the voice of the eagle

"He left behind him all the realities contained within the limits of the world and was raised up to the heights." -- Eriugena writing of John the Baptist as quoted in Christopher Bamford, The Voice of the Eagle.

Powerful words. He left behind him all the realities contained within the limits of the world and was raised up to the heights.

Two major actions here. The first essential step is a turning away and a leaving behind. None of that irresolute wavering of "a dog returns to his vomit as a fool returns to his folly." None of that turning around, looking back and turning into a pillar of salt. More like Satchel Paige's "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."

"He left behind him." That is clear and strong. No clinging to anything back there. Not even re-cognizing (thinking it through once again) that there is anything back there. Gone, totally gone. "Gate, gate, paragate" as our Buddhist buddies say.

But let us take a look back since we may not have made the step he did (as yet). What did he leave behind? "All the realities contained within the limits of the world." Whew! That's a bunch. Most of us like to dive and play like porpoises in the realities contained within the limits of the world. We define ourselves by these realities. We snorkel in these realms, regard them as our particular reef barriers of delight. I mean, come on! Who wants to head out into the vast ocean?

I do! said John. I do! said Eriugena. I do! said Buddha. I do! said Jesus. I do! said Muhammad. I do! said Abraham. I do! said Paul. I do! said Mary. I do! said Teresa. I do! said Hildegard. I do! said Beverly. I do! said Ibn 'Arabi. And many others on earth today, just regular folk, raising their hands and waving them with a big I do! And some are already out there (but you are not going to see them on CNN).

Action two: "and was raised up to the heights." The universe is fully cooperative here, a strong partner in this endeavor. As soon as we turn away, we are raised up.

It is said that we live between seven hells and seven heavens. Each of us in our current condition has grasped a handful of a certain number of each. To give an idea of the range, those who grasp a handful of each hell and none of the heavens live in darkness and their ways are evil. Those who grasp a handful of each heaven live in light and their ways are good. Most of us have our little handfuls of hell along with some of the heavenly graspings.

The role model expressed here is to go ahead and make the transition. "Lay up your treasures in heaven." "Die before you die." If you are like me, this is a continuous practice. I find the universe to be true to its word. As I turn away from my precious hellishness I am raised to the heights.