For someone who doesn’t particularly like shopping, I’ve certainly been doing a lot of it. Shopping for a new auto mechanic. Shopping for a new church. Shopping for a new primary care physician. Shopping for a new place to live, then shopping for furniture and household goods. I’m pleased with the process and the results. A new neighbor I met today said to me, as I was schlepping household goods into my bosque home, “You are lucky. This in the best place in town.” I have to agree.
Every time I go to church, I feel that way about my new church home too. After visiting six different metaphysical churches, three denominations, I landed at the first one I attended. It was the most warmly welcoming. It is diverse, all-inclusive, non-denominational, active, committed to a global vision and growing. A husband and wife, Rev. Ross and Rev. Jude, share the ministerial duties. She’s from New Jersey. And you can tell. Bright and funny. Loud. Even though there are two services full of people, she personally called me the week before Christmas to see if I would like to join a group for dinner at a member’s home. She had heard me express how much I appreciated, as a newcomer, having a place to go Thanksgiving Day when the church served 150 people dinner. Her kindness made such a difference, and I made some wonderful friends. Applied spirituality. Daily practice living principles of truth. That’s what I’m up to, and it’s nice to be with others who are too.
Yesterday’s talk, shared with humor, gave practical suggestions about how to practice being love in the world, exactly what I wrote about last week. Jude gave the talk while Ross played the guitar and sang. Those present were deeply impacted. Many were emotionally moved. A simple song capturing the essence of the practice serves as a reminder:
Gentle Spirit flow through me,
Gentle Spirit grow through me,
Gentle Spirit show through me,
Gentle Spirit, no me.
Three situations described the practical application. First, imagining yourself in the 12-item grocery store line behind someone with 19 items, experiencing the natural tendency, not only to count the person’s items, but also to have judgmental thoughts accompanied with an attitude. Each situation presented the opportunity to choose love, to remember, hum or sing the “Gentle Spirit” song quietly to oneself while getting out of the way (“no me”) so only Spirit remains. Second, imagining yourself with your partner, who, while greeting you with “Hi, Honey,” is doing the one thing that irritates you most, that they agreed never to do again, that even the therapist thought was not a good idea. This time the “Gentle Spirit” song might need to be sung through clenched teeth, as Ross so aptly demonstrated. Finally, while getting ready for bed, seeing in the mirror the person who disappointed you most. And it’s time to sing the song to yourself. This is when the Kleenex came out. Jude explained how vulnerable we are when we decide to show up in the world with an open heart committed to the eighteen-inch journey of enlightenment, that from the head to the heart. And we had the chance to experience it. And I really wanted to share this with you.
