With four layers
of sweaters and jackets
on the top part of my body
and a double-layered bottom half,
I still shivered
while standing in silence for peace.
Only a week prior,
we stood vigil in t-shirt weather.
80 degrees.
Makes a body crazy, I tell ya.
Anyway...
I came home, warmed myself with hot soup
and even warmer conversation.
Our third "official" interreligious gathering.
Three of us in my living room,
plus one by phone.
Islam, Judaism, Sufism, and the Integral Perspective
all represented in one room
with the intention of
exploring
listening
understanding.
So beautiful.
Something happens that is
inexplicable.
The only words I know
that come close are
Open-hearted
Love
Showing posts with label Interfaith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interfaith. Show all posts
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Odd Trio #2
We met again, the three of us. Kind of impressive - the dedication. The belief that this might turn into something bigger than us - in some ways it already has. Actually, everything is already and always bigger than us.
We make time for this like it's important, this idea of creating a group composed of people from all religious/spiritual walks. So far it's just the Jew, Buddhist/Jew, and me, the Sufi/Questioner/Whatever-unveils-truther. We are pregnant with ideas, we are taking the time to incubate and delivery will occur when the time is right. Delivery meaning opening up the group for others to join us.
I'm finding some hard places in me and it doesn't feel good. I think that it doesn't feel good because I make the judgment that I shouldn't have hard places. Investigate the hard places. Hmmm... not truly hard. Fear there. Standing on a cliff and someone else over there has a different way of navigating it. Does that mean my way is wrong? Dammit! I must be right! But what if...??? Being right, being wrong. Neither feel so good. Gotta laugh at the strange notion that, ultimately, there even is a right and wrong way to navigate this journey.
Mostly it's amazing that the three of us move through the hours together, sharing diversity, learning, banging up against things and trying to figure out whether to go through, around, or over. Not feeling beat up at all, but instead noticing we're somewhat bigger than before.
We make time for this like it's important, this idea of creating a group composed of people from all religious/spiritual walks. So far it's just the Jew, Buddhist/Jew, and me, the Sufi/Questioner/Whatever-unveils-truther. We are pregnant with ideas, we are taking the time to incubate and delivery will occur when the time is right. Delivery meaning opening up the group for others to join us.
I'm finding some hard places in me and it doesn't feel good. I think that it doesn't feel good because I make the judgment that I shouldn't have hard places. Investigate the hard places. Hmmm... not truly hard. Fear there. Standing on a cliff and someone else over there has a different way of navigating it. Does that mean my way is wrong? Dammit! I must be right! But what if...??? Being right, being wrong. Neither feel so good. Gotta laugh at the strange notion that, ultimately, there even is a right and wrong way to navigate this journey.
Mostly it's amazing that the three of us move through the hours together, sharing diversity, learning, banging up against things and trying to figure out whether to go through, around, or over. Not feeling beat up at all, but instead noticing we're somewhat bigger than before.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Odd Trio
Yesterday afternoon I met with two men.
One is an old lover who has been a good friend for many years. We are like brother and sister - we can get on each others' nerves, but there is an underlying love and respect.
The other man and I were classmates through part of junior high and all of high school. Even with spending day after day in the same building for all of those years, we never met until a couple of weeks ago.
The three of us are starting up an interfaith dialog group - kind of like, but not really like, The Three Amigos.
I am a follower of the Sufi Way, a student of the Open Path.
Yesterday we practiced the structure that we want to use in the near future when we have a flourishing group of people from all walks of life coming together. We want to get the bugs out before we bring together people of many faiths. The topic that we each talked about yesterday was "Holidays". Through our time together, I learned new things about the Jewish holidays and I heard of holidays I'd never known existed, but mostly I learned about things dear to the hearts of these two friends. It was beautiful. Intimate. Heart-opening.
I saw the thread of commonality that weaves its way among our very diverse holiday observances - or in my case, a lack of observances. The common place isn't found in appearances, holy books, or practices. It seems to be woven from the common human need for connection to something bigger and the innate draw to natural rhythms. Holidays are also times for exercising our spiritual muscles, to help us "remember" as we go about our lives.
I truly believe that the way to peace in the world is through deep listening and understanding - seeing how we are all so much alike, even though our outerwear comes in many colors and sizes. I hope that this project that the three of us have started will be one little way that we can contribute to peace in the world.
My Jewish ex-lover/friend/brother and I have had some hard moments when discussing the Israeli-Palestinian problems. At this point, we don't really go there, even though he completely supported me in my now-aborted trip to Gaza. Who knows the amount of healing that may take place here!
One is an old lover who has been a good friend for many years. We are like brother and sister - we can get on each others' nerves, but there is an underlying love and respect.
The other man and I were classmates through part of junior high and all of high school. Even with spending day after day in the same building for all of those years, we never met until a couple of weeks ago.
The three of us are starting up an interfaith dialog group - kind of like, but not really like, The Three Amigos.
We are a Jew, a Jewish/Buddhist, and a Whatever-I-Am.
I am a follower of the Sufi Way, a student of the Open Path.
Yesterday we practiced the structure that we want to use in the near future when we have a flourishing group of people from all walks of life coming together. We want to get the bugs out before we bring together people of many faiths. The topic that we each talked about yesterday was "Holidays". Through our time together, I learned new things about the Jewish holidays and I heard of holidays I'd never known existed, but mostly I learned about things dear to the hearts of these two friends. It was beautiful. Intimate. Heart-opening.
I saw the thread of commonality that weaves its way among our very diverse holiday observances - or in my case, a lack of observances. The common place isn't found in appearances, holy books, or practices. It seems to be woven from the common human need for connection to something bigger and the innate draw to natural rhythms. Holidays are also times for exercising our spiritual muscles, to help us "remember" as we go about our lives.
I truly believe that the way to peace in the world is through deep listening and understanding - seeing how we are all so much alike, even though our outerwear comes in many colors and sizes. I hope that this project that the three of us have started will be one little way that we can contribute to peace in the world.
My Jewish ex-lover/friend/brother and I have had some hard moments when discussing the Israeli-Palestinian problems. At this point, we don't really go there, even though he completely supported me in my now-aborted trip to Gaza. Who knows the amount of healing that may take place here!
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