09-Sep-2005
NATURAL ECSTASY
This Week's newsletter: When Love Beckons
THEN SAID Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and
there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great
voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north
wind lays waste the garden.
- Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet"
FEATURED WEBSITE: Visit Judie Arkow's website and find out how you can become involved in interfaith work, coffeehouse discussion groups, an acting troupe, her new organization, and more. See http://www.globalmystics.com, or sign up to receive emails at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalmystics. Judie's heart and enthusiasm have made her a sought-after speaker in the Dallas area, as well as other parts of the country.
HOWE'S HAPPENINGS
With a new job, my third book proposal with my new agent, writing regularly for various periodicals, and a slew of speaking engagements scheduled, my newsletter will be sent out periodically, on Friday afternoons.
Because of the newsletter's infrequency, I'll now send you a more extensive list of my upcoming speaking engagements and events with each newsletter. Please check my website for updates, additions, and details.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2005
Paperbacks Plus
Brief talk about upcoming writing class sponsored by the Writers Garret.
OCTOBER 8, 2005
Paperbacks Plus
All-day workshop sponsored by the Writers Garret: "Writing and Publishing Creative & Commercial Nonfiction"
NOVEMBER 2, 9 & 16
Unity Church of Grapevine
Nov 2: The spirituality behind the rituals and traditions of Judaism
Nov 9: the lesser-known mystics of Christianity and their practices, including the fascinating Neoplatonic mystics.
Nov 16: the mystical path of Sufism.
NOVEMBER 9: Lunch and Learn with students and faculty at Hillel, SMU, 12-2
NOVEMBER 28, DECEMBER 5 and 12, 2005
Unity Church of Dallas
See topics above
GET REAL
Each time I travel to the Rockies for a week of spiritual retreat and hiking, I push myself a little harder, even though I'm six months to a year older each time I hike. I spend the entire day, every day, hiking with a waist satchel just big enough to carry my journal and water. As I climb, I frequently stop on a ledge to look at the beautiful vistas, and to reflect and write.
A couple of weeks ago, after a speaking engagement in Boulder, I spent several days hiking. One morning I chose a trail I'd hiked only once, about a year ago, but this time, I hiked much further and much longer. Not only was it one of the steepest trails I'd hiked, it was also at a much higher altitude than I'd been hiking the previous few days.
I was incredibly proud of myself. I'd hiked about two hours longer than I'd hiked the last time I'd hit this trail, and had arrived at a vista that, even had I not lacked oxygen already, would have taken my breath away. As I stood catching my breath and taking in the magnificent beauty, I heard a couple coming around the corner, on their way back down. "I hate to sound like a whiny kid on a long road trip," I said to them as they approached, "but how much farther to the peak?"
"The peak?" they replied. "You've barely begun. You're maybe halfway there. After another 100 yards or so, you'll begin hiking a really steep series of switchbacks, then you'll reach the peak."
I hadn't reached the "really steep" yet? Halfway there? They HAD to be joking! I looked down the mountain. Had it been barren of trees and a lot steeper (as in straight down), I was pretty certain I could have jumped off without a parachute and not hit the ground for four months. In fact, I considered doing that very thing. The problem was that now I was discouraged from making the rest of the journey - or even attempting it. All I could think about was how far away that peak was, rather than just taking it a step at a time, as I'd been doing.
For me, the spiritual journey is like that. If I exert myself more today than I did last week, I'm certain I've reached the peak of spirituality. But nope, I've barely begun. If someone tells me it's going to get steeper, I first think they're nuts, and then I consider jumping off the path, committing spiritual suicide. Discouraged by how far I have yet to go, I lose heart, and stop thinking about my spiritual growth in moment-by-moment increments.
In reality, though, I should apply the same principles to both my hiking and my spiritual growth. Rather than focusing on the huge distance between where I am and where I want to end up, I should instead focus on the section of the trail that lies just ahead of me. Looking down at how much farther I made it this year as compared to last year, I can be encouraged that I'm making progress. It doesn't matter that lots of people made it to the peak when I didn't. It only matters that I've climbed as far I could. I can bask in the beauty right where I am.
Perhaps, also, it isn't even about always making it to the peak. The journey is exhilarating. At each step of the way, all I have to do is pause, gaze at the beauty, and breathe in its splendor, majesty and tranquility. Rather than rushing along the way, I've stopped to reflect, write, watch a chipmunk creep close and peer at me, and allowed a butterfly to land, fluttering, upon my knee. On the smaller slopes, I've reached a few peaks and I'm always excited by the accomplishment, but in truth, it's the journey that thrills me the most. The peak will always be there, beckoning me on, but when I don't reach it - and that's most of the time - I'll just bask in the journey.
IN KEEPING with my tendency to be irresponsible and overly-busy, this newsletter will now be sent whenever I write it. Please remember: readers of this newsletter consist of Jews, Christians, Muslims, Sufis, Buddhists, and others, and I'll try to represent the mystical/spiritual aspects of all of these.
IF THIS NEWSLETTER uplifted your heart and drew you
closer to the Divine, please forward it to others who
might enjoy it. Thank you!
Blessings,
Mary
ALL SUBSCRIBERS to my newsletter will receive a 20%
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