Mystic Musings: Lent 3/21
“I don’t think there is such a thing as an intelligent mega-rich person. For who with such a fine mind can look out upon this world and hoard what can nourish a thousand souls.”
Kabir, a 15th-16th century Indian mystic and poet
Photo by Ullash Borah @ullash_borah
I have to admit that I hesitated to write this meditation. I was attracted to the quote early on, but each time I pulled back with the thought, “Do I really want to invite a wave of criticism from defenders of our materialistic capitalistic society?’ One of our American assumptions is that we have the freedom to build our own personal empires. In fact, not only do we have the freedom but we put the super-rich on pedestals as shining examples of the American way.
But I couldn’t stay away from this one because at the core of the mystic’s heart is this nearly obsessive need for divine connection and communion. Anything that serves as a barrier to connection, anything that separates one person from another, is shed in the evolution of the mystic’s life. Mystics tend to get poorer with time rather than richer.
I feel like I have flirted with this. Ten years ago I bought a pull-behind camper and large truck with the plan that the next stage of my life would be lived on the road in simplicity. But I am as American as the next guy and weeks before my plan was to go in effect I was offered a six-figure salary as a church executive. Twice I have taken house-sitting jobs that allowed me to work less so I could concentrate more on what made my heart sing. And both times I found myself returning to better paying full time jobs. In other words, the yearning to live closer to my heart and be more available to the people I serve lost out to the pressure to have a “normal” American lifestyle.
Jesus of the Christian tradition said, “You cannot serve God and mammon (money) too.” Matthew 6: 24. Somehow this sounds more palatable than Kabir’s comment, “There is no such thing as an intelligent mega-rich person.” But I believe they are saying the same thing. The mystic cannot help but to share everything they have and everything they are. Can a person be in love with God and with money at the same time? Theoretically yes, but mystics tend to have empty pockets. They have a habit of giving their gifts away as fast as they get them.
Sit quietly. Breathe deeply. Ponder these questions:
What barriers keep you separated from those you love? Strangers?
What do you need to nurture your connection to others?
What do you want to take with you when you die?
What do you want to leave behind?