Forgetting the Holy Spirit (however named) within

Vacation: "what's the big deal," when one is retired? But this morning my wife and I were preparing for what is a big deal for us: a rare reunion in a distant town with all 4 of her children, all 3 of mine, all 7 wonderful spouses, and all 12 grandchildren. 

I was rushing - busy with tasks that seemed important, including packing. I was anxious about forgetting things. And I was late: not ready when I told my punctual wife I would be. I was cranky, stressed and feeling sorry for myself. I was not good company. 

Once in the car, driving, I reflected on what went wrong. Here's what I realized: I had been trying to do it all - complete pre-departure tasks, avoid failure (to keep my word), be grateful and joyful at the prospect of the reunion - alone. 

I realized that, for relief, for a return to peace, I had only to pause and remember to ask the Holy Spirit (however named) which is within each of us, even me -

"This I am, but Thou please aid me."* 

The response is rarely in ideas, let alone words.

The response is the experience of the presence of grace.

* Quotation from A Testament of Devotion (1941), by Thomas Kelly.

Reality check #26 (Mantra of the moment)

I am doing what I am doing. 

All those other things I could be doing - I am not doing those!

I strive to be conscious of what I am doing and why I prefer doing this rather than that; rather than anything else. 

Moment to moment while conscious, when I do something - be it brave or cowardly, disciplined or lazy, prudent or frivolous, thoughtful or careless, altruistic or self-centered, kind or mean - that action will be my choice, even if I am unaware of the unconscious factors affecting my choice.

I will take responsibility for my choices, including acts of rest, play, and self-care. 

I will strive to be the best citizen, parent, spouse, friend, and neighbor I can see to be.

 

Grace

If you wish grace to come to you, be it.  Act it out. 

It is within you. Always has been. And you cannot help bring it forth for your own peace and joy when you treat other people with grace; when you make of yourself a manifestation of grace, however random and fleeting, to others.

How to see the unconscious mind at work

I am no astronomer, but I understand that black holes - invisible because they emit no light - can be located, and their mass calculated, by degree to which light emitted by other objects is bent by black holes' gravitational fields. I see a metaphor in that phenomenon to our unconscious human minds.

If I perceive something in the outer world or sense something within my body (e.g., tension or hyper-alertness), decide something, do something, or experience something - e.g., all my dreams and any conscious, sudden joy, grief, temptation or yearning - for which I have no clear and objective stimulus or reason, I know my unconscious mind is at work. 

If that seems wrong to you, or for you, think about what part of that metaphor is wrong, and why.

If it seems right, or at least reasonable, I invite you to join me in recognizing the many times and ways our unconscious minds serve us, even guide us. We can cheerfully say, mentally, "Hello, Unconscious! How are you doing? How am I doing? What can you teach me? Let's work together for a fulfilling life!" 

On Living Selfishly: new link, new thoughts

A couple years ago, I posted the link to my TED-X Youth talk “On Living Selfishly” via a Vimeo site with all six talks that day in 2022 at Choate Rosemary Hall School.  I have learned that my talk is on YouTube at the TED Talks channel:

https://youtu.be/6sUNwHXvWSU?si=BUdZ5XM1kZydc7GE 

I seem to be alone - to some, even goofy - in regarding myself as completely selfish. But it seem so obvious to me that one’s values and actions, and one’s responsibility for one’s choices, are what matter! It seems obvious, too, that self-righteousness - particularly, “I’m not selfish” - is toxic to individual happiness, community spirit, and international understanding! So I thank all who see fit to share the link to my TED-X talk.

This past week I gave an updated version of On Living Selfishly at a local service club.  I added this toward the end, after the Dr. Albert Schweitzer's great quotation: 

This is my perspective on a human condition.  However, for those who are, like me, spiritually inclined, there is a clearly holy dimension: the Creator of each of us and all of us - call it God, or Allah, or Brahman, or just Life with a capital L - gives each human being autonomy. 

Entrusted with that autonomy, though we may hope for divine inspiration, are our values, our priorities, and our actions not matters of our choice?

 

Let me share with you a story.  I think it is a Sufi story I first heard from my late mother.

 

"Past the seeker as he prayed came the crippled and the beggar and the beaten.  And, seeing them, the seeker cried, 'Great God, how is it that a loving Creator can see such things and yet do nothing about them?'

 

"To which God replied, 'I did do something. I made you.'"

 

How to discern one's values

There is a perfect, infallible way to discern your values and to examine them: whatever you are doing from moment to moment is the expression, the manifestation, of your conscious and unconscious values.

If that seems wrong to you, think about what part of that logic is wrong, and why.

#confessionofaselfishman

A voice from within you?

This the Holy Spirit speaking. Call me whatever you wish: your connection to the divine; your conscience; your personal truth; your better judgment. I am no more, but no less, than the Holy Spirit within you. I am here. I am always here. And I am here for you. I care about your health and well-being. I love you and I always will. I am eager to guide you to peace of mind, healthful choices, loving and joyful relationships, and wholesome success.

If it seems otherwise, it may be that you are not listening.

It may be that other things are more important to you than paying attention to the goodness, even the holiness, within you.

It may be that it is more important to you to be right, to defend your ego, than to accept others, and yourself, without judgment.

It may simply be that it has been so long since you talked with me that you have forgotten that I am right here within you.

Now you know. Again.

- God, attrib.