I trust that your day is filled with Grace…may you pause throughout the day to acknowledge your many blessings. As I sit this morning, my prayer is one of gratitude. After the life-giving rains of yesterday, Nature is refreshed and glowing. I Am so grateful for the Beauty and Abundance that peeks in through my living room window. And I Am blessed to know that I Am, that we Are, one with (not separate from) that Beauty and Abundance. Full access to All Good is mine, is yours, in the moment that we stop, notice, believe, receive, and give thanks.
My Practice this morning has led me to Theresa of Avila. There are a number of quotes from The Interior Castle that I would like to explore with you. My hope is that they will invite you into contemplation, that they will evoke in you a sense of the Sacred.
“The important thing is not to think much, but to love much, and so to do whatever best awakens us to love.”
I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time in my head. Thinking, thinking…always thinking. It comes in many forms…planning, remembering, wondering, worrying…and on and on it goes. And yet, I agree with Theresa. I would be much better served by using my head to guide me into my heart. When I speak of the heart, and of Love, I do not mean the romantic or emotional sensation that we so often think of. Rather, I am talking about Spiritual Love…the inherent quality that moves us to give of ourselves. Love is the tendency of Infinite Intelligence to give of Itself, becoming Its creation. Each of us, as an expression of that Intelligence, has the same capacity. And so, what this quote says to me is that rather than using my precious time, and the power of my thought, to create who-knows-what (as it is often chattering on without my notice), isn’t it a wiser investment of Life’s Energy to consciously engage the heart…to engage in those activities and relationships that call forth my creativity, fulfillment, and generous spirit?
“Whenever I have surrendered in obedience, impossible things have become simple.”
Wow! This one packs a punch. Right off the bat, I see two potential triggers (which means I have Work to do). The idea of surrender may or may not be a comfortable word for you. It may bring up feelings of defeat, of giving up, of the white flag and throwing in the towel. Of course, this never feels good. But even more than surrender, the thought of obedience can really get us going. A flood of emotions related to past experiences can nearly overwhelm us is we let them. To keep us moving in a direction that has the potential of uplifting and transforming, let’s look at definitions.
The word surrender has its roots in Latin, and means above (sur) and to give back (render). In this context, I read the combination of these two pieces as the invitation for the ego self to let go of its illusion of control, and to willingly give back True Control to our Higher Wisdom, to our God Self. And what of that pesky word obedience? Again, going back to the Latin, it means the act of (ience) hearing in the direction of (oboedire). And so, to use these two words together, surrendered in obedience, Theresa is inviting us to allow ourselves to hear the voice of our Deepest Wisdom and allow It to guide us in every moment of our lives. As we learn to let go and allow Spirit to guide our thoughts, words, and actions, life smooths out. Those things that we once deemed impossible enter the realm of the possible. That which we once found difficult becomes easy. Eventually this new way of living and of being becomes second-nature. Our faith in Goodness, Grace, and Ease becomes automatic…we have embodied our teaching…we are walking our talk.
Finally, I would like to reference a place where Theresa quotes Jesus. “Where their treasure lies,” says Christ, “there also goes their heart.”
Stop for a moment…I invite you to remain in this contemplation…do not read on…until you have considered what this quote means to you.
(No, really. Stop and ponder…)
Here is how it speaks to me. Where do I spend my time and attention? Do I fritter it away, or do I consciously invest my precious moments? It is in those activities where the majority of my time and money are spent that I discover my life’s priorities. Interesting that they may not be what I thought they were. Time (or attention) and money are our primary mediums of exchange. My heart…my creative capacity and self-givingness…is expressed as I offer my time (or attention) and money in particular ways. As I first contemplate my calendar (the ways I spend my time), and then my bank statement (the ways I spend my money), what do I find? Where does my treasure lie? What is it that I most value? Am I called to make adjustments? Are there places that I am spending, rather than investing? And most of all, am I willing to make changes that bring me into greater alignment with my True Values, with my Highest Knowing and Being?
Trusting that my wanderings and ponderings offer food for thought, I conclude with an affirmation that brings these three bits of Wisdom together.
Knowing that my every thought, word, and action leaves an imprint on the evolution of humanity, and of the cosmos, I consciously choose to invest the precious moments of my life in expressing my Highest Self. I surrender and obey the Call of Spirit, offering my Creativity and Generosity for the Good of the Whole. I feel myself coming into greater alignment with my True Nature, experiencing Peace, Fulfillment, and Grace as I move willingly into the Divine Flow.
And So It Is! Amen!
May we all come to know the essence of who we are and why we’re here.
May we all be well…stay in touch…know our unity…and thrive!
And may we know the Absolute Beauty and Wonder of this Grace-filled, once-in-a lifetime day…
