10 Minutes about spirituality ... go:
Incense and candles, japa mala and water tinkling in a nearby fountain. Breathing slowly and deeply sitting cross legged and thinking of the mantra allowing my mind to wander and coaxing it back ever so gently to the word. Om sri ram ramayanama and then thoughts come and go ... om tare tutare ture svaha ... and back to jumbled, rambling thoughts again. But spirituality really comes in realizing the human condition and feeling at one with it. Or wandering through an arboretum sensing and smelling the flora and fauna in a different town. Sharing friendship or even just a glass of wine together learning to speak each other's language. Spirituality is at the end of a presentation where participants are sharing, laughing or tearing up together, and one steps up to me and asks if she can give me a hug. And she hugs me with strength and warmth - showing me how she has felt throughout my talk. Spirituality is connecting with animals, old and young. Spirituality is pouring out my heart in a blog post, and receiving a comment or two, or email from a gentle reader, who noticed my words, and connected to some part of them in their own way. Spirituality is teachers sharing with me all the ways they were disciplined as young children - telling us out loud about the pain and humiliation they felt - even the anger - and people in the room silent as they listen, but their listening is accepting and comforting even as it is silent.
Spirituality is about feeling connected and unafraid.
Thank you, Tamar. I'm uplifted by your words.
Posted by: Susan Ward | June 11, 2013 at 10:03 PM