The grass beneath a tree
is content and silent.
A squirrel holds an acorn
in its praying hands
offering thanks,
it looks like.
The nut tastes sweet;
I bet the prayer added
to its taste somehow.
The broken shells fall on the grass,
the grass looks up
and says
“Hey”
And the squirrel looks down
and says
“Hey”
I have been saying “Hey” lately too,
to God
The formal way was just not working
Rumi
Today in Ireland is celebrated Lá Féile Bríde, St. Brigid’s Day, the second patron of Ireland after Saint Patrick. In Pre-Christian times on this day was celebrated the Celtic festival of Imbolc which announced the beginning of Spring, the beginning of new life. It was connected to the fertility of animals and of the earth and the ancient mother goddess in her maiden aspect. The Irish Church took aspects of the ancient feast and applied them to St. Brigid who was looked for on this day to bless animals and crops. She was renowned for her generosity and hospitality, two of the principal characteristics of the Celtic church. On this day the tradition was to bake fresh food and send some to neighbours who were needy.
Today was celebrated because it is the midway point between the winter and the spring solstice, and was seen as the time when hope begins to stir because Spring will soon be here. You would not think so here this morning when temperatures dropped to minus 10. However the ancient wisdom reminds us that new life is not far away even if the earth or our lives seem barren and cold. It was a day for lighting a fire, for announcing warmth and light in the dark time of winter. Hope returns. An old Irish poem says of this day Anois teacht an Earraigh beidh an lá dul chun síneadh, – Spring is coming back and the days start getting longer. New life, warmer days, growth, hope, hospitality and generosity. An ancient message relevant for us on this day.
The name Desert Fathers and Mothers is given to those early monks in the Christian Tradition who went into the desert in Egypt in the third century. Even though life then was probably much simpler than now, they were convinced that they could develop their inner life better in the quietness of the desert rather than in the distractions of the city.
Their thoughts on the practice of meditation and prayer have been passed down to us in the form of short sayings and stories. Many of these have strong resonances with the practice of mindfulness meditation. They emphaisize paying attention to thoughts, staying in the one place or the one activity, patience with one’s self, compassion for others.
Abba Anthony said:
“When you sit quietly alone,
you escape three sources of distaction,
hearing, speaking and seeing.
The only thing you will fight the whole time
is with your own heart”
Monday was the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. It is a very famous example of change: blinding flash of light, depicted as knocking him from his horse, in a solitary, blind state until meeting with a wise man takes the “scales from his eyes”. It is presented as very dramatic, almost instantaneous. And in some ways that is what we all seek – some event or encounter which will provide us with instant relief and comfort or the skills we feel we lack to make sense and success of our lives. It is as if we believe there is a secret chord out there somewhere that will be the missing part, and will complete the symphony which is our lives.
However, such a dramatic change is not the norm and was not even true for Saint Paul. We are told that he went out into the desert after this event to reflect and enter inside himself. Some writers say that there was a ten year gap between this event and his first activity. For him, and for us, change is a slow, gradual, patient process.
This evening, a new MBSR Course begins as we set out together on this slow process of change. Everyone comes with different expectations, from different places in their lives. It is true that sometimes a dramatic change or event in our lives can bring us to a Course like this, but it can also be a gradual growing awareness of the need for change or support. However we got here, we learn very quickly that we can begin afresh every day, every moment, because each moment, for the participants and for me, is a new moment, the only moment we have to live. This Course is a chance to turn towards what is deepest and best inside us, an opportunity to practice paying attention. Gradual paying attention, moment by moment, changes how we see life. In that sense it is a real conversion.
Today is the feastday of Saint Francis de Sales. He is the patron of Geneva Diocese and was based in the lovely French town of Annecy. He was known for his gentleness and good humour. Sometimes religious practice can lead to a certain rigidity and severity of attitude. Not so Saint Francis.
I like this quotation from him. Sometimes inner peace is disturbed by one’s own mind, so mindfulness practice, in noticing our thoughts, helps keep an inner balance. It reminds me of the saying from Thich Nhat Hahn, Life is short so we should smile, breath and go slowly.
Never be in a hurry;
do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.
Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,
even if your whole world seems upset.
Mindfulbalance 