Mystic Musings: Lent 3/07
“When He touches me I clutch the sky’s sheet, the way other lovers do, the earth’s weave of clay. Any real ecstasy is a sign you are moving in the right direction. Don’t let any prude tell you otherwise.”
St. Teresa of Avila, 16th century Christian mystic
Photo by Ian Wagg @Iwagg
Over the three decades plus of professional ministry I found myself often counseling churches to “follow the energy.” In Christian theology that would be essentially the same thing as saying, “Trust in the Holy Spirit.” This was especially important in a culture of decline. It was important to say this because congregations often had a habit of setting unrealistic goals for their future without the actual people, resources and energy to meet those goals. I began to say, “Don’t worry so much about what you want in the future. Follow the energy that is here now. And let go of those programs that no longer have energy.”
The same is true for all of us. St. Teresa of Avila reminds us that ecstasy is a good sign we are moving in the right direction. Joseph Campbell says to “follow our bliss.” Frederick Buechner reminds us that our true vocation is where our passion and the world’s needs meet. I say, “Follow the energy.” Different ways of saying the same thing. We exist in a large field of dynamic and spiritual energy. New things are being born every moment just as other things are dying.
The trick is to let go of that which is dying and latch on to that which is being born. The deeper trick is to allow ourselves to die in order to be reborn.
Follow the energy and I promise it will happen. At least that’s what all the saints tell us!
Sit quietly. Breathe deeply. Think about journaling around the following questions and noticing where grief or sadness shows up in your body and where energy and possibility show up in your body.
Are there activities in your life that you feel you should do, but hold little energy?
Are relationships in your life that seem to eroding and dying?
Are there activities that you wish you could do if you just had the time and resources?
Are there people that seem to light a fire in your when you are around them?
Are there things that you wish you could do, but dismiss them as being unrealistic?