Blogging Lessons

I've been blogging for 6 months now. I've enjoyed this experience even though blogging 4-5 times a week can be challenging. Here are some things I've learned.

(1) My initial delusions of grandeur have been humbled. Agents haven't beaten down my door to offer me six figure book deals. Google hasn't offered me a huge contract to blog for them. My readers number in the teens rather than in the thousands. However, learning humility is a good thing.

(2) I was initially worried that I'd run out of things to blog about. This hasn't been the case, even though some days I have more to say than others.

(3) What has amazed me is the great diversity of connections I've made with others in the spirituality field. I've exchanged comments with Buddhists, Hindus, Agnostics, Evangelical Christians, Progressive Christians, Shamanists and Non-religious persons. I've learned that many persons are seeking a deeper spiritual connection and have a great variety of ways of seeking it.

(4) Blogging almost daily has forced me to dig deeper into my own soul and life experience. As I've dug I have found greater clarity in understanding and describing a spiritual life.

As I've found with teaching, the teacher is really a fellow learner. I am grateful for all the lessons I've learned through this experience, and am looking forward to a future in the blogosphere.

It's Never Too Late

The film "Crazy Heart" is about Bad Blake (played by Jeff Bridges), a washed-up country and western singer who's had one too many marriages and way too many drinks. He meets a young reporter (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and his life is forever changed. I won't give away too much because I think everyone should see this excellent movie.

One of the reasons I loved this movie is that it is a story of hope and transformation. One of it's main messages is: it's never too late to change your life for the better.

As we grow older, many of us accept the myth that "change is impossible." We think that because we've lived the way we have for 50, 60, 70 or more years, we can't make major changes in our lives.

Yet, change is not only possible, it is inevitable. To live is to change either by choice or by chance. Crises, losses, pitfalls and tragedies happen to us without asking for our permission. Aging brings on changes we must accept.

Change doesn't only happen to us. Change can be an act of the will. We can choose to change those parts of ourselves and our lives that are destructive and unhealthy. It's never too late to change directions and embrace a better, happier and more meaningful life. If Bad Blake can turn his life around, anyone can.

Scorpion Story

This is a proverbial story from Hinduism that I've come across in several different religion/spirituality books.

A yogi (Hindu teacher) was sitting on the bank of the Ganges River and saw a scorpion floating in the water. He reached out his hand to rescue the scorpion and was stung by it. He reached out again and was stung again. He reached out a third time and was stung yet again. A passerby yelled at the yogi, "Fool! Why do you keep trying to rescue this scorpion whose only gratitude is to sting you?" The yogi replied, "Just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting, why should I change my nature which is to help?"

I told this story last night while teaching my World Religion class at the prison and saw something light up in one of my student's eyes. He said, "Thank you for this story. It so powerfully expresses how I'm trying to live in here."

Many Paths to the Summit

The first religion I'm covering in my World Religions course is Hinduism. Hinduism has several unique features. First, it has no single founder. Secondly, it is not an "organized" religion as it has no central organizing authority. Therefore, there are a great varieties of beliefs and practices under the Hinduism umbrella.

What I most appreciate about Hinduism is that it offers a variety of spiritual paths to achieve "moksha," a word meaning "liberation." The goal of Hinduism is the liberation of the soul ("atman") and union with the Universal Spirit (Brahman). Christianity, Buddhism and several other religions are considered valid spiritual paths by Hindus.

One of the the images that comes from Hinduism is that there are many paths that lead to the same summit. Not everyone has to take the same path to reach the goal. Another Hindu image is of many streams flowing into one large river.

I appreciate this gift of celebrating diverse spiritual paths. We do not need to convert others to our own path. We can affirm them in their own choice of a spiritual path. I think the religious world would be a better place if we practiced the "live and let live" spirituality of Hinduism.

Impermanence and Permanence

I realize I've written about the beauty of fresh snow before, but must do so again. Last night's snow silently covered all surfaces and tree limbs and I woke up to a winter wonderland.

Fresh snow is one of winter's gifts and I am grateful for it. Yet, by the end of the day, most of the snow will have melted with temperatures reaching near 40. The gift of snow is only temporary.

The melting of snow reminds me of the impermanence of all things. In the material realm nothing lasts forever. Snow comes and goes. Rocks erode. Suns eventually run out of fuel and become supernovae.

Only in the spiritual realm is there eternity. At least that is what I believe. God has existed from the beginning of the universe and will live past its end, if there is an end to it. I also believe that our souls, the deepest part of ourselves, will also endure for eternity. I don't/can't know what form that eternal existence will take.

In the midst of the impermanence of the material realm is permanence of an eternal, spiritual realm. Therefore, death (impermanence) is not the final word about our existence but eternal life (permanence) is.

The Promise in Pain

The poet Ogden Nash once penned this brief poem: Some pains are physical/some pains are mental/but the one that’s both is dental!

While we might smile at Nash’s witty words, pain is no laughing matter. We need to become more aware of our pain. It may seem strange to call for a greater awareness of pain since pain calls attention to itself so well. Yet, too many of us suffer silently with our pain.

Most of us seek medical attention when our pain reaches the level of intolerance. Unfortunately for some, pain can become chronic. Chronic pain is an overwhelming issue for a vast number of persons in the United States. It is estimated that fifty million Americans live and suffer with chronic physical pain.

As the Nash poem reminds us, pain is not only physical. A large number of Americans suffer from emotional pain. However, in the case of emotional pain many persons don’t seek treatment because of the stigma associated with depression, grief, or bipolar disorder.

Pain is often the first sign that something is wrong and is nearly always viewed as a medical issue in need of medical treatment. There have been many advances in the treatment of physical and emotional pain. If these treatments alleviate, or reduce our pain to manageable levels, we are fortunate.

But what happens when medical treatments don’t bring the relief we need and want?

One of the most dehumanizing aspects of pain is that it can cause us to feel helpless and powerless. We can easily see ourselves as victims with little control or power over our pain. Is there a way to find power and purpose in our suffering?
Because of a strong and proven mind/body connection, a spiritual approach could help when other treatments fail.

A spiritual approach involves: (1) acknowledging that pain is an inevitable part of being alive, (2) facing our pain rather than running from it, (3) learning the lessons pain can teach us, (4) discovering our inner strength to cope with pain, (5) being willing to journey with others in finding hope in the midst of pain.

How we cope with the pain that inevitably comes into our lives has so much to do with whether we feel happy, content and fulfilled. So let us suffer silently no more. If we have chronic pain, let us resolve to seek treatment. And, if we are in emotional pain, let us seek treatment as well.

Blessings in Disguise

I'm in the midst of writing a Lenten Bible study on the theme "blessings in disguise." I focused on this theme because the given title for the study is "Blessings of the Cross."

The cross is the opposite of a blessing. It's an instrument of torture and death. In the first century, it was a cruel means of capital punishment. Yet, in Christianity, the cross is a symbol of new life.

Jesus suffers and dies on a cross. Yet, out of this death comes resurrection. The cross shows the very worst humans are capable of: torturing and murdering an innocent person. Yet, the cross becomes a means of forgiveness and redemption.

For Christians, the cross is the ultimate blessing in disguise. However, we experience blessings in disguise in daily life. Through an illness we learn to appreciate the gift of life on a deeper level. In a financial crisis, we discover what truly matters to us. In a time of tragedy we encounter God's grace.

Not every negative event that happens is a blessing in disguise. Yet, there is the possibility of it becoming so if we learn to look for it. Discovering these hidden blessings is not simple or easy, but it is worth the effort of looking for them.