Category Archives: Teachings

Teachings

What Is Calling?

2 Comments

Sitting still. Sitting still and listening. Sitting still and hearing. Sitting still. Listening. Hearing. Hearing many ‘voices’. Getting up and getting on with ones life. Knowing amidst the clamour; a depth guides. A depth which doesn’t require to know why. Knows not to hang on or to push away, anything. Knows Compassion and acceptance.

I have many voices,
As do we all.
I have many choices,
To make as I am multidimensional.
I have a peacemaker,
But also my Grandfathers’ rage
I do not know why
Maybe I should ask a sage.
I have a needy part,
That I sometimes look down upon.
I have a greedy part,
That likes Jam, cream and scones.

From the poem Getting Out of Jail by Rufus May.

I love the light and playful spirit that comes through the words and approach of the author.
I especially like these lines later in the poem.

I have a part that tries to ground me
In the here and now,
And reads about spirituality
So I don’t get in too many rows!

Amen to that!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Overcome Difficulties, Teachings

Waiting While Walking

6 Comments

Last evening I was talking to somebody about the difficulties and uncertainties of taking the next step. Pick up the mail? Or walk the dog first? Thats relatively easy. However when there’s a sense of a life change lurking in the background the prospect of lifting one foot, let alone bringing the other one along, seems impossible. Or can do. There is a call to make a change. What is the answer. Exactly?

I liken this situation to waiting at a bus stop. Waiting. Waiting for the bus to come. Perhaps it’s raining and, heck! any bus will do surely. Or will it? Still waiting. Maybe the direction of the bus is known, but not the time or the day. Would that be the 10.45 am to Garstang, via Trough ‘a Boland. Or, still waiting. Do I need to wait another three hours for the 1.45 pm, long distance, to Glasgow. And. Wait a moment. Is this the right stop? And the right day, or even year? Is the response right now to simply stay put until the rain stops, the clouds clear and the bus schedule is republished. In other words the answer to the call is to wait. Wait longer.

Taking the next step can be tricky especially when one doesn’t actually know what it is. There is a call yet the details are not audible. There’s no sense of when, where, what or how a move is to be accomplished?

And yet in life there is no standing still. Always there is the imperative for action. Perhaps the largest obstacle to acting in any given circumstance is fear on the one side and desire on the other. What’s a person to do?

Wait while walking on? Sit still, listen and walk? The move might be as simple as making a phone call. Lots of small steps add up.

This posting is for Ruth who’s taking a significant step in her life. Good fortune to you.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Teachings

No Insignificant Weeds

2 Comments

Once up at the monastery I got an ear-wigging for my weeding. The monk has asked me to weed a short stretch of gravel path during the work period and knowing no better having pulled all the significant weeds out of that bit I continued on my way helpfully pulling out all the bigger weeds on the next stretch too. That wasn’t what I’d been asked to do of course. I should have taken the job more seriously, stuck to the bit I had been asked to weed and pulled up all the tiny weeds too. They were the insignificant problems that were going to become significant in another week or two if they didn’t get attention.

From a posting on Little House In The Paddy.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Teachings

Be Content With Content

1 Comment

Commandment 10
You shall not covet your neighbour’s blog ranking. Be content with your own content.

From Times On Line

Being content is a useful reminded, whatever ones endeavours. And contentment is not the same as complacent.

Thanks to my walking companion for pointing me to these commandments. Originally formulated for Christian bloggers however I feel they can apply across the board.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Teachings

The Mind Is Like…..

1 Comment

The mind is like a parachute.
It only works when it’s open.

Heard on Quote Unquote, a BBC Radio 4 program.

Second line (s)lightly edited 25th February, 2009.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email