Meditation
I had to come up with some "opening words" for a meeting that I went to last night. I was a bit nervous about that since for most meetings I could come up with a devotion or Bible passage. This was a community meeting though and, for some reason, I felt that it wouldn't be right to bring something overtly Christian. Is that wrong? Probably since the event that I went to on Saturday, hosted by this board, was opened by a prayer from an Imam and traditional spiritual words in Cayuga (a native language). Either way, this is what I found:
From the outside, the monastery garden can be seen as a romantic, sentimental place of sweet spirituality. From the inside, that garden may be an enclosure of interior torments for the monks who struggle with their desires and passions and self-examinations.
At our homes we can evoke the sweet and the tormented monk in our enclosed gardens, with their trellises and gates, their walking paths and their shade. The soul seems to benefit from having an external manifestation of its internal states. The dialogue between the inner and the outer in this way is the very essence of ritual.
Gardening is a monk's way of caring for the soul.
(Written by Thomas Moore in his book "Meditations: On the Monk Who Dwells in Daily Life")
I thought it was PERFECT for both me and the group since this is the board that initiated the community garden. The board chair also brought some opening words and after looking at what I brought said that mine might be "a bit too esoteric". I had no problem with this since I was nervous anyway. I wrote this because I liked the meditation but now, as I'm writing it, I'm kind of confused and annoyed. Esoteric? What is she saying? The smart people at the table wouldn't understand the concept of "caring for the soul"? Or is it just too spiritual? I don't know. I really like the woman and respect her but right now I feel a bit ... dismissed?
From the outside, the monastery garden can be seen as a romantic, sentimental place of sweet spirituality. From the inside, that garden may be an enclosure of interior torments for the monks who struggle with their desires and passions and self-examinations.
At our homes we can evoke the sweet and the tormented monk in our enclosed gardens, with their trellises and gates, their walking paths and their shade. The soul seems to benefit from having an external manifestation of its internal states. The dialogue between the inner and the outer in this way is the very essence of ritual.
Gardening is a monk's way of caring for the soul.
(Written by Thomas Moore in his book "Meditations: On the Monk Who Dwells in Daily Life")
I thought it was PERFECT for both me and the group since this is the board that initiated the community garden. The board chair also brought some opening words and after looking at what I brought said that mine might be "a bit too esoteric". I had no problem with this since I was nervous anyway. I wrote this because I liked the meditation but now, as I'm writing it, I'm kind of confused and annoyed. Esoteric? What is she saying? The smart people at the table wouldn't understand the concept of "caring for the soul"? Or is it just too spiritual? I don't know. I really like the woman and respect her but right now I feel a bit ... dismissed?
posted by Nicole at 8:55 a.m.
3 Comments:
I think your opening words were appropriate for the setting you were in.
You could have been offended by the prayer from the Imam, the same way many other religious groups are about Christian prayers.
I think "the woman" should have shown you, the same courtecy to you as the other people there.
Next time go with your own feelings, she is only one opinion and should not speak for the whole group.
I think it's a beautiful choice Nicole and so appropriate! I don't know what the lady was thinking.
~Coryn :)
Hey Nicole i thought it was a pretty sweet message!! Even if i had to read it twice. Some people just can't let go of control and apperciate what other have to say! Keep up your awesome work!
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