory State Park, CO; (Bottom) Arthur's Rock gazing at the western sky, Lory State Park, CO; All three photos were taken on December 26, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment