10-28-07 HUMILITY

I'm not trying to counsel any of youto do anything really specialexcept to dare to think,and to dare to go with the truth,and to dare to really love completely.
R. Buckminster Fuller - 1895­1983
We each have our own pathways to develop both personally andspiritually. They are based on our character and past experiences. Noone else can identify our paths for us. Tune in to your inner guidancesystem and follow its direction.
M. Scott peck
What every man needs, regardless of his job or the kind of work he isdoing, is a vision of what his place is and may be. He needs anobjective and a purpose. He needs a feeling and a belief that he hassome worthwhile thing to do. What this is no one can tell him. It mustbe his own creation.-- Joseph M. Dodge
Story of Martha and Mary- Sister Dawn Annette



Many of us try to escape the demands of prayer [or meditation] by setting up a false dichotomy between Martha and Mary making either/or what Jesus intended to be both/and. The Marthas say work is primarily their spiritual mode; the Marys say prayer is. Some pretend to be more Martha than Mary to justify their compulsive action and addiction to work/[busyness]. Others pretend to be more Mary to justify their spiritual inertia or laziness. Neither one of the extremes is valid, or isolated from the other.
Tessa Bielecki


All God asks is humility of heart … No one talks about the necessity and power of humility more than St Teresa of Avila, but when it comes to [intimate prayer], she clearly states that this is not a time to get bogged down in a sense of personal sin [or unworthiness]. If we focus on our unworthiness, we will not be able to accept the gift of intimacy. Of course we are unworthy and undeserving! But that is beside the point. What matters now is the incredible overture of love the Holy One is making. Refusing to respond is not truly humble, we do not refuse God’s gift but gratefully accept it the way we accept a human gift with: “Thank-you!” And “Yes!” then we enjoy and delight in the gift.
Tessa Bielecki



How many of us wallow in this kind of false humility? Do we deny the love through Martha’s busyness? Or a spiritual inertia we call Marian? Can you remember a time when you did?


Ah Power that swirls us together
Grant us Bliss
Grant us the great release
And to all Beings
Vanishing, wounded
In trouble on the earth
We pass on this love
May their numbers increase.
Gary Snyder


In safety and in Bliss
May all creatures be of a blissful heart
Whatever breathing beings there may be
Frail or firm … long or big … short or small
Seen or unseen, dwelling far or near
Existing or yet seeking to exist
May all creatures be of a blissful heart
Sutta Nipata