Monday, November 28, 2011

Alert to the spark within

In stumbling through my piles of email yesterday I found a sweet note from a young Canadian woman who mentioned how hard she found it to make time for contemplative moments while caring for three children.

I had actually led a workshop on this subject a couple of years ago, and thought I'd send her a copy of the handouts.  But as I began walking through them, I could see ways to update them and clarify some of the points.

One thing led to another, and I ended up spending much of my day turning the whole thing into a little book -- which continued calling to me as I sat in meditation this morning, until I realized that it was written when I still thought God was something outside us that we beckoned in.

Now what I believe is that each of us has a permanent spark of God-ness within us (I feel it in my heart, if I pay attention), and the function of meditation, of being present, even of breathing is to fan that spark into a flame.  Somehow, thinking of that during meditation, I came to see Mary as an icon for all humanity, carrying that God-given spark to maturity, nurturing and feeding and birthing it into being...

When I opened my eyes, it was to see the candle burning in the lap of my Buddha, and when I rose this was the sight that greeted me -- that spark of light on the horizon that gifts us every day with light.  And then I went to take a final pass at the new ECVA exhibit which will go up shortly, and found in the curator's statement this wonderful quote from Thoreau: "“Only that day dawns to which we are awake.”

May today find you fully awake, alert to the spark within, and aware of your many blessings...

3 comments:

Louise Gallagher said...

Diane, your soul keeps calling to mine "Awaken to this moment. Breathe and rejoice."

thank you!

Maureen said...

Lovely Thoreau quote.

Sheila said...

This warmed my heart Diane, thank you for your thoughts and kind words. I too believe God is some where within. It is amazing how perspectives change over time and when we look back at things we have written or spoke of before, we see how, we ourselves have grown spiritually ~ into the wisdom that surrounds us. I am at the begining of my journey, but admire and respect all those who lead me. Thank you. Sheila