by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins
“What’s encouraging about meditation is that even if we shut down, we can no longer shut down in ignorance. We see very clearly that we’re closing off. That in itself begins to illuminate the darkness of ignorance.” Pema Chodron
The fact is that grief, loss, disappointment, overwhelming conditions, betrayal, isolation and other negative experiences do happen. In “truth” we are light and love in human form, helping one another on our journey deeper and deeper into the Mystery we call “God”; but in the realm of experience, there is sadness and despair and exhaustion. Sometimes those of us on the spiritual path feel guilty, ashamed, or defeated when we experience these less appealing human conditions; we feel as if we have done something wrong, or worse, that something is wrong with us. But the great teachers remind us that mindfulness will serve us even when conditions are not to our liking. Being mindful of our feelings, our habits, our fears, and our wounded places is in itself a form of healing. By being mindful of our experiences and feelings without judging them, we are allowing ourselves to learn from them, heal from them, and move beyond them. Our commitment to worship, prayer, and meditation will help us develop mindfulness, and if we are mindful, we can be certain we are growing and healing, even when the growth and healing seem slow. Keep praying, meditating, and worshiping. Even the longest, darkest night is followed by the dawn, and spiritual practices will sustain us until that glorious dawn breaks again.
RSS feed and podcast
RSS feed