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

The Holy Kiss

Home
Progressive Christian
“Namaste” is Authentic Meeting.

“Namaste” is Authentic Meeting.

Last updated on: October 1, 2019 at 12:59 am by Roger Wolsey

“Namaste” is Authentic Meeting. 2019-10-01T00:59:39-07:00 Roger Wolsey

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.

Sure. “Namaste.”

Yes “the divine in me meets the divine in you.”

The light in me greets the light in you….

But it’s not just your glitter and gold that I’m looking for.
Nice straight teeth and a smile that shines up a room – Okay, yeah. Noted.
Petite button nose and luscious locks and tresses. Alright.
Impeccable resume gilded with ivy league goodness and summa cum laude highlights. Fine. You’ve attended church every Sunday for the past 20 years. Cool. Weird, but cool.

Yet when I say namaste I mean more.
I mean the darkness in me greets the darkness in you
I mean the gaping wound that hasn’t healed in me meets the gaping wound in you
the pettiness in me, the vindictiveness in me, the naughty in me, the demons, the gross grubs, the wretched wretchedness, the cussing jerk, the dysfunctional, torrid, unseemly, self-sabotaging, fly unzipped, toilet paper stuck to my heel, stained dirty laundry parts of me
…greet those parts in you.

I mean *all of me greets all of you.*
That’s where I feel met.

Let’s try this again.

Namaste.
“It is hard to make your adversaries real people unless you recognize yourself in them – in which case, if you don’t watch out, they cease to be adversaries.” – Flannery O’Connor

image 1 “Complicated Man” by Damian Michaels
image 2 “Love” by Alexander Milov

XX – Roger [See also this related poem, written earlier this year, and also this piece about shadow-work]

Rev. Roger Wolsey is a United Methodist pastor and author of Kissing Fish: christianity for people who don’t like christianity

Click here for the Kissing Fish Facebook page

contemplative spirituality

Previous Post

November 28, 2017

Theological Violence toward the Divine Feminine & Rape Culture.

Next Post

December 12, 2017 Help! Was St. Nicholaus a Theological Terrorist?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 October 2022 June 2022 December 2021 September 2021 August 2021 April 2021 March 2021 September 2020 August 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 September 2017 May 2017 February 2017 January 2017 October 2016 August 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 November 2015 September 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 July 2013 April 2013 March 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 October 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who prepared Jesus' body for burial?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joseph of Arimathea Peter, James, and John Roman Centurions Mary the Mother of Jesus