The Parable of the Coffee Hour

The man stood with his hands in the pockets of his tattered winter jacket, on the edge of the busy coffee hour after church. He wore a red “visitor” nametag. Somewhat out of duty, I approached him, welcomed him. He said he had money for the collection plate but didn’t know where to put it. I told him he could save the money and bring it next time. (The collection had already been collected, counted and taken to the office.). He insisted he wanted to give it because he had walked to his car to get it. I’m sure he had seen the embarrassing basket where people are asked to make a donation for coffee. He put the small handful of coins there. There was a wall between us, of course; the have and the have not, the one who belongs and the stranger, the man and the woman, the overdressed and the underdressed.

And yet, this connection; both of us wanting to fit in, to contribute, to be called by name, to do the right thing, to move from the edges, to be seen, to breathe, to sip coffee freely, to be known.

“Sometimes when I consider the tremendous consequences that come from little things, I am tempted to think there are no little things.” Bruce Barton

Become a Monk in the World

The website of Christine Valters-Paintner has a lovely website which you can visit here. In it there is an invitation for you to become a dancing monk in the "Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks". Here is a video to introduce them and see if you want to become one! I hope you do!!

Highlight this link and click on it to see what it means to join the order;

Monk Manifesto

Here is a poem of mine about finding the Temple;

HOW TO FIND THE TEMPLE

Begin far away.

Make stops as you approach.

Stand still … inhale the scent of the air.

Listen for messages.

Get closer.

Touch something unusual.

Note how the light falls.

Let your tears fall.

Send a prayer out on the wind.

Ask for what you want.

Kneel. Touch the ground.

See something very close up.

Look at the horizon.

Feel yourself between the two.

Set it all to music.

Say “Amen”.

Enjoy your week!

Body Wisdom

My friend, mentor, teacher and reader of this blog, Cynthia Winton-Henry has shared here her thoughts on movement/dance as a spiritual practice. You can learn more from and about her at her website, The Hidden Monastery; Centering the Divine Dance of body and Soul . Cynthia writes;

"The Great Dance stirs below the surface of life, always ready to lift us into wonder and magic. The dancing soul, say mystics, has nothing to do with steps or technique. The dance of life as our biological birthright and wisdom way is how we align to Cosmic Grace and Guidance. Dance is prayer at the cellular level.

The problem for many of us is that dance requires other bodies. It is not a solo practice. Even dedicated dancers find it challenging to dance alone. If you hunger to move, you may need to synch up to the Great Dance alongside others. Like those who drum, wherever two or more play, power and energy ignite.

As I say in my book, Dance: The Sacred Art, ; the Joy of movement as a spiritual practice.“Dancing quenches the restless heart. It’s a way of acknowledging, integrating, even celebrating that we live in a world in constant motion. It’s a way of unblocking self-expression. It’s a way of breaking down barriers.” When we are allowed to dance our prayers with others freely, we artfully co-operate with the sacred in all things."

I thank Cynthia for this advice and also for the many, many things I have learned from her about consulting the wisdom of my BODY rather than my head. She often asks us to shake our bodies and get rid of the centrality of THINKING before we start moving. The movement is allowed to inform our thinking rather than the other way around. I have found profound truths in my dancing with the organization Cynthia founded; Interplay. Check to see if there are Interplay leaders and gatherings near you. InterPlay is an active, creative way to unlock the wisdom of the body.

Though Cynthia rightly says that dance needs people to partner with. I have also experienced joy and insight by just putting on a piece of music that I love and letting my body move as it wants to move -- all by myself! Happy movement to you!