Thoughts on Spiritual Life by Marye Gail Harrison
-USH Spiritual Life Chair for the Board of Directors.
Daily I read Richard Rohr’s blog. He is a Franciscan priest and leader of the Center for Action and Contemplation. This is from his August 26, 2018 blog.
“Let me begin with one of my favorite passages from the brilliant philosopher Ken Wilber [from One Taste, pp. 25-26]:
. . . ‘Religion itself has always performed two very important, but very different functions. One, it acts as a way of creating meaning for the separate self: it offers myths and stories and tales and narratives and rituals that, taken together, help the separate self make sense of, and endure, the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. This function of religion does not usually or necessarily change the level of consciousness in a person; it does not deliver radical transformation. …[i]t consoles the self, fortifies the self, defends the self, promotes the self.
But two, religion has also served—in a usually very, very small minority—the function of radical transformation and liberation. This function of religion does not fortify the separate self, but utterly shatters it—not consolation but devastation, not entrenchment but emptiness, not complacency but explosion, not comfort but revolution—in short, not a conventional bolstering of consciousness but a radical transmutation and transformation at the deepest seat of consciousness itself.’ [2]
This second function is the ultimate goal of all mature spirituality. This is the contemplative dimension of religion. As Thomas Keating says, “The primary purpose of religion is to help us move beyond the separate-self sense to union with God.” [3]”
Our summer services at USH described (and sometimes enacted) spiritual practices our members use in their own spiritual nourishment. To what extent did they affirm what you already experience or did they provide glimpses of new perspectives of consciousness to you? In what ways do you agree and disagree with Thomas Keating’s quote? During the coming year I will periodically offer Spiritual life conversations after the services. Look for the announcement if you are interested.
Thoughts on Spiritual Life by Marye Gail Harrison, USH Spiritual Life Chair for the Board of Directors.
Daily I read Richard Rohr’s blog. He is a Franciscan priest and leader of the Center for Action and Contemplation. This is from his August 26, 2018 blog.
“Let me begin with one of my favorite passages from the brilliant philosopher Ken Wilber [from One Taste, pp. 25-26]: . . . ‘Religion itself has always performed two very important, but very different functions. One, it acts as a way of creating meaning for the separate self: it offers myths and stories and tales and narratives and rituals that, taken together, help the separate self make sense of, and endure, the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. This function of religion does not usually or necessarily change the level of consciousness in a person; it does not deliver radical transformation. …[i]t consoles the self, fortifies the self, defends the self, promotes the self. …..
But two, religion has also served—in a usually very, very small minority—the function of radical transformation and liberation. This function of religion does not fortify the separate self, but utterly shatters it—not consolation but devastation, not entrenchment but emptiness, not complacency but explosion, not comfort but revolution—in short, not a conventional bolstering of consciousness but a radical transmutation and transformation at the deepest seat of consciousness itself.’ [2]
This second function is the ultimate goal of all mature spirituality. This is the contemplative dimension of religion. As Thomas Keating says, “The primary purpose of religion is to help us move beyond the separate-self sense to union with God.” [3]”
Our summer services at USH described (and sometimes enacted) spiritual practices our members use in their own spiritual nourishment. To what extent did they affirm what you already experience or did they provide glimpses of new perspectives of consciousness to you? In what ways do you agree and disagree with Thomas Keating’s quote? During the coming year I will periodically offer Spiritual life conversations after the services. Look for the announcement if you are interested. To read the last article click HERE.