The Color of the Soul

“Inside us there is something that has no name,

that something is what we are.” 

(José Saramago, Blindness)

I have heard it said that humans are composed of body, soul, mind, and heart. Body I understand; this miracle of cells and biochemical processes, urges and needs. Feed it, rest, work it, and all is well. The other three, however, confound me. Where is a mind located? Is it thoughts or neurons? Likewise, where are emotions generated, and what is the locus of the heart, or the soul? Is there some little yet-unknown-gland that houses such ephemeral extensions of humanness?

Soul in particular is a tough one to nail down. Some use the terms "spirit" and "soul" interchangeably, references to some immortal essence that is particular to the human race. Innumerable authors have written about the soul and its properties: 

“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.”
(Aristotle)

“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes.

Because for those who love with heart and soul

there is no such thing as separation.” 

(Rumi)

"You shall love the Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your mind."

(Matthew 22.37)

So what is soul? Can it be seen, touched, heard, or in any way sensed? Can it be experienced? Do those who do bad things have a soul? Can you lose your soul? Religious traditions vary in their understanding of the soul's properties and purpose, though they agree on this: the soul is our core, and it defines our spirituality and humanity. 

“Prayer is not asking.

It is a longing of the soul.” 

(Mahatma Gandhi)

I am not really sure what soul is. This, though, I do hold as true - that you and I have the possibility of being brilliant, of doing amazing and miraculous deeds in our lives, of inspiring others, of exceeding our perceived limitations. We are a gift to the earth, filled with Divine Light and Love, born to serve all of creation. We are more powerful than we understand, far more beautiful than we presently discern. 

Paradoxically, and perhaps somewhat as an oxymoron, we are capable of immeasurable destruction and cruelty. We suffer the most petty of thoughts, the darkest emotions, and generate needless amounts of negative energy. One creature, two very different aspects. 

So which part is soul? Which is mind? Which is heart... What do you think? What is the soul, and what is its role in your life? Send me a note with your thoughts.

I leave you with this to ponder: regardless of what soul is, or is not, you have the power to choose to be your best today. Love fills and surrounds you, speaking words of encouragement, whispering in that quiet way through your wise self. Seek to grow in faith and Love; seek to know the Divine within; seek to be Christ to a world full of need; seek and it will be so.

I leave the last word to the Psalmist:

"He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake."

(Psalm 23.3)

The color of the soul...

we see through a mirror but dimly.

Trunk

branches and leaves

we know

roots

in myth

lay

buried below

pull up the tree

and the

roots will

show

Death

reveals

all

Laugh

Love

Listen

To Ponder Further:

- From the Bible: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

- From Judaism: "The body is the sheath of the soul." (Talmud, Sanhedrin 108a)

- From Confucianism: "The union of seed and power produces all things; the escape of the soul brings about change. Through this we come to know the conditions of outgoing and returning spirits." (I Ching, Great Commentary 1.4.2)

The Color of Contentment

“It isn't what you have or who you are,

or where you are or what you are doing

that makes you happy or unhappy.

It is what you think about it.” 

(Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People)

Anna and I were camping in Kananaskis over the long weekend; us and thousands of other leave-regular-life-and-escape-to-the-mountains folk. The weather was spectacular, the back-country scenery delicious, and the neighbors... well let's just say they are the impetus for this week's writing. Occupying campsites on either side of us were families who enjoyed playing their music loud enough for many campsites to enjoy, throughout the day and into the night. It was not simply music, though; it was a local radio station - commercials and all.

I appreciate that we don't all migrate to the mountains with the same purpose in mind; I gladly give space for the expression of other's needs. Hours of pounding music, however, erodes my experience of calm and the renewal which I was seeking. Fortunately Anna and I had aspirations beyond sitting in our campsite, and so we readied our day-pack and headed off into the wilderness for some solace with the sounds of nature. Nineteen kilometers later we arrived back at our trailer with the sights, sounds, and aromas of the high mountain meadows filling our senses... and the gift of the neighbors' music. 

“For after all,

the best thing one can do when it is raining

is let it rain.” 

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

I thought about going down to the camp manager to complain; I considered going over and asking the neighbors (nicely) to turn their music down a bit; I thought a few other much more unkind things that would not have been desirable to act upon; mostly I just stewed about the inconsiderate actions of others. Stewed, that is, until the wise voice within reminded me about the nature of peace.

I wondered what Christ, or Buddha, or any other enlightened one might do in this situation. Perhaps they would simply have used it as an opportunity to go over and say hi, to begin a conversation; maybe. Perhaps the conversation would have wiggled its way to the topic of music volume; maybe. The thing is, though, peace is not about manipulating our external world to fit the vagaries of our ego; peace is about being okay with our whole selves no matter what is going on outside of ourselves.

“The greater part of our happiness or misery

depends upon our dispositions,

and not upon our circumstances.” 

( Martha Washington)

What was needed was for me to discover the path to calm in the midst of the chaos of noise. Is Christ only the Christ with the sound of water laughing over a waterfall, the cry of a hawk overhead, the wind caressing the tall pines? Is the Buddha only the Buddha when meditating in a high alpine temple in Tibet? Of course not. The Christ within us is Christ whether we be crossing a busy New York street, shopping at Costco, or picking Saskatoon berries in some secluded stand of bush. 

It was me that needed to change, not the neighbors. And so, rather than sit and be frustrated I did the work of letting go and found calm (well, a bit of calm - I'm still working at this) in the midst of the Rock 101.9 FM coming from the meditation retreat to the west of us. It was a good learning, and I blessed the neighbors as a consequence, sending them Light and Love.

Sometimes we can change the world around us, and sometimes we cannot. We can, however, always intend to grow the world within us, the world where Spirit whispers, where Love nudges, where wisdom ferments. Change the world today by changing you; in so doing Love brings healing and renewal to all of creation.

I leave the last word to author, Elizabeth Gilbert:

“At some point,

you gotta let go,

and sit still,

and allow contentment to come to you.” 

(Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love)

The color of contentment...

stillness in motion.

They say

the eye of the tornado

is a center

of

calm

Be

the

eye

Pray

listen

laugh

To Ponder Further:

From the Bible: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4.12-13)

From Taoism: “Because one believes in oneself, one doesn't try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn't need others' approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” (Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching)

From Islam: "Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured." (Ar-Ra'd 13.28)

Melanie DeMore - Sending You Light

Only one of me

David and Goliath: Conquering Our Giants

The Color of What We Deserve

“Doing what needs to be done may not make you happy,

but it will make you great.” 

(George Bernard Shaw)

A local man died recently in a head-on collision. He and his jacked-up pickup were passing at high speed when it was not safe to do so. Did he get what he deserved? What about those he killed along with him? Will Nazi war criminal, Oskar Groening, get what he deserves for his participation in the deaths of 300 000 people in Auschwitz? Will you get what you deserve for whatever hurtful words, actions, or thoughts you have produced? Will I?

“To strengthen your power of love,

Love those who do not deserve your love.” 

(Debasish Mridha)

When it comes to the very heated discussion of the topic, "give them what they deserve" we must make a choice. On the one hand the punitive eye-for-an-eye essence of deserving may provide some limited balance in the ego's system of justice. On the other hand, if our intent is healing and growth for humanity then all of us must seek something other than that which is deserved.  

“Love is that which gives of itself,

not because anyone needs it or deserves it,

but because that is what love does.” 

(Vivian Amis, I AM - The Key to Manifesting)

Perhaps it is time for humanity to frankly ask itself: do we want to reach our brilliant divine-spark-inspired potential? Do we want every human being to be whole, to use their gifts to glorify Love? Do we want to make the next big jump in our evolution to enlightenment? Or do we simply want the hurters, the evil ones, and the wreckers of peace to get what they justly deserve?

“Don’t give people what they want,

give them what they need.” 

(Joss Whedon)

Likewise, if we want to make a positive change in humanity's vector then we have to start responding to violence with what is needed, not with that which is perceived as deserved. By way of example, the punitive aspect of our "justice system" has very little power to bring healing and wholeness to the lives of the incarcerated. I'm not suggesting that there are no consequences to hurtful and destructive actions and attitudes; of course there are. There is, however, no hope for renewal in retributive restitution. 

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,

faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

(1 Peter 4.10)

It does truly require a significant paradigm shift to think about responding with that which is needed rather than with that which is deserved. Grace is like that though - it portions Love out according to need. Sometimes we need gentleness, sometimes a smack in the head; never do we need the hollow promises and snake-oil medicine of retaliation. If some of us are bent and broken beyond repair then these should be cared for compassionately in a way that might bring wholeness. Never - never, ever, ever should punishment be called Love, for Love always aims for healing and new life.

Consider this week the judgment of deserving that you might cast upon yourself or others. Perhaps now is good time to begin a new way of responding to the injustices and hurts of the world.

I leave the last word to Jesus, a man who was big on giving people what they needed:

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him."

(John 3.17)

The color of what we deserve...

we all deserve Love.

Weeds

and wheat

both

receive

sunshine

and rain

Grow

and give life

To Ponder Further:

- From the Bible: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people" (Titus 2.11)

- From Baha'i:"This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness." (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh)

- From Islam: "The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness. (Al Quran 55:61)

The Color of Purpose

“He who has a why to live for

can bear almost any how.” 

(Friedrich Nietzsche)

My own thoughts sometimes rise up as the most significant challenge in my world. In all ways my life is rich and full: I have access to good food, clean water and sanitation, freedom from attack, wonderful family and community... And still there are times when I struggle to move ahead, to find the path. At these times my interior world does not feel rich and full.

“Believing in negative thoughts

is the single greatest obstruction to success.” 

(Charles F. Glassman, Brain Drain: The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life)

There are two voices having a conversation in my head - one voice that tells me I will not succeed in my ventures, that I've never really done anything of value. The other voice reminds me that I, like you, am a gift of Love and light in the world. What happens in my day, the way I experience my relationships, depends greatly on which voice to which I am attuned. 

The heart of the matter is this: I do not think that we have the authority to waste our lives wallowing in self-doubt, pity, or victim-hood. I'm not saying that we can't do this, I saying Love does not empower us to do this. All of the dark thoughts that are generated work against Love's purpose for us - that we would use our gifts and experiences to live well, to create a world where all will live well.

When the dark voices convince us to be, and to act in uncaring ways, or connive us into believing in the "poor me" motif, then we forfeit any possibility of knowing ourselves and the Divine image within us. On the other hand, when Spirit whispers in our hear that we can do the impossible, that time and perseverance will erode all barriers, that we are beautiful and powerful - then it is that we discover our truest self in the mirror of Love's light.

"The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,

one who has insight draws them out."

(Proverbs 20.5)

You are here for a reason; you were created with intention; your life experiences are a treasure from which you draw your wisdom. Do not let your life go to waste; be intentional about your plans and grit your teeth until you have seen your dreams brought into reality. Then you will see the positive ripples your life sends out into the pond of humanity.

I leave the last word to the Hebrew Prophet Jeremiah:

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans for welfare and not for evil,

to give you a future and a hope."

(Jeremiah 29.11)

The color of purpose...

a flying arrow nearing its target.

believe

you can

or

cannot

and it

is so

There is no evidence

that the

sun

ever

doubts

her

purpose

Shine

and be

sure.

To Ponder Further:

From the Bible: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." (John 15.16)

From Buddhism: "Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it” (Extrapolation on Dhammapada, v.166)

From the Unification Church: "The purpose of the universe's existence centered on man is to return joy to God, the Creator." (Divine Principle I.1.3.1)