Open to the Spirit
Today’s word: Receptivity
around us involves a level of focus the latest changes that trivialize Black history month. Recently we have and clarity that does not always come privacy, prioritize consumerism and been learning more about our Asian instantaneously. Like Moses, what breakdown our sense of community is heritage. After the events of this week we might see may not even be worth to embrace change that is unhealthy in London, it’s time for us to learn a second glance, but if we deeply pay and finally self-destructive. A balance and appreciate Muslim contributions ) There is a wonderful story about attention, if we put the work into between being receptive to the winds to Canada. June is also Pride month. Moses and the burning bush. holding onto the moment and being of change and standing firm in our The voices of the LGBT community are While we are usually told that he open to what comes next, the blessing values and principles is essential. loud and proud. There are so many saw a bush “that was not consumed” may find its way in. We need to step Think of it as finding just the right opportunities for us to hear other and that is why God chose to speak back and leave space for blessing and kind of driftwood to cling to as the voices and learn from them, if we are to him, we might wonder what made holiness to enter. current sweeps us downstream. Faith receptive. Perhaps it’s time for all
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Moses so different. A bush on fire Sometimes all that needs to happen is like that for me. ) The story is told of a student even in the desert was probably not is to remember to stop. Stop to watch. Usually I think of it like a lighthouse seeking enlightenment who visits the most common sight, but clearly Stop to think. And stop to reflect. With but today let’s imagine it as driftwood. a wise guru to discover what next so many others saw it and walked on. this level of attention, even the parts The Bible, especially the Hebrew steps he must take on the spiritual What made Moses different is that of our lives that might just pass us by Scriptures, recount tale after tale path. By way of introduction, he he saw the bush on fire and stayed to become instead those much-needed of calamity as it struck the Hebrew begins to explain how earnestly he is watch, noticing after many minutes holy moments which can guide us people. Yet despite enslavement in seeking enlightenment, recounting all that while it was in flames it was not forward. Egypt, wandering for years in the that he has done in his practice so far,
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burning up. A miracle was taking ) We know that change is inevitable desert, being carted off to captivity the great teachers with whom he has place, but because of the ability of but how receptive are we when in Babylon and then invaded by the already studied, and the depth of his Moses to focus and pay attention, only it comes along? I am personally Romans once back in Israel, faith in the longing for awakening. As he speaks, he was receptive to God’s voice that really annoyed when my computer goodness of an overarching presence the wise one reaches out to the table was hidden inside. He took the time to operating system changes or I don’t named God was indeed the driftwood between them and begins pouring not just look, but to truly and deeply know how to do things I knew quite of choice. Christians, who share in part tea. The student keeps speaking, now be present. One Jewish midrash tells well, after an itunes update. I love the the same spiritual text, do the same. In emphasizing his credentials, and the us that God was “impressed” by the quote Margaret Wheatley attributes Isaiah God says: “When you go through teacher keeps pouring until soon the quality of focus and attention to detail to the Elders of the Hopi Nation in deep waters, I will be with you. When cup begins to overflow, tea flowing found in Moses so he was chosen to her book Perseverance: “Here is a river you go through rivers of difficulty, everywhere, spilling over the edge of lead the Jewish people so he could be flowing now very fast. It is so great and you will not drown. When you walk the table onto the floor, Still he keeps an inspiration to others to live life in a swift that there are those who will be through the fire of oppression, you will pouring till the student finally stops similar way. afraid, who will try to hold on to the not be burned up; the flames will not and exclaims in alarm, “Don’t you
Think about how many moments of shore. They are being torn apart and consume you.” We can be receptive to see? That cup is already full, it can blessing may have passed us by because will suffer greatly.” the very best changes that come our hold no more!” “Ah so!” nods the guru. we didn’t take the time to stay and pay To fight inevitable change is way when we seek out just the right “Just as you are too full to receive my attention to what was in front of us. exhausting, like swimming upstream. driftwood to cling to. teachings.”
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Being receptive to the blessings But to let oneself be swept up in all ) When we were little we had an Receptivity is a quality of readiness of antenna on the roof of our 2 story mind, heart and spirit - holding space house in the country. Sometimes for something new. Like throwing open a heavy wind would disrupt our all the doors of our being to let the television reception. One of us would fresh air sweep through and clear the need to climb up and adjust the room. I think of the Quaker practice of antenna. I like heights so it became the “clearing”, where all sit in silence my job. I would be on the roof beside emptying themselves in order to more the antenna, my sister would be clearly hear the depths in each other. leaning out the window, and my dad Clearing the inner space of all we would be beside the television set. We know allows the unknown to manifest. would have a three-way conversation, When we are too full of ourselves, we and I would move the antenna left, may miss a true encounter with the or right, and eventually we could other - whether idea, experience or watch our 3 different channels again. person.
Receptivity was essential. It also Receptivity is key to deep listening. required partnership. One of us alone Empathy requires a willingness to could never do the job. I know some forgo offering advice or countering people who are not very receptive to another’s story with our own. It is a new ideas. They seem locked in the quality of pure presence. How difficult past sometimes, carrying judgmental a practice, how rare is the one who ideas or old prejudices. I must confess, offers the gift of receptivity. May I never sometimes I wish I could adjust their be so full of myself that I miss the gift antennas until they could receive on offer from truly encountering the messages from more channels. other. Or bypass the next lesson that
Since the news recently about wants to be learned. the unmarked graves in Kamloops, we are much more aware of the horror residential schools brought to
Aboriginal families. Last Saturday I went to a Museum near Drummondville that celebrates Abenaki history, the
Indigenous group that occupied this land before European settlers arrived. I was surprised to learn how much I did not know about their stories, and the way they were poorly treated. We plan to visit other such museums around the province soon.
Our television channels now are filled with knowledge about other cultures and traditions. February was
1One word, four receptive are you ? voices, how
Rev. Mead Baldwin pastors the Waterville & North Hatley pastoral charge; Rabbi Boris Dolin leads the Dorshei-emet community in Montreal; Rev. Lee Ann Hogle ministers to the Ayer’s Cliff, Magog & Georgeville United Churches; Rev. Carole Martignacco, Unitarian Universalist is retired from ministry with Uuestrie and now resides in St. Andrews by-the-sea NB, but keeps one foot in the Townships by continuing with this column.