Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Emergent Village

Home
Progressive Christian
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher

No Guru, No Method, No Teacher

Last updated on: March 9, 2015 at 8:40 am by Anita Brown

No Guru, No Method, No Teacher 2015-03-09T08:40:28-05:00 Anita Brown

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Returning to the place where my very first poem formed in my Spirit. I gaze at the trees’ reflection and the words return:

Look up
stretching, never touching, the spindly treetops reach for the clouds
Glance down
In the rippling water, the treetops dive below the surface brushing the clouds
and in the movement of the river, the branches sway slightly
Look up
tranquil, majestic,

at peace in their stillness

Penned over 7 years ago, the message of the cross has slowly revealed itself. The vertical length of the tree carrying our prayers to heaven in stillness. The horizontal arms here on this plane must flow and follow *Spirit’*s leading putting love into action. At the intersection of great suffering and redemption lies transformation.

Now I hear the birds calling my name and I’m crying, enraptured, as I recognize their voice as God’s very own.
Trancelike, I listen to their singing; a sweet lullaby, meant just for me.

I must lie on the frozen, February earth and hidden in secret hardness miraculously melts.
She absorbs it. I come seeking balance of groundedness and passion, hoping it will conjure magical fruits.

Sure, I could beat myself up for all the things I said that make me feel foolish.
Those words can easily be twisted for not-so-good.
But this time, I let it go.
That is not the place I choose to put my energy–
into worry.
No,
I am enjoying God’s lullaby too much.
I walk home and think of the women at the high-rise, downtown Federal Detention Center
where I teach yoga and meditation.
They can’t walk in parks and gaze at skies to receive their forgiveness.
They can’t hear the birdsong lullabies or melt their hardened hearts into Mama earth.
So I enjoy it all the more– for them.
Freedom is not free.
The price we pay is our commitment to attention, our recognition and appreciation of beauty + magic.
I must choose to embrace this freedom in all its forms.
I know my sacred service contribution is being boomeranged back to me in the form of thanksgiving in my heart.
I am full, contented.
And confident that the gifts of contemplation and mindfulness are some of the most valuable, in this day and age
of distraction and addiction.
simplicity
The soul desires nature’s gospel
and the trees’ reverse breath to cure all our ills should we allow it to inspire us.

‘No guru, no method, no teacher’- the lyrics to Van Morrison’s In the Garden spring forth…
Just you and I, and nature
And the father, in the garden.’

And I know the garden is our very own heart + the breath, its lullaby.

Contemplative Spirituality

emerging Christianity

Previous Post

March 4, 2015

Re-narrating an Emergent God

Next Post

March 8, 2015 #MakeItHappen - Gender Equity for Women and Girls

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Addiction Advent Atheism Authority Bible Cartoons Christian Year Christmas church church planting Civil Rights Community Contemplative Spirituality Culture emerging church Empire Eschatology Evangelism Events Gender Healing Humanism Islam Justice Kingdom Lent Movement Building Multi-Faith Music mysticism New Wave Emergence origins Personal Poetry politics Prayer Preaching Privilege Racism Religious naturalism Resurrection salvation SKEPTIMERGENT Theology Trauma Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2017 November 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

To where did Jesus' family flee from Bethlehem?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Egypt Greece Samaria Nazareth