Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Astonishing Light Of Your Own Being

Last Thursday, March 3, 2011, there was an article on this blog about Lent being a time to clear the decks for the "real self". In the article there is a reference to Lama Willa Miller's idea about "wisdom-nature" which she writes about in her book "Everyday Dharma".

This morning I opened Daniel Ladinsky's book "I Heard God Laughing" in which he renders the poems of Hafiz and here is the first one

"I wish I could show you,
When you are lonely or in darkness,
The Astonishing Light
Of your own Being."

I immediately thought of Lama Miller's idea of our "wisdom-nature".

I also am reminded that Jesus never condemns anyone for sinning but he does get upset because of their lack of faith. He tells them in Matthew 17:20 if they just had the size of faith of a small mustard seed they could move mountains" but alas they often have not that faith, they are not in touch with their "wisdom-nature".

Hafiz says, like Jesus, "I wish I could show you......................."

Are there Unitarian Universalist mystics? The closest I have come to finding them is on the Boston Unitarian blog. Are there others?

2 comments:

  1. Just a note: It would be more accurate to say "Ladinsky says" rather than "Hafiz says." Ladinsky is not translating Hafiz's poetry but writing his own, inspired by Hafiz and Ladinsky's own blend of spiritual sources.

    I know there are UU mystics, but I don't know how many of them are writing. They are people I meet in church.

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  2. Dear Amy:

    You are right about Ladinsky not translating Hafiz's poetry but making what he calls "renditions" of Hafiz's poetry.

    If you notice, I specifically said this when I introduced the poem that Ladinsky, "renders" the poems of Hafiz.

    I am encouraged by your comment that you are meeting "mystics" in church but that they are not writing. I think this is true and I appreciate your observation. I meet many of them at church as well. When I connect with the mystic in my fellow congregants (and anyone) I find it quite moving. You have encouraged me to be more observant and empathic.

    Thanks for your comment,

    David Markham

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