December 12, 2004
Greetings,
This season of thanksgiving and goodwill could not have come too soon. I woke up from my Red Sox euphoria to find that I live in a deeply divided country. Some people are worried that religious fanatics are trying to create a funless, sexless theocracy. Others think we’re going to hell in a hand basket because the heathens have taken over Hollywood and gay couples want to marry. One side thinks everyone but them lacks “moral values,” while the other side is scared that some narrow set of “moral values” will be shoved down their throats.
Meanwhile, amidst all the shouting, the vast majority of citizens, from the religiously indifferent to the deeply spiritual, display real moral values every day, in their tolerance of those who are different, in their kindness to loved ones and strangers, in their ordinary acts of compassion. I have faith that the basic decency at the core of America’s soul will make things right in the long run.
In the meantime, my hope is that those warm hearts and open minds will raise the conversation to a higher level. My wish for the season to be jolly is that each of us may find a way to add a measure of peace and wisdom to our anxious world. When you sing “Silent Night” or light your menorah or dance in the moonlight on the solstice, think a healing thought for our planet.
RADIO SHOW
On Thursday, December 23rd, I will be a guest on “Air Talk”, Larry Mantle’s excellent interview program on KPCC, an LA public radio station. My fellow panelists will be Edmund Gibbs, Professor of Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, and Jack Miles, Senior Advisor at the J. Paul Getty Trust and author of God: A Biography. It promises to be a fascinating hour of discussion on contemporary religion and spirituality.
“Air Talk” runs from 11 am to noon on FM 89.3. If you’re not in LA, you can hear it streamed live on KPCC’s website: http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/index.shtml#. Just click on the “Listen Live” feature. The show will also be archived on the same web page beginning later that day.
Oh, yes, it’s a call-in show, so you can weigh in at 866-893-5722 with a thorny question or a brilliant comment.
COMMUNITY FOR SPIRITUAL WISDOM
In the coming year, my colleagues in the Forge Institute will be launching a membership organization for people who wish to pursue genuine spiritual growth in a diverse, non-dogmatic context. Members in certain areas will be able to come together on a regular basis to learn and grow in a healthy community. Called Forge Hearths, these gatherings will feature facilitated conversation, exercises and practices for spiritual deepening, regardless of one’s path or tradition. You can learn more at www.theforge.org.
LOS ANGELES HEARTH
I will be starting a Forge Hearth in Los Angeles early in the new year. If you live in Southern California and are interested in a unique opportunity for personal growth and deep connection, please drop me an e-mail or call me at 310-827-8266.
MONTHLY COLUMN
Introducing my two most recent columns in Healthy Update, the newsletter of HealthWorld Online (www.healthy.net).
"Spiritual Companionship" examines one of the great paradoxes of the spiritual path: we’re on our own and we can't do it alone. No matter how independent we might be, we all need help—from teachers, guides, scriptures, traditions, institutions—and each other. Why companions are important, and how to nourish them: http://healthy.net/scr/column.asp?id=613.
“Moral Values” looks at the universal virtues that every spiritual tradition holds dear, challenging each of us to live up to our highest standards while at the same time treating ourselves with the kindness and understanding we know we should give to others. http://healthy.net/scr/column.asp?Id=615
ILLUMINATIONS ON THANKSGIVING
As befits the season, here is a multifaith sampling of quotes on gratitude:
“Let go of all emotions such as resentment and retaliation, which diminish you, and hold onto the emotions, such as gratitude and joy, which increase you." - Arabic proverb
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is Thank You, it will be enough.”
– Meister Eckhart
“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118
SEEDS OF CONTEMPLATION
When her first child died, the young mother was so distraught that she refused to part with his body. Carrying her dead son on her hip, she scurried through the village, knocking on every door and asking if anyone knew a remedy that would restore her son to life. Finally, she was referred to the Buddha. The Awakened One prescribed a cure: a pinch of mustard seed, which must be obtained from a particular source. Seizing this ray of hope, the mother said she would go anywhere to find what was needed. “You must get the mustard seed from a household in which no son or daughter or anyone else has died,” said Buddha.
The mother bowed reverently and set out to find such a home. She went from house to house, and everywhere the response was the same: we would gladly part with the mustard seed, but our home has not been spared death. At last, the grieving mother returned to the Buddha, awake to the nature of impermanence and ready to be pointed toward liberation.
Are you looking for permanence where it can’t be found? Do you cling to attachments that can’t bring the fulfillment you yearn for? Do you ever deny reality because you’re afraid of change or loss?
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Two colleagues of mine have written books on contemplative Christianity that were influenced by other traditions and modern psychology. The Mirror of God: Christian Faith as Spiritual Practice—Lessons from Buddhism and Psychotherapy, was written by James Jones, an Episcopal priest, psychologist and professor of religion at Rutgers University. Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God is by James Finley, a former Trappist monk, now a psychotherapist and retreat leader in Los Angeles. Both books are especially pertinent for Christians who yearn for a deep experience of the divine while remaining within their heritage. They are also excellent sources for those on any path who like being enriched by the cross-fertilization of spiritual traditions.
THIS NEWSLETTER
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Blessings to all,
Phil
