There are a lot of spiritual writings and sayings that are becoming cliche these days. This has actually probably happened throughout human history. An idea enters into the scene, and little thoughts-to-live-by start to get repeated.
Sayings like “we are one with everything….there is no duality….I am not really here….this is all an illusion….the present moment is all that matters….at every moment we choose love or fear…I must find the pathless path…”
All very helpful, if it is truly REAL for you, makes sense to you….AND if you can tell yourself the thoughts without immediately thinking you aren’t living up to it. Or use it against yourself in some subtle (or not-so-subtle) way.
Sometimes, I must laugh. One of my favorite spiritual teachers is Yosemite Sam. Yes, that would be the cartoon character.
It’s helpful to have an irreverent bone in your body. It helps you stop the attempt to be “good” and “better” all the time. There are many advantages, in fact, to irreverence.
One day I was reading yet another “spiritual” book and the author was talking about “Is-ness”. I thought, if one more person talks or writes about “IS-ness”, I’ll shoot a gun off! Like Yosemite Sam!
I don’t really like the sound of the word “Is-ness”, although I do like made up words. But not that one. Even though some of my truly favorite authors or teachers use it.
And I don’t always think that it’s helpful to start telling myself little spiritual principles or quotes or sayings to try to get myself back on track, to try to get myself to stop feeling damaged, poor, broken, or defeated. Not when I don’t really believe them.
Yosemite Sam stops all “trying” to be Good. Stopping can be very helpful. Shoot a couple of rounds into the air and jump up and down. At some perfect moments, that is the most fabulous spiritual practice.
Irreverence in the dictionary is defined as LACK of veneration. Veneration is the feeling of awe, fear, reverence, devotion. It comes from the root to worship. We’re talking about giving up worship and awe here. In a good way.
“I used to try to be smart and now I don’t and everything works a whole lot better. Stopping being smart was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.”~ Jed McKenna
Ultimately, the only thing I can do is be myself. It can’t be true that if I read a certain book (the bible, for example) or encountered the right teacher (like Byron Katie) that I would be free, liberated, good, or better…..and that if I didn’t encounter these amazing teachers or writings, that I would be stuck.
Instead, living with uncertainty, and not knowing, appears to be what is true.
Eckhart Tolle says “when you get comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life.”
So here we are….and apparently, if you’re here, then it means you’ve probably read many authors and are always hearing about another new amazing teacher, and a new practice for living life well. You might have little sayings to tell yourself.
Nothing wrong with any of this (I sure hope not, I’ve spent a lot of time being fascinated with anything I can get my hands on about the meaning of life).
But sometimes it’s good to consult Yosemite Sam.
He’s great at helping you close the book, stop trying to meditate or chant the right phrases, look around at the territory. Stop knowing anything. Bam Bam, then silence.
“Notice the feeling of irritation that arises when you are unable to fix the malfunctioning toaster. Then notice the space around that irritation. Notice that the broken toaster is not a problem until you make it a problem through thought.”~Scott Kiloby
I notice that Amazement is here, without me trying to find it. YOU are amazing. Me too.
Love, Grace