Good evening.
“The whole moon
and the entire sky
are reflected in one dew drop on the grass.”
Dogen, Buddhist monk (1200 CE)
I love that image,
I love that idea.
It is an idea
that can be found among the mystics
of every religion that I know of,
no matter what part of the world.
It finds its way
into philosophy too,
with and without a god.
Each molecule
a microcosm of the universe,
each ecosystem
the host of a thousand small ones…
each grain of sand
an image of the mountain
from which it was eroded.
It is more metaphoric than scientific,
but it is not without a
modest streak of science
that makes it true on numerous levels.
So here is what I am pondering,
and invite you to consider as well.
We know
that we are a genetic reflection
of those who came before us —
a direct chain in fact,
to people with faces and names we know.
But even below that surface,
someone has done a genetic study
and found that all human beings
can trace their ancestry back…
all the way back,
to one of three migrations out of Africa.
We were able to do it,
sooner or later,
we may be able to trace
our common lineage
to just one of those migrations,
and from there,
back to one mythical mother.
“The whole moon
and the entire sky
are reflected in one dew drop on the grass.”
In every experience
lies the whole of our life,
in every moment
is captured the full meaning
and true significance of our life.
Whether the moment
is exhilarating,
painful,
or plain old boring,
in it
is contained every element
of our substance
and character
that ever was
or will be.
Our limitation
to perceive the incredible complexity
and stupendous depth
in any given situation
is our handicap.
Socrates taught his students
that all truth that could be known,
was available to them
in the very place they lived.
You would never have to travel
to another city, he told them,
in order to know all the truth
there is available to know,
because it is all
right here,
in the place
and in the moment
in which we stand.
If that is true,
if that is actually true,
then we have so many layers to peel away,
right here,
right now,
always…
always available to us.
We are only limited
by the filters
and boundaries placed upon our perception…
much of which
is of our own construction.
So the task of personal wisdom and insight,
is the de-construction
of the filters
and boundaries
we have constructed –
so that we may see more
and see more clearly,
in any given moment.
In other words,
scientific inquiry and knowledge aside,
the spiritual task
is to de-construct
what we think we know
and what we assume
and what we believe.
De-construction
is the fundamental task of spiritual imagination.
De-construction
of what we presume to know
is the fundamental task of spiritual imagination.
Think about that.
What are the mystics
other than those
who have engaged in such deconstructive imagination?
Seriously.
Hildegard
and Mecthild
and Julian
and Hafiz
and Rumi
and Rubia
and Milerapa
and Francis…
these were all people
who de-constructed the presumptions
and assumptions
and beliefs of their day,
and suddenly,
unexpectedly, they were
clobbered
and bombarded
and imploded
with mystical encounters
with a power so much greater than themselves
it simply blew their minds.
Now you and I may not be looking for that —
in fact, if we know what’s good for us,
we probably wish to avoid
such a close encounter with God,
but that’s the way spiritual growth and wisdom
works on a smaller, safer scale as well:
De-construction of our filters
and blinders
and even our cherished beliefs.
When we are willing to go there,
step by step,
we will inevitably
trip upon an insight or experience
in which,
“The whole moon
and the entire sky
are reflected in one dew drop on the grass.”
It will blow our minds.
And now,
I invite us to come forward
and see for ourselves,
if our whole life is reflected
in a single flame that
we light within the darkness of the whole universe.
Come and see.
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