Modern sports have spawn a commercial competitiveness that often overshadows the athletic competitiveness of the sport. Large companies such as Nike and Adidas have turned just about every form of sport competition into a struggle between the endorsers of Nike and the endorsers of Adidas. Even on the football (soccer) field, long the domain of European brands, Nike has firmly established itself. And the same may be said for the bastion of American sports such as baseball and American football (not soccer) where Adidas clearly has made its presence known.
Athletes, just like in the ancient Greek Olympics, have likewise risen to almost god-like status. Media helps as well in painting and creating such images of the athletes. The word athlete, for example, comes from a Greek word, athletes which at one time meant prizefighter, contestant in the games. Of course today, a prizefighter has a totally different image (a boxer in fact comes to mind) and it does not care quite the same image as the old meaning of prizefighter or one who contested for a prize. But what was the prize for an ancient Greek? Perhaps they too received endorsements. However, I like to think it had more to do with the recognition of the Greek citizen before his own community. Yes, perhaps his community perceived him as a "god"; but more importantly, his community perceived him as an individual representing all that is great about their community. Ancient Greek communities were just that, communities. And all communities needed a hero. A hero, originally from the word heroe meaning "defender" or "protector" is also a variant of heros another Greek work that meant "demi-god." Here, we may propose an alternative then for the prize that was contested by an athlete - the prize was to be demi-god or, in a sense, god-like.
For any mortal to aspire for god-likeness, this would mean that it was a status, condition, perhaps even good (greater good?) that was now removed from the general condition of humanity. If this was the case, then Greek athletes competed for the possibility of achieving a connection or condition that was as close to the gods (or greater good?) as possible. It was not a contest for any earthly prize; it was a contest for a heavenly prize, a god-like attribute.
With this in mind, the whole notion of modern sport seems completely opposite of what its origins may have been. It is true that competitive has often times degenerated into winning - winning is the only thing to paraphrase Vince Lombardi. But what do you win? Money? Fame? Glory? Bragging rights (my personal favorite). Often times, in a truly Machiavellian approach where the end justifies the means, unsportsmanlike conduct is encouraged. Winning has become so important that when a referee makes a mistake, no one on the team benefiting from the mistake takes the chance to correct the referee. Can you imagine a penalty awarded in a football match, where the team taking the penalty knows full well the referee is in error, and the one taking the penalty chooses to deliberately miss the shot? For most of us, this thought, just the thought, is unimaginable.
Last night I had the chance to watch two completely different matches. They were on simultaneously. the first was a rugby world-cup match between Australia and the USA. The USA are minnows in world rugby and the Australians, one of the best in the world, went all out to crush the USA team. There was also the volleyball final between China and Japan for the Asian Senior Women's title. I can tell you that none of the players were senior citizens in any way, shape or form. Both matches had their competitive moments and exciting moments. Both matches required great skill, teamwork (for those unfamiliar with rugby, you can only move the ball forward down the pitch by passing it backward to your teammates). And yet there was a startling difference. The difference is not that one was a match between men and the other between women; it was not even that rugby, by its nature is a bruising match and volleyball isn't.What was really startling was how much more rugby seemed like a battle as both sides literally fought, tooth and nail, for possession of the ball whereas volleyball was more a game involving something else, a totally different quality. Both events and matches are highly commercialized to be sure, but the fact that volleyball did not involve a struggle for the possession of a ball or the gaining of territory created a completely different feel to the game. Volley struck me more as a struggle of the individual within the team. With the right teamwork and self-belief, they could win a victory all without struggling or fighting for possession of the ball or territory. Perhaps volleyball's struggle is all within, within the team and the individuals comprising the team.
While both matches reflected the commercialization of sports - one only needed to see all the advertising around the stadium as well as on the shirts of the players, it could not be denied that a sporting event that is primarily an individual's struggle, with only themselves as the real opponents, carries with it a truly different quality. After all, a hero, the community demi-god, such as Hercules, are successful because of their own struggles to rise above their material nature, to rise above their natural limitations. Perhaps this is what sports should be about; about individuals rising above their shortcomings to be all they can be. That is the prize that is being contested, and won.
This small commentary may not change sports as we experience it today. But if all of us try to be sportsman like, heroes in the Greek sense, then the face of sport could change for ever.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A New Year
One of the wonderful, perplexing and enjoyable experiences of working in different parts of Asia is experiencing not only the timing but the variety of festivals that exist. When working in India, my expat colleagues and I used to joke how we could enjoy at least four or five New Year celebrations, beginning with Deepavali in India, the Christian New Year at year end, The Tamil New Year in January (at the time we were based in Tamil Nadu), and the Chinese New Year sometime in between late January and late March depending on the moon. As amusing as this all sounds, it does bring to mind the idea that there is chance for a new beginning every year. We could choose one of the new years I mentioned above (and I am sure there are others), I could choose my birthday, which is also the start of a new year. I could simply choose a day, any day, that when I awake, I am facing a new year from that day forward.
Of course, we could easily look at all these "new years" as an excuse to take rest from work. And that too is enjoyable. On the other hand, many if not all these new years were based on earlier, and often forgotten, intimate relationship between humanity and the stars, where humanity was moved as much by the rhythm of the heavens as by humanity's biological needs. Over time, the sense that humanity has lost this connection seems ever more palpable as celebrations for each new year, each festival, seems to be performed for the economic value that it brings to others and less with an understanding of why we even celebrate them.
The Christian year is coming to its start soon, to its own New Year. This is beginning of the cycle of Christian festivals that are celebrated throughout the year. This is not about the feast days of saints or other such events; this is about the cycle of festivals that somehow remind us, when we choose to be reminded, of the life-changing, earth-changing events of the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ.
Other ancient folklore carry myths of gods visiting the earth in human form. Hindu myths speak of this, even the rather active Greek gods, often ventured onto earth to muddle with the lives of ordinary people - just ask Leda. As a Christian, however, I follow the story of Christ's life on earth as the guide of my new year.
As I understand it, the new year, meaning the start of the festival cycle for Christians, begins with Michaelmas, the festival of the Archangel Michael which is on 29 September. It is hard to image why this is the beginning of the Christian festival year; after all, Michael is that archangel that generally appears poised to slay a serpent, spear or sword in one hand, scales in another. What does this all have to do with the beginning of the Christian festival year? I too have asked my self that question many times. After all, Michael does not appear prominently at any time that Christ was on earth... or at least I don't recall. And what is this whole image of the serpent or dragon, the spear or sword, and the scales? Somehow in my musings on this, it led to me why the Christ even came to earth. This has often been a question for me. So I thought, perhaps there must be a lesson in all.Yes, that's it... a lesson.
How do lessons work? Normally, on the first day of class, there would be a lecture of some sort, some question and answer, and then some assignments. The next time we meet, there would also be some form of review, formal, e.g. quiz, test, etc or informal, general discussion with the teacher. After this review period, then the lecture on the new content would begin. Could it be possible that somehow, the festivals and their sequence work like a lesson, i.e there is a review, then a new lecture, some question and answers, an assignment, and then a repeat of the sequence? Perhaps this would help me explain why Michaelmas or the festival of the Archangel Michael is the first in the Christian year.
In many ways, the imagery of Michael, as described above, does contain elements that need to remind me, and perhaps all of humanity why we are even on earth. We have a serpent. The last time we encountered this, it was not a good ending for either Adam or Eve. Because of this serpent, Adam and Eve were expelled from Garden Eden. There is the sword or even Michael himself, the guardian of the Tree of Life which is at the moment, out of humanity's grasp. So could it be that Michaelmas just like any class or learning sessions, is actually a review for humanity of how we came to be on earth, falling from our heavenly origins. Perhaps we could look at it like a test to see if we remember why we are earth and what we need to do to get the "right answers" to this test. Perhaps this is also why images of Michael are open to interpretation; e.g. is he going to slay the serpent or not; why is his face so calm and collected at a moment that could be of extreme violence? We may only guess at the possible answer to these questions. Perhaps that is the point, to make us ponder the not only on why were are on earth, but also to ponder on the events yet to come, the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Christ on earth.
I started with the idea of a new year. A year is a particular rhythm based on the earth's journey around the sun; a journey that is repeated with regularity as the earth reaches a point in space where it was 365 days earlier. This is every point on the ellipse that the earth traces around the sun. And we never ponder this. Michaelmas is a specific time to remind of certain mysteries we encounter daily that confront us, open to interpretation. This reminds us we are free to choose our destiny, a destiny where the serpent or dragon may triumph, or a destiny where Michael triumphs. It reminds us of why we are on earth, and what earth is for. Let us look to beginning the new year with this review of humanity's origins.
Of course, we could easily look at all these "new years" as an excuse to take rest from work. And that too is enjoyable. On the other hand, many if not all these new years were based on earlier, and often forgotten, intimate relationship between humanity and the stars, where humanity was moved as much by the rhythm of the heavens as by humanity's biological needs. Over time, the sense that humanity has lost this connection seems ever more palpable as celebrations for each new year, each festival, seems to be performed for the economic value that it brings to others and less with an understanding of why we even celebrate them.
The Christian year is coming to its start soon, to its own New Year. This is beginning of the cycle of Christian festivals that are celebrated throughout the year. This is not about the feast days of saints or other such events; this is about the cycle of festivals that somehow remind us, when we choose to be reminded, of the life-changing, earth-changing events of the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ.
Other ancient folklore carry myths of gods visiting the earth in human form. Hindu myths speak of this, even the rather active Greek gods, often ventured onto earth to muddle with the lives of ordinary people - just ask Leda. As a Christian, however, I follow the story of Christ's life on earth as the guide of my new year.
As I understand it, the new year, meaning the start of the festival cycle for Christians, begins with Michaelmas, the festival of the Archangel Michael which is on 29 September. It is hard to image why this is the beginning of the Christian festival year; after all, Michael is that archangel that generally appears poised to slay a serpent, spear or sword in one hand, scales in another. What does this all have to do with the beginning of the Christian festival year? I too have asked my self that question many times. After all, Michael does not appear prominently at any time that Christ was on earth... or at least I don't recall. And what is this whole image of the serpent or dragon, the spear or sword, and the scales? Somehow in my musings on this, it led to me why the Christ even came to earth. This has often been a question for me. So I thought, perhaps there must be a lesson in all.Yes, that's it... a lesson.
How do lessons work? Normally, on the first day of class, there would be a lecture of some sort, some question and answer, and then some assignments. The next time we meet, there would also be some form of review, formal, e.g. quiz, test, etc or informal, general discussion with the teacher. After this review period, then the lecture on the new content would begin. Could it be possible that somehow, the festivals and their sequence work like a lesson, i.e there is a review, then a new lecture, some question and answers, an assignment, and then a repeat of the sequence? Perhaps this would help me explain why Michaelmas or the festival of the Archangel Michael is the first in the Christian year.
In many ways, the imagery of Michael, as described above, does contain elements that need to remind me, and perhaps all of humanity why we are even on earth. We have a serpent. The last time we encountered this, it was not a good ending for either Adam or Eve. Because of this serpent, Adam and Eve were expelled from Garden Eden. There is the sword or even Michael himself, the guardian of the Tree of Life which is at the moment, out of humanity's grasp. So could it be that Michaelmas just like any class or learning sessions, is actually a review for humanity of how we came to be on earth, falling from our heavenly origins. Perhaps we could look at it like a test to see if we remember why we are earth and what we need to do to get the "right answers" to this test. Perhaps this is also why images of Michael are open to interpretation; e.g. is he going to slay the serpent or not; why is his face so calm and collected at a moment that could be of extreme violence? We may only guess at the possible answer to these questions. Perhaps that is the point, to make us ponder the not only on why were are on earth, but also to ponder on the events yet to come, the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Christ on earth.
I started with the idea of a new year. A year is a particular rhythm based on the earth's journey around the sun; a journey that is repeated with regularity as the earth reaches a point in space where it was 365 days earlier. This is every point on the ellipse that the earth traces around the sun. And we never ponder this. Michaelmas is a specific time to remind of certain mysteries we encounter daily that confront us, open to interpretation. This reminds us we are free to choose our destiny, a destiny where the serpent or dragon may triumph, or a destiny where Michael triumphs. It reminds us of why we are on earth, and what earth is for. Let us look to beginning the new year with this review of humanity's origins.
Friday, September 2, 2011
The Mystery of Michael, the Serpent and Humanity
When I was in India, I thought I would prepare a short essay on some thoughts related to the Michaelmas festival. I do this in the context of Christianity being under attack in some states of India at the time a few years ago (churches burned, nuns raped, priests beaten, in full presence of police forces). Christianity has been accused in these areas of aggressively converting true Hindus and is therefore construed as an attack on true Hinduism. In certain way, a major festival occurs within the window of Michaelmas, and is particularly well celebrated in west Bengal where Kolkata is located. This festival is known as Durga Puja. Durga is the name of the goddess celebrated. Puja effectively means ritual or religious celebration. Thus, as a start to this short reflection, I have extracted from the internet the following description of this festival.
Mythology of Durga Puja[1]
According to Hindu mythology a demon named Mahishasura, earned the favor of Lord Shiva after a long and hard penance. Lord Shiva, impressed with his devotion, blessed him that no man or deity would be able to kill him and that only a woman can kill him. Mahishasur was very pleased with this boon as he thought that a woman can never defeat him. Arrogant Mahishasura started his reign of terror over the Universe and people were killed mercilessly. He even attacked the abode of the gods and conquered the heavens and became their leader.
The Defeat Of Gods
The Defeat Of Gods
After their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Mahishasur, the gods took refuge under Lord Brahma, who took them to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The only solution left was the creation of a woman who possess the ultimate power to fight and defeat Mahishasur. Pure energy blazed forth from Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the trinity forming the pure energy of Godhood, all concentrating at one point that took the form of Goddess Durga.
Culmination Of Energies
Her face reflected the light of Shiva, her ten arms were from Lord Vishnu, her feet were from Lord Brahma, the tresses were formed from the light of Yama, the god of death and the two breasts were formed from the light of Somanath, the Moon God, the waist from the light of Indra, the king of gods, the legs and thighs from the light of Varun, the god of oceans and hips from the light of Bhoodev (Earth), the toes from the light of Surya (Sun God), fingers of the hand from the light of the Vasus, the children of Goddess river Ganga and nose from the light of Kuber, the keeper of wealth for the Gods. The teeth were formed from the light of Prajapati, the lord of creatures, the Triad of her eyes was born from the light of Agni, the Fire God, the eyebrows from the two Sandhyas,ie, sunrise and sunset, the ears from the light of Vayu, the god of Wind. Thus from the energy of these gods, as well as from many other gods, was formed the goddess Durga.
Power Of Weapons
The gods then gifted the goddess with their weapons and other divine objects to help her in her battle with the demon, Mahishasura. Lord Shiva gave her a trident while Lord Vishnu gave her a disc. Varuna, gave her a conch and noose, and Agni gave her a spear. From Vayu, she received arrows. Indra, gave her a thunderbolt, and the gift of his white-skinned elephant Airavata was a bell. From Yama, she received a sword and shield and from Vishwakarma (god of Architecture), an axe and armor. The god of mountains, Himavat gifted her with jewels and a lion to ride on. Durga was also given many other precious and magical gifts, new clothing, and a garland of immortal lotuses for her head and breasts.
The beautiful Durga, bedecked in jewels and golden armor and equipped with the fearsome weaponry of the gods, was ready to engage in battle with the fierce and cruel Mahishasura. Mahishasura and his demon allies found their attention drawn from heaven to Earth, as Durga's power moved its way towards heaven. Though confident of their power and control in heaven, the demons could not help being awestruck.
The Battlefield
As Mahishasura's armies were struck down effortlessly by Durga, it became obvious to him that he was not as secure in heaven as he had thought. No demon could fight her and win. Her breath would replenish her armies - bringing back to life all of her soldiers who fell. The demons were in chaos and were easily defeated and captured. Mahishasura was shocked and enraged by the disastrous events on the battlefield. He took on the form of a demonic buffalo, and charged at the divine soldiers of Durga, goring and killing many and lashing out with his whip-like tail. Durga's lion pounced on the demon-buffalo and engaged him in a battle. While he was thus engaged, Durga threw her noose around his neck.
Mahishasura then assumed the form of a lion and when Durga beheaded the lion, Mahishasura escaped in the form of a man who was immediately face to face with a volley of arrows from Durga. The demon escaped yet again and then having assumed the form of a huge elephant, battered Durga's lion with a tusk. With her sword Durga hacked the tusk into pieces.
The Victory
The demon reverted once more to the form of the wild buffalo. He hid himself in the mountains from where he hurled boulders at Durga with his horns. Durga drank the divine nectar, the gift of Kuber. She then pounced on Mahishasura, pushing him to the ground with her left leg. She grasped his head in one hand, pierced him with her sharp trident held in another, and with yet another of her ten hands she wielded her bright sword, beheading him. At last he fell dead, and the scattered surviving remnants of his once invincible army fled in terror.
This is a tale that speaks from a very remote time in humanity’s history; a time when people walked on earth with their spiritual beings. And yet in the festival of Michaelmas, elements of this tale are echoed:
1. Both Michael and Durga are living reflections of their God. Michael, by his very name, is in the countenance of God whereas Durga’s every aspect is a gift from one of 16 gods. What is particularly striking, however, is that her face reflects the light of Shiva, the highest god in the India hierarchy of spiritual beings.
2. Both have a task of defeating a “demon”. Each is the reverse of the other. Michael battles a serpent, a dragon, effectively one who tempted Eve and therefore has qualities sympathetic to Eve’s i.e. female. Durga, on the other hand, battles a male quality in the demon she is sent to defeat.
3. Both festivals occur during the window of Michaelmas. Michaelmas begins on 29 September and runs for four weeks. Durga Puja starts about a week later and runs for about 10 days.
4. The dominant colors during the Durga Puja are pink, red, yellow and green. For Michaelmas, the colors are rose and light green.
With these indications, and the conviction that coincidences are not possible, one can see a relationship between the two festivals. One may have easily metamorphosed from the other as humanity’s consciousness evolved over time.
Apartness
I once heard a talk on prayer. To the question, "why do we pray?" a number of ideas had come up and discussed. I was very sympathetic to all that was said and sometimes, when that happens, I hear what is said - and I can repeat what is said - but I may not be necessarily listening.
I do remember that one of the points shared was that prayer is only possible because of a sense of apartness. In other words, we prays because deep down inside we feel we are apart from something. Naturally the discussion revolved around humanity's separation from its spiritual origin, a sort of recalling the time we used to live in the Garden of Eden and now no more. In many ways, this sounded quite sensible. After all, I pray to God because I am apart or distant from God. This brings to mind two quite interesting images.
The first image is being apart from God who not only stands by me all the time, but has His son dwelling within me. How does a condition experienced as separation exist during a period proximity? How can I feel so distant from an infinite, loving being who never leaves my side? Does the frequency of our prayer reflect the frequency with which we feel the separation or is it the distance of the separation that we feel? As I live most of the year apart from my family - professional obligations - I understand the experience of longing for my family resulting from this separation. And yes, in conversation with my family, I am often reminded by them that they are always "close" to me. Inevitably, at some point in the conversation, there is the much used "...miss you..." statement. Clearly, no matter how we phrase it, the sense of separation is clearly experienced by my family and me. While this may not prompt me to pray in the generally understood sense, is this experience the same one of apartness and closeness that prompts prayer?
The second image that comes to mind is not so much the separation between me and God but more the separation between the Christ in me and me. I know this sounds a bit confusing but let me explain a bit more. I understand that every human being has two sides: a spiritual side and an earthly side. Let me begin with the earthly side. Each human being is clearly made of matter, some matter. In many ways, our physical body is what is mostly of the earth or like the earth: dense, compact, and grounded. In fact, even when we pass away, this physical body is returned to the earth in some shape or form.
There is another , less obvious part to my physical existence and this is a force that makes me grow in size and shape. The earth too grows; it finished "growing up" so to speak millions of years ago - not unlike a mature young adult who has stopped growing (weight gain or loss is not what I'm talking about here). By the time we are seven, actually, we are fully formed - organs are complete, teeth are being replaced with adult teeth, and effectively we only grow taller - if at all. After the age of seven, the only other major physical change we undergo is at puberty. After the age of seven or thereabouts, we do not grow anything new - no new organs, limbs, heads, etc. Our size will vary but our physical being is complete. In a certain way, plants may be said to be a good imagination of this growth. Plants are always growing. New limbs are possible up to a certain point beyond which the plant grows mainly in size. Long ago, this force was referred to the etheric. It is unseen but experienced. If this etheric force is akin to the plants, then it too must be of the earth. After all, even in the creation story, all plant life was given forth by the earth. So let's just say that our physical or material side is composed of both a physical aspect and an etheric aspect. However, this is not yet all of me.
There is a part of me that is more difficult to experience and yet it is there. This two has two parts to it and more extraordinarily are not part of the earth. The first of these aspects is that part of me that actually experiences something. I am not referring to senses per se but more of what we generally may call feelings, emotions, sentiments. Where do these come from? What is clear is that we do experience them. And just like many things we experience, these are in constant movement, always changing, rising and falling like a perpetual tide. We can say that these experiences are not of this world. That aspect through which these are "felt" clearly deserves an "other worldly" name. Some have referred to this as the soul. Herein lives all these sensations; sensations that do not arise from our physical senses but from sense that are different. Let's agree and say that the soul is the name of this aspect and clearly the soul is not of this world.
The other aspect of my "non-worldly" existence is what allows me to write these thoughts. I must have a personality, or better, an individuality that makes me uniquely me. This genuine experience of who I am is there, I experience it every day. In many respects it totally fills my day as well. You could almost say that it is larger than life. It allows me to travel through my memories and project on the future. Such capabilities are clearly "other worldly." This may be called the spirit.
So let us put this all together now. I have two worldly or physical aspects: the physical aspect and the ethericapartness exists, a lack of harmony between that which is physical in me and that which is other-worldly. Perhaps it is this apartness which also brings me to prayer.
It is true that for me, I am apart from my God, not by distance only but by many other aspects. This is part of my experience of God regardless of how closely he holds me. The limitation is mine and not His. Within me, there is also a separation between that which is physical and that which is other-worldly in me. This is reflected in the disharmonies of my life, including fear, worries and ailments. This is the distance that I often forget about and yet this is the distance most common in my daily life.
I pray when I feel this distance or a growing distance between me and my God. For this, every human being probably says they pray. Now I realise that I also pray because of the separation that exists between my physical and other-worldly aspects; a separation that I often forget and; a separation that is real. Perhaps my prayers should also reflect on this more individual and internal separation.
I do remember that one of the points shared was that prayer is only possible because of a sense of apartness. In other words, we prays because deep down inside we feel we are apart from something. Naturally the discussion revolved around humanity's separation from its spiritual origin, a sort of recalling the time we used to live in the Garden of Eden and now no more. In many ways, this sounded quite sensible. After all, I pray to God because I am apart or distant from God. This brings to mind two quite interesting images.
The first image is being apart from God who not only stands by me all the time, but has His son dwelling within me. How does a condition experienced as separation exist during a period proximity? How can I feel so distant from an infinite, loving being who never leaves my side? Does the frequency of our prayer reflect the frequency with which we feel the separation or is it the distance of the separation that we feel? As I live most of the year apart from my family - professional obligations - I understand the experience of longing for my family resulting from this separation. And yes, in conversation with my family, I am often reminded by them that they are always "close" to me. Inevitably, at some point in the conversation, there is the much used "...miss you..." statement. Clearly, no matter how we phrase it, the sense of separation is clearly experienced by my family and me. While this may not prompt me to pray in the generally understood sense, is this experience the same one of apartness and closeness that prompts prayer?
The second image that comes to mind is not so much the separation between me and God but more the separation between the Christ in me and me. I know this sounds a bit confusing but let me explain a bit more. I understand that every human being has two sides: a spiritual side and an earthly side. Let me begin with the earthly side. Each human being is clearly made of matter, some matter. In many ways, our physical body is what is mostly of the earth or like the earth: dense, compact, and grounded. In fact, even when we pass away, this physical body is returned to the earth in some shape or form.
There is another , less obvious part to my physical existence and this is a force that makes me grow in size and shape. The earth too grows; it finished "growing up" so to speak millions of years ago - not unlike a mature young adult who has stopped growing (weight gain or loss is not what I'm talking about here). By the time we are seven, actually, we are fully formed - organs are complete, teeth are being replaced with adult teeth, and effectively we only grow taller - if at all. After the age of seven, the only other major physical change we undergo is at puberty. After the age of seven or thereabouts, we do not grow anything new - no new organs, limbs, heads, etc. Our size will vary but our physical being is complete. In a certain way, plants may be said to be a good imagination of this growth. Plants are always growing. New limbs are possible up to a certain point beyond which the plant grows mainly in size. Long ago, this force was referred to the etheric. It is unseen but experienced. If this etheric force is akin to the plants, then it too must be of the earth. After all, even in the creation story, all plant life was given forth by the earth. So let's just say that our physical or material side is composed of both a physical aspect and an etheric aspect. However, this is not yet all of me.
There is a part of me that is more difficult to experience and yet it is there. This two has two parts to it and more extraordinarily are not part of the earth. The first of these aspects is that part of me that actually experiences something. I am not referring to senses per se but more of what we generally may call feelings, emotions, sentiments. Where do these come from? What is clear is that we do experience them. And just like many things we experience, these are in constant movement, always changing, rising and falling like a perpetual tide. We can say that these experiences are not of this world. That aspect through which these are "felt" clearly deserves an "other worldly" name. Some have referred to this as the soul. Herein lives all these sensations; sensations that do not arise from our physical senses but from sense that are different. Let's agree and say that the soul is the name of this aspect and clearly the soul is not of this world.
The other aspect of my "non-worldly" existence is what allows me to write these thoughts. I must have a personality, or better, an individuality that makes me uniquely me. This genuine experience of who I am is there, I experience it every day. In many respects it totally fills my day as well. You could almost say that it is larger than life. It allows me to travel through my memories and project on the future. Such capabilities are clearly "other worldly." This may be called the spirit.
So let us put this all together now. I have two worldly or physical aspects: the physical aspect and the ethericapartness exists, a lack of harmony between that which is physical in me and that which is other-worldly. Perhaps it is this apartness which also brings me to prayer.
It is true that for me, I am apart from my God, not by distance only but by many other aspects. This is part of my experience of God regardless of how closely he holds me. The limitation is mine and not His. Within me, there is also a separation between that which is physical and that which is other-worldly in me. This is reflected in the disharmonies of my life, including fear, worries and ailments. This is the distance that I often forget about and yet this is the distance most common in my daily life.
I pray when I feel this distance or a growing distance between me and my God. For this, every human being probably says they pray. Now I realise that I also pray because of the separation that exists between my physical and other-worldly aspects; a separation that I often forget and; a separation that is real. Perhaps my prayers should also reflect on this more individual and internal separation.
The Hand of My Soul in Yours
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours,
That in the shadow of my fear,
Your light brightens every corner
That my fear fades so I may see my being
In the warmth of Your light.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours,
That in the fear of my shortcomings,
The strength of my blessings,
Shines through, illuminating my being
In the warmth of my own light.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours,
That in the misery of my ailments,
My pain is shared by You,
And my healing begins with my awakening
To all that lives in me.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours
That I find my courage,
That I rejoice in my success,
That I heal myself,
That I may, through my own free will
Be all that I can be
In the light of Your gaze
In the warmth of my soul.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours
And I thank You.
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours,
That in the shadow of my fear,
Your light brightens every corner
That my fear fades so I may see my being
In the warmth of Your light.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours,
That in the fear of my shortcomings,
The strength of my blessings,
Shines through, illuminating my being
In the warmth of my own light.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours,
That in the misery of my ailments,
My pain is shared by You,
And my healing begins with my awakening
To all that lives in me.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours
That I find my courage,
That I rejoice in my success,
That I heal myself,
That I may, through my own free will
Be all that I can be
In the light of Your gaze
In the warmth of my soul.
Lord,
I walk with the hand of my soul in Yours
And I thank You.
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