Is there a map for a spiritual journey?

Your Spiritual Journey is uniquely your own. You may have figured out by now that there is no One-Size-Fits-All, road map for your journey to a relationship with God. I kind of wish there was. It would be so much easier to just open up Spiritual Enlightenment for Dummies, and follow the instructions!

Spiritual formation (another term for Spiritual Journey) never occurs in a straight line. We can't just do a few specific things in a certain order and become a mystic! Sometimes the spiritual journey feels like an uphill hike, sometimes like a leisurely stroll, and sometimes it feels like you're backtracking (or even falling off a cliff!) There are stops along the way where you have to catch your breath, and other places where you have to run to keep up!

That is why a labyrinth is a terrific metaphor for your spiritual journey. The path in a labyrinth twists and turns; sometimes getting close to the center and then abruptly turning away. Along the path you may encounter other people and walk beside them for a time, and other times you may walk alone.

The goal of walking a labyrinth is to reach the center - a metaphor for communion with God - but then walk back out, by the same path you came in.

That may seem counter-intuitive, yet it perfectly describes the spiritual journey! People do not live in a constant state of enlightenment. We may become spiritually aware, or have an encounter with the Divine, but we still have to return to our lives in the world. The difference is that we can take our spiritual awareness with us. The journey never ends.

Come to The Oasis Renewal Center and walk our labyrinth with me!

Aha Moments on the Road to Emmaus

In this week’s lectionary passage, Luke 24: 13-15, we read the familiar story of two disciples encountering the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus. This event takes place on the same day that Jesus’ tomb was found to be empty – Easter Sunday.

We only know the name of one of these disciples – Cleopas - he is identified in v. 18. We don’t know much about Cleopas, as this is the only time he is mentioned in the Gospels. Perhaps he lived in Emmaus and was walking the seven miles back to his village from Jerusalem with another follower of Jesus, and most likely, a crowd of other Jewish pilgrims heading back home after celebrating the Passover. During their walk, Jesus comes alongside them and joins them, acting as if He hadn’t heard about his own crucifixion and resurrection.

Since they didn’t recognize Jesus (v. 16) Cleopas and the other disciple tell him their version of the events of the weekend, even admitting that the news of the empty tomb was simply unbelievable to them. They also mentioned “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel;” hinting at their disappointment that Jesus was crucified instead of overthrowing the Romans, as many people expected.

Even though these two guys were sincere and complete in their narrative, Jesus says, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (v.25) He is essentially saying, “After all this time, and after everything you’ve seen, you guys still don’t get it!?” and then goes on to point out every verse in the Hebrew scriptures that pointed to him, beginning with Genesis, and working his way through the Prophets, and undoubtedly, the Wisdom literature. That would have been a fascinating lecture to listen in on!

When you go back through the entire Old Testament and look for prophesies that point to Jesus, you’ll find that there are quite a lot of them that don’t point to a triumphant conquering Messiah. Nowhere does it say that the Messiah will kick the Romans out of Judea. Yes, some do mention a kingdom. But then there are all of those Servant passages in Isaiah. Or that cry of anguish in Psalm 22 that reads, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Not to mention all those one-liners about riding a donkey and being betrayed (Zephaniah); being rejected by his people and betrayed by friends (Psalms); it would be a lot to take in.

And yet, these two still didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of what they were hearing, or who was explaining it to them, until Jesus “took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them.”  That was the moment that they recognized Jesus; that was their “Aha!” moment. I wonder – was it the nail holes in his hands, or the way he broke the bread that clued them in? Or did Jesus have a particular way of giving thanks that tipped them off?

Their recognition that Jesus was alive must have seemed too good to be true, and Cleopas and his friend needed to reassure one another that they really did just see Jesus. One of them commented that “their hearts were burning” while Jesus explained the scriptures. Now that could have been caused by too much lamb and matzoh washed down with a bit too much wine, but these guys were convinced that it was a spiritual sign.

Their Aha! moment was so powerful for Cleopas and his companion that they left their meal uneaten and ran right back to Jerusalem to tell everyone that Jesus had risen and appeared to them. They ran seven miles, back up the hill, excitedly shouting, “It’s true! The Lord has risen!”

There has been a whole lot written about the veracity of Jesus’ resurrection and appearances in the intervening 2000 or so years since this happened. We’ve heard numerous theories that discount the disciples’ claims; theories that range from they made it all up, to someone poisoned the Passover wine resulting in mass hallucinations. And yet...

Mary Magdalene was convinced that she’d seen Jesus. Peter was convinced. Cleopas and his friend were convinced. Eventually all of the disciples we know by name, and several hundred that we don’t, were ALL convinced that they saw Jesus walking around, after he’d been crucified, died and was buried. And most of them would eventually be killed in nasty ways, still claiming that they had seen Jesus and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that He had risen from the grave.

The reality is that strange things do happen in this world.

Just recently a Malaysian Air jet with 239 people on board disappeared shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia. In the 21^st century, jets don’t just vanish into thin air. And yet, almost two full months after that jet disappeared from radar, not one single piece of debris or any other trace of that jet has been found. Not one. It just...vanished.

I hate to break it to you, but we mere humans don’t know how everything works. We like to think that we do. We like to think of ourselves as very clever creatures who have all the answers. But when the answers don’t jive with our preconceived notion of how the world should work, we just don’t know what to do with that.

Just look at quantum physics. All of the laws of physics as we have known them for hundreds of years do not apply when we’re dealing with things at the quantum level. At the quantum level, a particle can be in two places at one time. That shouldn’t be the case. And yet, it is.

Can you imagine what the scientist who first observed this phenomenon must have thought at that moment? After years of the study, and experiments that yielded bizarre results, someone came up with the wild idea that maybe the laws are different at the quantum level. That person became the laughing stock of the lab I’m sure, but they persevered, and re-ran all of those experiments. To finally prove that the theory was right after all....

Have you ever had an Aha! moment? One of those moments when suddenly everything made perfect sense? A moment in which the answer became crystal clear; despite the fact that you weren’t even sure what the question was? A moment in which time slowed down, light appeared brighter and the edges of reality seemed crisper? Tell me about it!

6 Reasons to go on a Retreat!

Retreats have always been an important part of the spiritual journey. Dallas Willard, who writes about spiritual practices, says “It was an important day when I finally understood that if Jesus needed forty days in the wilderness.... I could probably use three of four.” 

Here are six reasons why you should go on a retreat this year:

1) Jesus did it.  Luke reminds us “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places…” (Luke 5:16) In Jesus’ ministry, he accomplished a lot. Performing miracles, healing, preaching, and walking all over Israel can take a lot out of a person. Yet, we never see Jesus frantically rushing. He wasn’t driven by agendas or running around at the speed of light. He lingered over meals. He sat and talked with people. He went into the mountains by himself, or walked by the sea where he experienced God’s presence. Jesus went on retreats – retreats where something significant happens. His 40 days in the wilderness was as much a retreat, as it was temptation.  Retreats fueled his ministry. When Jesus said, “I am the way” (John 14:6) maybe he implied more than we realize!  Maybe his way is better than your way. If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must do the things that Jesus did. Jesus retreated. Enough said.

2) You’ve got rhythm. There is a natural rhythm to life that people often want to avoid. We just can’t get around the fact that we need 8 hours of sleep, in order to be alert and functioning during the other 16 hours. There is also a rhythm to nature. Gardens need to lie fallow for a time, in order to replenish the soil. Trees lose their leaves and go dormant in winter. Something happens in the winter than can’t happen in the spring. There is a purpose to these seasons of rest! When you resist or try to rearrange the rhythm that God created in you, you miss out on the abundant life that Jesus promised. A retreat can help restore your rhythm.

3) God is awesome. Without reminding yourself of the bigger picture, the overarching story of life, you can find yourself living a small, lonely existence filled with meaningless routine. Work, fast food and Facebook can consume your life. People are more often awed by the tiny-ness of technology than the glory of God. We’re told that Jesus often went off by himself so he could pray, rest and get refreshed. He went out into the mountains and surrounding countryside to experience God’s presence, in a way that would reorient his perspective. On those retreats, whether he was alone or with a few of his friends, Jesus experienced the splendor of creation and the majesty of God. A retreat can remind you just how amazing God still is.

4) Your soul needs recharging.  When the battery in your cell phone is dead, you plug it in to get it going again. You have to recharge the battery. After a busy week, or a busy season, your adrenalin levels are high. Yes, you need to achieve and accomplish stuff, but your soul was designed to recharge by not achieving and accomplishing stuff. God rested, so should you. Rest is how your soul recharges. Something happens during rest - in retreat - that cannot happen when you are living on adrenalin. Your soul needs to retreat to recharge.

5) Knowing God requires more than books. Our society is obsessed with information and education. Seminars, conferences, sermons and podcasts are everywhere! More information may look good on a resume, but it will not transform your soul.  God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) There is a holiness in stillness and silence. Experiencing God’s presence changes your life in a way that knowing facts about God can’t. Jesus’ parables referred to things like storms, seeds, trees and birds. Creation can teach us things about God that books and conferences can’t. A retreat that ushers you into stillness, silence and the beauty of nature helps you really get to know God. 

And the best reason of all to retreat:

6) Jesus invites you. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)

See you at The Oasis soon!

Agreements

I read this book - The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz - recently. And several years ago. And two years before that. And the year it first came out. I keep returning to it because it is brilliant, easy to read, and It. Makes. Perfect. Sense.

THIS is how I keep intending to live. To be impeccable with my word. To never take anything personally. To avoid making assumptions. And to always do my best. And yet...

Four simple agreements. Four completely easy-to-remember statements of truth. So why do I forget?

Beyond the fleeting "I hope I'm not getting early-onset dementia," I really do wonder why this is so hard to remember!

Maybe it's just me, but we humans have a tendency to forget really important things. We don't learn our lessons as quickly or as thoroughly we should. We have to keep repeating the lessons until God hits us over the head with a brick.

The book of Exodus is a prime example. The wandering Israelites were all excited to be leaving Egypt on page 5, and there was much rejoicing! Then on page 6 they were complaining about having to leave Egypt because that's where the tasty food and awesome night life was.

On page 7 they ALL promised to worship only Yahweh, and on page 8 they were bowing down to a gold statue of a cow. A cow! Like the cow brought them out of Egypt.

Seriously. Forgetful doesn't even begin to describe their actions. I totally get it.

SO, beginning (again) today, I will live by the Four Agreements.

Now what was I saying.....?

Mowing the lawn

I mowed the lawn at The Oasis yesterday.

We have an old-fashioned, 2-wheeled, reel mower that you have to push. It does a terrific job cutting the grass as long as the grass isn’t too long, or you don’t run over a stick.  It took me two hours. Our grass was very long and I ran over lots of sticks.

If the grass is too long, the grass just kind of bends over as the mower passes over it. Then it pops back up and laughs. So you have to make several passes over that particular blade of grass, from various angles and different directions. It’s very much like a dance.

My grandfather DeeDee had a reel mower that hung in the little shed behind his house in Massachusetts. It maintained its fresh-cut grassy smell even if he hadn’t used it in months. It had a certain distinguished air about it. It also looked slightly dangerous - but in a respectful way - not in the horror movie kind of way.

I was in awe of DeeDee’s reel mower, and I always wanted to have one of my own. Reel mowers are unobtrusive and well-mannered. Reel mowers are much more sincere and unpretentious than their gas-powered cousins. And don’t even get me started on the electric models – those are obvious imposters.

So I mowed for two hours, enjoying the fresh-cut grassy smell, and working up a sweat. It was meditative and calming; very Zen-like, in a nostalgic, home-spun way. And while I mowed, I noticed the way the color of the grass changed depending on the angle which the mower cut it. I also noticed that our grass was abnormally long and our yard was full of sticks. But I considered it an honor to cut the grass and dance.

Silence and Prayer

“In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.” ~ Mother Theresa

I recently read Mansions of the Heart, by Tom Ashbrook. It is a wonderful exploration of how we grow spiritually, and a reminder that we never truly "get there" in this life.

One of Tom's stories resonated with me and the purpose of The Oasis Renewal Center. Tom spent some time on a retreat at a monastery, and was curious how the monks could devote their entire lives to prayer. He watched them for a few days before finally asking one of them about it. He offhandedly commented that he would run out of things to say to God, and asked the monk how he could pray all the time. The monk smiled, and replied, "Well, mostly I listen."  Aha!

There is silence at The Oasis. In the silence, you can listen to God. At times the silence at The Oasis almost seems deafening. One of our guests  commented: "It's almost too quiet here!"

When was the last time you experienced silence? In the silence you may notice that your ears are ringing. Or that the wind is blowing. Or that birds are singing. Or that you can actually hear yourself breathing. Or that God is whispering to you.

Holy Yoga, Batman!

I spent last week at an intense yoga retreat. Intense and yoga should not be used in the same sentence. In fact that entire sentence is an oxymoron.

You're probably thinking, "Oh wah! A yoga retreat? Quit complaining!" But bear with me, please.

The "retreat" (and I use that term very loosely) was a week-long intensive training to complete my certification as a Registered Holy Yoga Instructor. I was at this so-called retreat with about 50 other people, from all over the country, who were also completing their yoga training. It was an amazing time of worship, bonding and stretching; and a crash course in getting to know the muscles in my body that had apparently been on vacation on a tropical beach for the past few years. 

Did I mention that we were stretched?

There was very little rest or relaxation involved in this - we were up early and on our yoga mats by 7 am. Yes, you read that correctly. For those of you who don't know me well, the very idea of being anywhere but in my bed at 7 am is anathema to me!! Especially before 3 cups of coffee and breakfast. So you can imagine what was going through my head as we began to stretch and move at that absurd hour: "These people are trying to kill me!"

On the second day, the morning yoga hour was followed by breakfast, then a very full schedule of workshops on yoga poses, lectures on anatomy, a light lunch and some Bible study thrown in for good measure. After dinner we got to hit the mat once more for something called "Power Yoga." I have no idea who came up with that idea, but they obviously have an affinity for torture. This confirmed my initial suspicions.

By the third day, my butt was so sore it was actually numb. This was from sitting on my yoga mat while listening to those previously mentioned lectures and workshops for three days. And then I got a cramp. In my right butt cheek. Not in the usual gluteous maximus butt cheek muscle, but somewhere deeper...somewhere mysterious and terrifying. Somewhere where no muscle should even be, let alone one with a cramp. So, that was fun.

On Friday we had to design a short Holy Yoga class of our own to teach to our fellow yogis-in-training. This was actually fun and challenging, because we could show our "class" how to get into specific yoga poses and connect a worshipful experience to the poses. My class became experts at breathing deeply while in Corpse Pose. After 10 minutes of that however, it was suggested that I teach them something a bit more vigorous.

By Saturday I didn't want to go home. I was having so much fun! I was enjoying the fellowship and worship experience that is Holy Yoga, and I was really getting into the physical challenge of yoga! Who knew? 

I never expected God to show up on my yoga mat (at an absurdly early hour) and teach me something about myself. After all, I'm 49 - I'm in the "middle" of my life, and I figured I must know myself pretty well by now. Ha!

I learned that getting up early and working out before breakfast did not kill me.
I learned that what doesn't kill me actually does make me stronger!
I learned that I shouldn't say "I can't."
I learned that excuses are just that...excuses.
I learned that I am much more flexible that I gave myself credit for.
I learned that I can S T R E T C H. In more ways than one.
I learned that even if I am physically unable to get into Lotus pose, that's OK. I never wanted to do that one  anyway.

Peeping-Toms and Prayer

We have a hummingbird.

Or I suppose, a hummingbird has us. After all, we live in his territory. And we never thought to ask permission to move in, we just did. I often wonder what he thought about that. It probably made him grumpy. If I had been away on my annual migration and come home to find a large boxy house planted smack in the middle of my territory, I'd be pretty grumpy about it. Even if it did come with flowers.

At any rate, our hummingbird has been in the yard for several years, and makes his rounds several times each day, surveying his empire. He carefully checks on each plant in our back yard as if he planted them himself. I don't suppose he remarks on how much they've grown or if he even notices that they need to be watered. He pays very careful attention to the blossoms on the apple tree, and the flowers in the side garden, harvesting what nectar he can find. Then he diligently checks each and every succulent, cactus, flower, herb and vegetable to see if any of them have blossomed yet. It is his job, and he is very good at it.

One day I sat outside our on the patio and waited for the hummingbird to stop by. He did, of course, because that is his routine. He didn't seem to even notice that I was there, although he may have been scolding me the whole time. I have not yet learned to speak hummingbird.

The most curious thing about our hummer however, is that he's a voyeur. He is a tiny peeping-Tom. He likes to peek inside our windows. At first we thought he might see flashes of color in our house and was investigating. And then I thought perhaps he saw his own reflection and was threatening a perceived enemy which might have strayed into his territory. However, he does this every day and does not seem to be upset by what he finds.

The hummer hasn't slowed down long enough to explain why he peeks in our windows. Yet each day at noon, and again at 4:00 pm, the hummer flies up to the windows in the living room and hovers in front of each one. Then he maneuvers over to the side of the house and looks into each of the windows of the family room, and the french door in the kitchen. In order. Every day. Twice a day.

Perhaps its a hummingbird form of prayer. Each day the hummer pauses to catch a glimpse of a realm which he can perceive, yet cannot quite grasp. It's as if he's peeking into another dimension, where beings so different, so "other" than him, reside.

We do the very same thing. Every Sunday morning, and perhaps at other times on other days, we try to catch a glimpse of God. We know God is there - we've seen the evidence, we've heard the stories, we've read the Bible. We know that God somehow hears our prayers and answers them, even if we are unsure of the exact mechanism for that process. Yet we still crave the chance to catch a glimpse into that other dimension, where beings so different, so "other" than us, reside. We too are tiny peeping-Toms, hovering by God's windows, yearning for answers.

Be Still

Be Still.

When was the last time you were actually still? (Not counting when you're asleep, of course.)

It isn't easy to be still. To not move. Not think. Not make to-do lists in your head, or rerun that annoying song from the 80's that is stuck in your head. Not to turn on YouTube and mindlessly watch videos of salsa-dancing chihuahuas. Not to surf Facebook - pretending to be still - but actually spying on your friends and wondering why they watch Duck Dynasty.

BE STILL.

For people who are naturally gregarious, people who are "driven," have ADHD, the "Type A's"  and those with extroverted tendencies, being still can be a real challenge. For those of us who are naturally introverted, being still may come easier. (Please note: Introverts aren't shy, they just recharge by being alone, as opposed to extroverts who recharge better in a crowd or at a party. It has to do with our emotional energy levels.) Yet, we ALL need to occasionally disengage from whatever it is that makes us so busy, and become still.

Jesus was an expert at this. I believe Jesus was an introvert. If you look through the Gospels, you will find that in every single one, the writer reports that Jesus went off by himself. 

"When Jesus hear what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place." Matt. 14:13

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed." Mark 1:35

"Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples found him..." Luke 9:18

"Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." John 6:15

Naturally, since Jesus was off by himself, none of the disciples or Gospel writers were witness to what transpired in those solitary places. I have to think that Jesus was an introvert and He spent time alone, being still, and praying in order to re-energize himself for the ministry tasks that were inevitably coming up in the next few days.

Peter, on the other hand, strikes me as more of an extrovert. Always wanting to plow ahead, to jump in with the right answer, to DO something, Peter only paused for prayer when he was reminded to do so. And yet, in Acts 1:12-14, Peter and the others "went upstairs to the room where they were staying...they all joined together constantly in prayer." Extroverts can pause and become still when the situation requires it.

Susan Cain, an author and speaker, says "Solitude matters. And for some people, it is the air that they breathe."

Be still. Don't put it on your calendar for next Tuesday, just do it. Right now.
Close your eyes.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.
Be still.

Holding Hands With God

 

The other day I had the privilege of spending half an hour with a gentleman by the name of Leslie. 

Les is from a small town in Arizona, and spent much of his 80+ years working on a ranch. He is a proud man and is fastidious about his appearance; his cowboy boots are shined, pearl-buttoned shirt is tucked in, and he insists his Wranglers are pressed and starched, or he refuses to put them on. He still proudly wears that silver buckle that he won in a roping event, decades ago. His graying hair is neatly trimmed, and his blue eyes still twinkle when he hears someone call his name. But Les is trapped inside a body that he doesn't recognize anymore; a body that refuses to cooperate with him.  

Les has a form of Parkinson's disease. In addition to the sometimes violent tremors in his hands, Les finds it difficult to communicate. Part of his brain has slowed down to the speed of molasses. It isn't that he is slow in understanding - he knows exactly what is going on at all times - it's just that his reactions and speech get bogged down somewhere between his brain and his mouth. It's as if the words have suddenly decided to take a detour through Tokyo. It makes for long silences between questions and answers. Needless to say this is frustrating, both to Les and to the people who care for him.

Les and I sat on a bench by the garden, despite the chill in the air. I gave him communion, and asked him if he would pray with me. We closed our eyes, I held his shaking hands and invited the Holy Spirit to join us. And in that moment, I felt a warm tingling - like an electric current - course down through my arms and hands, and Les' hands became still. 

In that moment, we held hands with God. 

I wish I could say that Les was miraculously healed, but the tremors were back within a minute. Despite our prayers, Les' disease may still progress. His speech may eventually become even more difficult, and the tremors may become more intrusive. But in that moment, we both knew that God still loves him and hasn't deserted him. In that moment, we felt peace. And that is enough.