The Cloud of Unknowing

"And be sure not to think of anything but himself, so that nothing may work in your mind or in your will but only himself." I think this is the same act as what we read in the Gospel of Thomas. He writes that Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is inside you, what you bring forth will save you. If you don't bring forth what is inside you , what you don't bring forth will destroy you."
I believe that by exuding the gifts you have from God through opening your heart and silencing your mind, you will have happiness. If you squander those gifts and ignore them then you are telling God that He is wrong and this will bring you great unhappiness. Everything is from God. Know that you have nothing and then you will have everything. This is also taught to us in everything we have read so far. I was raised to be an example of how to work hard and you can have everything. I had everthing material but I had an empty soul. In the last year as I have let go of everything I believed I needed, I have recieved God from an unencumbered mind. It's just this human part of me that keeps getting me clouded with the idea that "I know". Everytime I tell my children that we do not say that in our house, I find myself being the biggest hypocrit of all. Then I pray and listen and try again.

Gregory Of Nyssa

This Beatitude is always a hard one for me. Father Mike has spent alot of time educating us on the importance of the Beatitudes. I didn't even know they existed until I went to Adult Catholic Education Classes. I know that they support the Ten Comandments and the Comandments of Jesus.
The conundrum is how hard and yet how easy this one is. "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God". I love his comparison to iron, this helps me see more clearly the releasing of all that encumbers me to be free to just see. When I let go of all that I think should be, I can just enjoy what is. This is like the nothingness of "The Cloud of Unknowing". I have always felt that everything ends up with God and these readings from these wonderful people are confirming this.
The more that I cling to my idea of what is right the more things go wrong. When I let things just happen as they are and I am not bothered, I see the goodness in each situation as it is.

Hui-Hai

This is a beautiful speech. The same belief seems to run from all of the readings so far. The answers are within you. Why do we continue to look elsewhere? I love that he tells us to stop searching. I have spent much of my time searching and in the last few years, I have come to realize the more I let go of things the less I need of them.
He makes the comparrison of "mirrors" which parallells the Jewel reading. The theory of endless and infinate can be so frightening. To be free of "delutions and attachments" means to me that being clear in your mind is completely reflective. What you project, hoping it's "nothing", that "nothing" bounces around and back and forth for all to experience. I looked in my mirrors in the bathroom to see that endless flow of back and forth and it was awsome. Could it really be true. If I send out that smile and another moves into that area of seeing, would they truely feel and smile too?

Shunryu Suzuki

I really enjoy the teachings of Buddha. Here is one of his greatest followers teaching us that the "beginning is at every moment". He also says that the "Beginners mind is the mind of God". I know that this is why we say "Out of the mouths of Babes". Children truely speak from this place. Their minds are "empty and ready".
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could keep that innocence for our whole lives? It would feel like true freedom. The swinging door is a great way to teach this. In Pilates this is how we breathe. It's almost like the neverending circle. He says "a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale". We also spend a lot of time in Pilates challenging our balance, often times we lose it and then we breathe, focus, relax, and we regain it. I believe that being out of balance is perfect. It helps us move through life and seek symetry. "Before the rain stops we hear a bird." This is beautiful to me. Both things are happening at the same time and a bit of confusion is good for all of us, it reminds us that we know nothing.

Wu-Men

I really like the inroductions to the readings. Sometimes they are more profound. In the intro to this reading the statement that "If we have the courage and patience to remain in not-knowing, then eventually the solution falls into our lap, like a ripe fruit."
I realize that all religions tell the same messages. This message is to admit that you know nothing, trust that you know nothing and all will happen as it is supposed to. We have read this before and I am sure we will read this again. This is the way that the "inside and outside become one". These uinsights are for you alone. No matter how many times you read it or are told that you know nothing, until you surrender to this truth your ego wins.
The Great One is the only "knowing". Relax and listen to the world and you will get the solution you are seeking. It is my personal experience that the Great One's time is not ours. Don't ask for patience because you will be working on this virture for your whole life. This giving in to the oneness of it all gives you the freedom to not worry about when something will happen. It will come when it comes.

The Bible

These passages from the Bible are great. You can tell that the last one is from a newer version of the New Testament. I was raised with the King James Version and it has always confused me. When discussions come up about who wrote the Bible, The usual answer is God. I always say that a human had to write it with God at their side.
Jason, you have shared with us that you were learning to read in Hebrew and Sanskrit so you could read the word in its original form. I say that is the only way to truly spend time with the book. I do see it as a book with great teachings written by humans that spent a lot of time with God. The "I am" phrase is the key for me. Jesus taught that God is in us, to me that is "I am".
The stories, myths, ideas, and history are everything from incredibly violent to beautiful love. Could you find a better book to read? I don't think so.

Shmelke of Nikolsburg

I read this last week and I am continually reminded that these experiences are part of the plan. What plan? Whose plan? I believe its the one that we all end up at. I was part of a neighborly drama on Sunday the 24th. We as a family started working our way through the problem and then I read this conversation with the Rabbi.
The Rabbi's answer is perfect. I would never punish my own hand to teach it. What punishment I believed in was not nessesary. Because now my whole schedule has had to change to accomodate my very strong moral dilema. The problem is this, it's my moral issue not theirs. How can I rationalize punishing another adult for something that they don't think was wrong?
I believe that Rabbi's are some of the wisest teachers there are. My tradition is grounded in Jewdaism. I have lived in a neighborhood where most people were Orthodox. This neighborhood was the most peaceful place in the Valley.
The explanitory beginning paragraph holds another great statement,"It is our right to hate an evil man for his actions, but because his deepest self is the image of God, it is our duty to honor him with love." Do you ever get exausted with duing your duty. It is not always the fun way to go. The lessons are very hard and sometimes they come at a rapid pace. Other times they come far between. When I get caught off guard, sometimes I get to hate too quickly. Then I have to make ammends with what happened. I hope that it sticks and I don't repeat the same lesson, thats when it really sucks.