Decades ago I had an epiphany during an epiphany. Stick with me; it'll make sense.
I was in a conversation with a young man. The reason why and who he was are now erased by time, but the epiphany remains fresh. He was telling me how the Navajos plant maize in the darnedest places. "They till these rows; they plant these seeds...I mean, it's in the desert for crying out loud! Nothing can grow in the desert. So why the heck would anyone...." He stopped mid-sentence. The light of an epiphany broke upon his face. Then he said, "They don't plant the seeds to grow maize! They plant the seeds to grow intention! Who knows if maize will grow or not, but the act of planting is what counts. They know that somewhere something will grow because they planted an intention." And in the midst of his epiphany, I experienced it too.
If God is in the details, then everything matters. Acts, thoughts, a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil. But I don't say this to make us paralyzed. (Ohmigosh, an angry thought! I just killed a squirrel in the Tuileries Gardens!) If wishes were horses we'd all be wearing waders. Rather, think of what our thoughts do to us. Do they make us anxious? Angry? Grateful? Lighthearted? Think of the words that come out of our mouths in a conversation with a cashier, a spouse, a telemarketer. That energy is what we put into the world. Does it not make sense that if MOST of what we put into the world is wholesome, something somewhere yields wholesomeness?This is happening more and more. If you read things like the Goodnews Network (www.goodnewsnetwork.org) or watch Karmatube (www.karmatube.org) you'll know that there is more to life than Fox News or the New York Times. People are doing good things, holding beautiful intentions. It goes on all the time. Everywhere. Higher consciousness, particularly in a group effort, can yield astounding results. I call such efforts Spirit Farming. We can all be Spirit Farmers. As we sow, so shall we reap.
In those dark nights of the soul, when you struggle to find your peace or an answer, step outside. Feel the maize growing between your toes. Know that you get to be the beneficiary of some good intention sent to you by someone...somewhere. And give thanks for their generosity.
Pax tecum.
I do understand what you're saying, Jan, though I find so much of the "Intention" and "Law of Attraction" line of thought leads sensitive people to ----- yes, you said it: paralysis. I see it leading a step further - to unmerciful self-examination and self flaggelation.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when I hear these things talked about they sound like mental formulae, not something that necessarily originates in the heart.
I know I may have a great intention to give my used furniture to the Salvation Army. Now that's a good positive idea.
But then I keep stalling. So what's really going on, I ask myself. I usually find a conflict between my good deed of giving away (a good mind idea) and the fact that I really want to keep that old stuff, even though I have no practical use for it. (idea from my heart)
And voila!! Can guilt be far off?? Ah ha! Now I am totally conflicted between 'it is more blessed to give than receive' and the fact that my heart is simply not ready to part with my gently used old furniture.
I see what you are saying, however, it's the potential for serious self-abuse in these teachings that concerns me. Because it's the sensitive people who will take these teachings to heart.
I know someone so sensitive to the Law of Attraction that he is convinced he was responsible for giving himself cancer. Whoa! What a hurtful application of this principle.
Thankfully, he has become kinder towards himself.
BTW, I give thanks for your generosity in starting this blog and in how kindly you give of yourself, Jan. You are a Spirit Farmer Extraordinaire!!
Carol