We Are Always Becoming
Have you ever noticed that once we declare ourselves as X, X starts to shift and change? The edges drift, maybe the job description morphs a little, then a little more, and then all of a sudden X is no longer the definition of what we are any more, but looking back we can see that the new X (or Y if you must) was there all along, it just hadn't expressed itself yet.
We are always many beautiful and contradictory things at once. I am both the really good friend and the selfish person. The giving soul and the needy soul. The wonderful mother and the terrible mother. I'm using extreme judging words because we all do it -- partition off parts of our being into good and bad, thinking if God were to pop in at this moment, how would we be judged? But that's not it.
We are cut from the cloth woven from the strands of all human emotion. Sewn by experience into our own unique garments, moments stitched into our pockets and hems that cannot be undone. This being that is in the center, guarded by the duality of oneness, wrapped in precious metal, carried in whittled wood, held in a tent, surrounded by a courtyard, guarded by a wall, is the precious knowledge that we have to take the whole duality of oneness, the sacredness of vulnerability as the most tender and easily misunderstood gift we have been given.
That our capacity for oneness is honored when we see our capacity to be all dualities, all becomings, in all highly guarded beings. That we are mother/father, brother/sister, lover/friend, son/daughter, wife/husband, pure and flawed ALL the time. And how beautiful it is to be X and Y and Z, you and me, together, stitching time and experience and humanity into dualities and oneness out of one single thread.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Coming to the Promised Land
August 26, 2013
Ki tavo
Deuteronomy 26: 1-3
Come. Bring Yourself. You are here. Settle in. You are the key that fits the lock of your life, the one piece of creation that is yours, and yours to be ours. Claim it. Engage. Ready? Here we go...
I say to your God, this is my piece and I offer it to all of us, to all of Creation, to our ancestors and to those who will come after. This is the land I have been given from which the fruits and gifts, hardships and struggles of my oneness joins yours and resonates through time.
Together we see the faces of God that we see. The fog lifting, the heart opening, an apple when you are hungry, a kind shoulder when you are sad.
Look, next to you, a new land.
The healing we all do is awakening and settling our land.
It's not always easy. The roads of this land are bumpy and twisted. Sometimes there is wreckage, but when we take our place among the many faces of The One, when we stand and claim our own land as sacred, then we bring forth the harvest.
First fruit, new energy. Put it in a basket. Bring it with you wherever you go. Sacred ground is all around us. The faces of YHVH are many.
Settle in. This is your, my, our life. You have the key to let the doors of your life open.
It is amazing, this land.
Your faces are so beautiful.
Ki tavo
Deuteronomy 26: 1-3
Come. Bring Yourself. You are here. Settle in. You are the key that fits the lock of your life, the one piece of creation that is yours, and yours to be ours. Claim it. Engage. Ready? Here we go...
I say to your God, this is my piece and I offer it to all of us, to all of Creation, to our ancestors and to those who will come after. This is the land I have been given from which the fruits and gifts, hardships and struggles of my oneness joins yours and resonates through time.
Together we see the faces of God that we see. The fog lifting, the heart opening, an apple when you are hungry, a kind shoulder when you are sad.
Look, next to you, a new land.
The healing we all do is awakening and settling our land.
It's not always easy. The roads of this land are bumpy and twisted. Sometimes there is wreckage, but when we take our place among the many faces of The One, when we stand and claim our own land as sacred, then we bring forth the harvest.
First fruit, new energy. Put it in a basket. Bring it with you wherever you go. Sacred ground is all around us. The faces of YHVH are many.
Settle in. This is your, my, our life. You have the key to let the doors of your life open.
It is amazing, this land.
Your faces are so beautiful.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Balaam Numbers 22: 22-27
Written on 6/22/13
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him.— Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.— 23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side. 25 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again. 26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. (JPS online)
***
We get so mad when we think we're in control of our path, our fate, our ability to get what we want, and then find out we are not.
We think we can see, then proceed blindly into the narrowing passage, hemmed in on all sides, which is a very cramped and bleak place to be. We like options; we like open spaces; we like what we want to happen to happen.
The idea that a holy man (for aren't each of us holy, in our own time?) cannot see an angel of YHVH, but the ass can -- outrage!
I want what I want, which MUST be what God wants, or if not, I can continue to push on and want it anyway.
Not so.
We can box ourselves in really well when left to our own devices. But the connection, the ass, the narrow place, the anger, the blessing -- they must all find their way through us. We must learn to recognize, and see.
Stuck? Bless me.
Hemmed in? Bless openness.
Lost the connection with the divine, the is-was-and-will-be of our souls?
Stop. Listen. Relax. Let go.
Not in control.
On a talking donkey in a narrow crevice.
We can't get out unless we awaken to our own knowing.
Then we can bless everything, and we can find our way once more.
22 And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD placed himself in the way for an adversary against him.— Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.— 23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side. 25 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again. 26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. (JPS online)
***
We get so mad when we think we're in control of our path, our fate, our ability to get what we want, and then find out we are not.
We think we can see, then proceed blindly into the narrowing passage, hemmed in on all sides, which is a very cramped and bleak place to be. We like options; we like open spaces; we like what we want to happen to happen.
The idea that a holy man (for aren't each of us holy, in our own time?) cannot see an angel of YHVH, but the ass can -- outrage!
I want what I want, which MUST be what God wants, or if not, I can continue to push on and want it anyway.
Not so.
We can box ourselves in really well when left to our own devices. But the connection, the ass, the narrow place, the anger, the blessing -- they must all find their way through us. We must learn to recognize, and see.
Stuck? Bless me.
Hemmed in? Bless openness.
Lost the connection with the divine, the is-was-and-will-be of our souls?
Stop. Listen. Relax. Let go.
Not in control.
On a talking donkey in a narrow crevice.
We can't get out unless we awaken to our own knowing.
Then we can bless everything, and we can find our way once more.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
4/27/13 Emor
Leviticus 23: 1-8
Sacred
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons. 3 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work; it is a sabbath unto the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 These are the appointed seasons of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the LORD'S passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. 8 And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
***
We forget, but these are the markers, the days, the ways to remember that YHVH is eternal. These are the rituals to step into the eternality of our existence, each one a stepping stone across the huge river of time in which we get swirled and dunked and tossed about.
But come Friday night, come Pesach, come Shavuot, come Sukkot, you can know there will be a stone beneath your feet, a solidness where the eternal divine and the eternal of this world stand together and open to the truth. When we call for blessing, for truth, for openness, for change, there is a response waiting.
So when you falter, find yourself tugged away by rough current, cut up on the rapids, call out for the opening to the truth of the next stone in time, you will find a moment of rest and comfort on solid ground, and we will remember together that we serve all that is connected in love and time. So We breathe collectively in our hope and turmoil before stepping back into the river to see where the water will take us.
Sacred
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons. 3 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work; it is a sabbath unto the LORD in all your dwellings. 4 These are the appointed seasons of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the LORD'S passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. 8 And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
***
We forget, but these are the markers, the days, the ways to remember that YHVH is eternal. These are the rituals to step into the eternality of our existence, each one a stepping stone across the huge river of time in which we get swirled and dunked and tossed about.
But come Friday night, come Pesach, come Shavuot, come Sukkot, you can know there will be a stone beneath your feet, a solidness where the eternal divine and the eternal of this world stand together and open to the truth. When we call for blessing, for truth, for openness, for change, there is a response waiting.
So when you falter, find yourself tugged away by rough current, cut up on the rapids, call out for the opening to the truth of the next stone in time, you will find a moment of rest and comfort on solid ground, and we will remember together that we serve all that is connected in love and time. So We breathe collectively in our hope and turmoil before stepping back into the river to see where the water will take us.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Do Not Fear
April 20, 2013
Lev. 19: 9-18
Kedoshim
At times like these, it can become very easy to lock ourselves down into protection mode. To say "mine" and "not yours," to pull in all the way to the edges and leave no generosity behind.
It's human nature, it's fear talking, and yet the words, "I am the Lord" remind us -- to breathe deeply, to unclench our fists, to let as much of the anger as we possibly can, go.
I am the Lord. We are One. A reminder to be fair, even when another is not, to be kind even when the other cannot. To give, even when we fear we have nothing left. We try.
Today, we need the reminder. It can be so easy to flip into us/them mentality, but "I am the Lord your God" -- we are all US, we are all THEM. We all crave peace, we all crave fairness, bounty, kindness, and yes, forgiveness. A reminder that we cannot place ourselves above one another, we are all the fabric of the universe, woven together with stardust and imperfection, cruelty and joy.
May we all stand as one, as fairly, as kindly, as gently, and as generously as we possibly can, before the Oneness of all being.
Lev. 19: 9-18
Kedoshim
At times like these, it can become very easy to lock ourselves down into protection mode. To say "mine" and "not yours," to pull in all the way to the edges and leave no generosity behind.
It's human nature, it's fear talking, and yet the words, "I am the Lord" remind us -- to breathe deeply, to unclench our fists, to let as much of the anger as we possibly can, go.
I am the Lord. We are One. A reminder to be fair, even when another is not, to be kind even when the other cannot. To give, even when we fear we have nothing left. We try.
Today, we need the reminder. It can be so easy to flip into us/them mentality, but "I am the Lord your God" -- we are all US, we are all THEM. We all crave peace, we all crave fairness, bounty, kindness, and yes, forgiveness. A reminder that we cannot place ourselves above one another, we are all the fabric of the universe, woven together with stardust and imperfection, cruelty and joy.
May we all stand as one, as fairly, as kindly, as gently, and as generously as we possibly can, before the Oneness of all being.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Sacrifice
March 16, 2013
Vayikra
Lev 4:27-29
There is the understanding that no one is without flaw or guilt, but here's the thing -- when you know what you have done, really know, you must make the sacrifice.
You place your hand firmly upon the head of whatever your sacrifice is, and you acknowledge the truth.
The slaughter, the true doing away with what has come before, how you/we have sinned, the ways we have gone astray, the ways we have moved far away, as far as we've ever been from the divine, we must lay that bare, blood pouring forth, fat and innards separated until the real meat of it is offered, smoked to an odor that is pleasing to that which is everything -- a vaporous, ethereal, reptilian brain-bridge of scent that crosses the divide of where we have gone, draws us back in, close to the place where we are pure and whole.
All transformation involves sacrifice. All addictions one day demand that we leave them behind or be lost to them; we all have them. Sometimes the hardest part of sacrifice and change is simply knowing where to begin.
The heart will tell you if you stop and listen, mist and vapor lift us up on wings of new freedom, ancient breezes and green leaves and old trees and new seasons.
The reason is always, "because we are holy" so we must give ourselves wholly to the task of unfolding back the giant, quilted past to reveal the intricate patchwork of our world -- our choices, our decisions, our chances, our mistakes, our fate.
We do what we can to draw closer, to move into scented air of divine bridging, of knowing truth, of knowing ourselves, of reaching for God, and we begin again, renewed.
Vayikra
Lev 4:27-29
There is the understanding that no one is without flaw or guilt, but here's the thing -- when you know what you have done, really know, you must make the sacrifice.
You place your hand firmly upon the head of whatever your sacrifice is, and you acknowledge the truth.
The slaughter, the true doing away with what has come before, how you/we have sinned, the ways we have gone astray, the ways we have moved far away, as far as we've ever been from the divine, we must lay that bare, blood pouring forth, fat and innards separated until the real meat of it is offered, smoked to an odor that is pleasing to that which is everything -- a vaporous, ethereal, reptilian brain-bridge of scent that crosses the divide of where we have gone, draws us back in, close to the place where we are pure and whole.
All transformation involves sacrifice. All addictions one day demand that we leave them behind or be lost to them; we all have them. Sometimes the hardest part of sacrifice and change is simply knowing where to begin.
The heart will tell you if you stop and listen, mist and vapor lift us up on wings of new freedom, ancient breezes and green leaves and old trees and new seasons.
The reason is always, "because we are holy" so we must give ourselves wholly to the task of unfolding back the giant, quilted past to reveal the intricate patchwork of our world -- our choices, our decisions, our chances, our mistakes, our fate.
We do what we can to draw closer, to move into scented air of divine bridging, of knowing truth, of knowing ourselves, of reaching for God, and we begin again, renewed.
Brilliance, Longing, Lust
March 9, 2013
Va'yakhel
Exodus 35: 4-10
Bringing our gifts to make the center
All of us have gifts. Rare and common, internal and external; we don't always value them in context, or even out of context, but we can move ourselves and others in ways that are unique and strange, grandiose and small.
Gold. Our brilliance. Our souls. We all shine. Maybe not every moment of every day, but maybe, underneath all the rest, it is every moment of every day. Imagine that. We are gilded in gold, coated in brilliance, shining to matter what the night sky foretells. Maybe we don't always see it, but it's there.
Silver. Longing. The heart. We are one people, one being, one entity, and we long to feel that connection. We long for it in our hearts, in our work, in our friendships, and in our families. We long to be_long. To belong to and be longed for. It is our silver nature, we all have it, we shall not be ashamed nor hidden before God, the Universe, YHVH, the source of what is.
Copper. Lust. The body. Honestly, truly, once we move past the layers of with whom and under what conditions and which social norms we will uphold or defy, lust and the body, the urge to physically connect, is part of us. We all have it. It moves us forward. The urge for pleasure, the urge to please another, the yearning and longing for the gilded future that we know we must create and live in. We use our bodies to build this. This is what we bring to the center, what we carry with us in kind company: brilliance, longing and lust for wholeness.
May we turn toward one another with this awareness and celebrate, not judge; honor, not destroy; for this is what builds the sacred and the future we step into every day.
We all have gifts. Come to love and respect them, value them. Bring them, our brilliance, longing and lust; our souls, hearts and bodies toward the center as we stand together in joy. Unafraid.
Va'yakhel
Exodus 35: 4-10
Bringing our gifts to make the center
All of us have gifts. Rare and common, internal and external; we don't always value them in context, or even out of context, but we can move ourselves and others in ways that are unique and strange, grandiose and small.
Gold. Our brilliance. Our souls. We all shine. Maybe not every moment of every day, but maybe, underneath all the rest, it is every moment of every day. Imagine that. We are gilded in gold, coated in brilliance, shining to matter what the night sky foretells. Maybe we don't always see it, but it's there.
Silver. Longing. The heart. We are one people, one being, one entity, and we long to feel that connection. We long for it in our hearts, in our work, in our friendships, and in our families. We long to be_long. To belong to and be longed for. It is our silver nature, we all have it, we shall not be ashamed nor hidden before God, the Universe, YHVH, the source of what is.
Copper. Lust. The body. Honestly, truly, once we move past the layers of with whom and under what conditions and which social norms we will uphold or defy, lust and the body, the urge to physically connect, is part of us. We all have it. It moves us forward. The urge for pleasure, the urge to please another, the yearning and longing for the gilded future that we know we must create and live in. We use our bodies to build this. This is what we bring to the center, what we carry with us in kind company: brilliance, longing and lust for wholeness.
May we turn toward one another with this awareness and celebrate, not judge; honor, not destroy; for this is what builds the sacred and the future we step into every day.
We all have gifts. Come to love and respect them, value them. Bring them, our brilliance, longing and lust; our souls, hearts and bodies toward the center as we stand together in joy. Unafraid.
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