Sharing

Before adding my windy comments, I prayed about what and how best to share. So here goes.

First is a poem by, Yunus Emre, a 13th century Turkish Sufi. The first stanza captures best what I sensed should be shared but the rest of the poem expands on the theme and, by the way, is pretty good too. (The Drop That Became the Sea, pg. 37-38)



That by which our hearts are held,
Whole worlds love it too.
I can’t deny the truth-
Many ways lead to the One.

Those whom the Beloved loves,
We must also love.
If someone is a friend of the Friend,
How can we afford not to be friends?

If you would be a lover,
Befriend him who loves your Friend;
And if you cannot,
Don’t call yourself a friend of mine.

Whomever you tend to despise,
Hold dear instead.
Don’t belittle others, respect them,
This is where the Path leads.

If your heart is filled with love,
Your way is sacrifice.
Through sacrifice you will find you place
In the ranks of Love.

Hearts which truly love the Truth.
Truth opens the door wide.
Dismantle the house of selfishness.
Put away your self-regard.

High and low, enemy, neighbor,
The Friend serves them all.
Whoever wants to spread this word
Must first go out of his home.

This counsel that Yunus gives
Is like buried gold.
Those who love the Friend
Find peace in both worlds.

Second is a photo of wild flowers from the backyard. The seeds by the way came from Fredericksburg but don’t read too much into that. My sense here is that each wild flower is unique and burst forth from a seed that contains its essence and unique Beingness, much like the different ways that lead to the One/Sun that Yunus mentioned. Each represents a sacred tradition and together they combine to form a beautiful arrangement of wild flowers/sacred traditions that dance in the breeze and sunshine together. (NOTE: I am that weed in the bottom left of the photo).



Third and this will take some time since you will have to listen. The talk describes a wonderful meeting of three sacred traditions, which is occurring as you read this, as well as a confirmation and expansion of what Lynn shared with us on retreat.

http://www.roguefortune.com/sohbets/2008/080405_Sequoia_15mb.mp3
or
http://www.sufism.org/society/sohbet/ (Sequoia, April 5th)

Fourth is something personal. I have been graced to be part of three sacred communities…OOOW, Benedictine Camaldolese, and Mevlana Sufis. Each is a unique wild flower and each has rooted in my heart. Together they form a flower bed that guides me on my path of transformation and help me express my role in Beingness. I sense that my heart is the flower bed where diversity (Praise Sacred Unity!) of sacred traditions somehow returns to Unity.

We, the OOOW sisterhood and brotherhood, are the wildflower that has its roots in Yeshua. What a blessing and what mystery. Our purpose is to cultivate our Yeshua wildflowerness, to dance with and love the other wild flowers, and, together manifest the Unity from which all the wild flowers arose.

If my metaphors are stretched or convoluted, I dropped a couple petals during the writing.

(NOTE to Karen: This approach to sharing should take care of all future retreat art assignments)

Blessings,

Ed