Thursday, August 27, 2009
morning reading
"If you have understood all of this, then know (may God grant success to us both) that if you want to enter the presence of the Truth and receive from Him without intermediary, and you desire intimacy with Him, this will not be appropriate as long as your heart acknowledges any lordship other than His. For you belong to that which exercises its authority over you."-- Ibn 'Arabi, Journey to the Lord of Power. (my emphasis)
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Whew! You have reminded me that it is time to engage in some joyful un-doing!
ReplyDeleteWish me luck!
Patrick
I do wish you luck, Patrick. And more than that, I wish you forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteThank you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteAs I contemplated your comment last night, I remembered hearing Desmond Tutu speak a number of year ago. He talked about the forgiveness needed to heal his nation after the atrocities of Apartheid, and how grown men broke down sobbing in public hearings as they confessed their heinous crimes against their fellow man and then begged for forgiveness. He spoke of how forgiveness was given if those men were believed to have contrite hearts. It was very powerful.
Archbishop Tutu also told a story I will never forget. He said that we approach God after doing something wrong and say, "Dear God, Forgive me! I did it again!" and God smiles at us and says "Did What?".
We cut ourselves off from the living IS, often through the noise of competing thoughts spinning in our minds. But if we allow stillness to replace our compulsive thinking, and embrace each moment regardless of the disguise it may choose to wear, we move into that space which is closest to the Maker, where we are always welcomed home.
Forgiveness is the nectar that sustains us on that journey from there to Here. I pray it is available to me as needed, and resolve myself to provide it to others whenever I have that opportunity.
Again, thanks my friend!
Love,
Patrick