Simplicity

One of my critiques of Buddhism has always been the undying simplicity of its suggestions. My western facilities don't want to believe that simple mindfulness really is the answer to my fretting. My busy schedule doesn't trust that simply taking a day off (really off) offers me rest. My soul has always believed that life is simply more complicated than that.

I've begun to read Original Self by Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul. He spoke of Thoreau's move to Walden Pond saying, "his interior life became more complicated as his life simplified."

I think that's what I've meant in my critique. It's not that simplicity or mindfulness or rest deny life's complexity; simplicity, mindfulness and rest reveal life's complexity. And when I simplify, when I am mindful, when I rest, I understand better.

Quote from Reynolds Price

"Nonetheless, I'm prepared to ask if one of the most damaging weaknesses of modern Christianity and of some of Judaism doesn't arise as a direct result of our passionate need to believe both in our individual freedom and our innate worth -- our deep rooted conviction that we deserve and have amply earned the particular close attention of God. That resulting weakness is most visible in the insistence by centuries of clergy and generations of hungry souls that God, the Maker and Keeper of billions of galaxies of stars and planets seething in the violence, is literally our personal father as well -- and a father, we're told, who is even more attentive and caring than the best of earthly fathers." ~ from Letter to a Man on Fire

I'm struck by the word "deserve" but the most intriguing part is the role of clergy as we seem to insist on belief in a construct of God that may not answer the pending questions of the human soul. For me personally, I would prefer a thoughtful, honest conversation about the questions of life than the assumed, albeit articulate, orthodox answer.

For me, God is in the questions not the answers. As long as we have all the answers, there is no mystery. And where is God but in mystery. Tertullian said, "Credo quia absurdum est," or "I believe because it is absurd."

The Gospel According to Sugarland

I'm back to posting about the book called "When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chodron, attempting to reflect as a "Buddhist Christian."

The last chapter was on the universality of impermanence, suffering and egolessness. She argues that they are a gift if we accept them as part of life. When I encounter the idea that we nothing is permanent (impermanent), that life hurts (suffering) or that I am not in control (egolessness), I often feel as if the world is so vast. I wonder what my place is in such a great, big, out of control, moving, ever-changing place.

So much of the Christian tradition is about surrender. Call it letting go or call it trusting. If there be a God, and if that God as the Christian tradition suggests pursues us for relationship, then the world is a. changes, b. doesn't go my way, and c. is not in my control.

So as I meditated this morning, two songs came to mind from the country duo Sugarland that seem to speak to this: Keep You and It Happens. Enjoy.

Summer with the Boss

I took a few days off from my computer to attend the Big Tent Event (an event of the PCUSA) where I found my summer reading project: The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen. As a way of decompressing from my workshop I finished one of those facebook exercises. This one instructed me to answer the questions using song titles from one artist. I chose... the Boss. So I will begin my summer with the Boss with these two things: the book and the list. Here's the list if you're interested:


Are you male or female: Jersey Girl

Describe yourself: Livin' in the future

How do you feel about yourself: The Rising

Describe where you currently live: Secret Garden

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Tunnel of Love

Your best friend is: outlaw pete

Your favorite color is: pink cadillac

You know that: I'm on fire

What's the weather like: better days

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called? hungry heart

What is life to you: dancing in the dark

What is the best advice you have to give: No surrender

If you could change your name, what would it be: Frankie

Your favorite food is:. magic

Lovingkindness

The Jewish tradition has a word that is rich in meaning - Hesed. My translation goes something like this: Love, devotion, truth and faithfulness laid out on a table of lovingkindness.

Jews and Christians believe that God models this Hesed for us. We are to mimic God.

Buddhists have a word, "Maitri" that translates to "lovingkindness" or "unconditional friendship."

One of the critiques of Buddhism is that it appears to be self-serving meaning that the practice focuses a lot on self and not the other. Those with this critique would say that Christianity is meant to be other-centered.

I would remind us all that Jesus consolidates the entire law into two: love God and love your neighbor - as yourself. We forget that last distinction. We love as we love ourselves.

As I was reading today, Chodron's concern is that we would embrace ourselves, our thinking and our being with this unconditional friendship. I wonder how our loving of God (however we understand God) and our love of the other would change if we extended lovingkindness to ourselves more readily.