Bird Droppings July 11, 2012

Is religion what you make of it?

 

“A poor devotee points to the sky and says, ‘God is up there.’ An average devotee says, ‘God dwells in the heart as the Inner Master.’ The best devotee says, ‘God alone is and everything I perceive is a form of God.’” Ramakrishna

 

 Ramakrishna was a spiritual leader inIndia in the early and mid-1800’s. He had a belief in a unity of God, oneness of existence, the divinity of all living things and a harmony of religions. He felt religion was simply a means to accomplish a goal. I receive numerous emails of an inspirational nature each morning and this quote from a Hindu email struck me. How often do we want to place our faith somewhere away, up there, out there, anywhere but here?

 

“We also have a religion which has been given to our forefathers, and has been handed down to us their children. It teaches us to be thankful, to be united, and to love one another! We never quarrel about religion.” Red Jacket, Seneca orator

 

“We know that the God of the educated and the God of the child, the God of the civilized and the God of the primitive, is after all the same God; and that this God does not measure our differences, but embraces all who live rightly and humbly on the earth.” Ohiyesa, Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman, Santee Sioux

 

I have seen many similarities in philosophy between eastern thought and Native Peoples beliefs and philosophies. Not trying to advertise but a good inspirational book “The Wisdom of the Native Americans” Edited by Kent Nerburn is a collection of thoughts and ideas that can give a wonderful insight into a new day.

I walked out and watched the sunrise this morning sitting and listening as the light came into the world with a slow rising plume of smoke from a sage leave as a companion. I wish I were more awake it was writing binge the other night that kept me up all night that is making it harder to start today. But at each noise I heard and am hearing this morning the sounds are impressive. Late in the night a loud bird was singing off in the distance and still a few doves cooing and calling as I headed to bed. At two this morning owls and whippoorwills joined in as well as a few tree frogs. At six or so this morning it was a chorus of crickets, frogs, birds, and who knows what else but nearly melodic although I have a feeling it may have been so loud that this was what was waking me up.

I will be going by the school today to sort and clean my old room, move critters to the house and work on research for various projects for graduate school and for several projects that I am working on. I have been developing for several years my own collection of writings and spend a few moments in-between as a break working on those as well. Mornings are a good time for me to think and write as my thought processes seem more keen and sharp. One of my “friends” tells me it is old age, as by afternoon I tend to forget names and what was I working on.

As I opened up my emails over the past days I read through and sorted deleting spam and junk messages and recall a few years back how one caught my attention. It has been many years since I was youth director ofSt. Paul’s Episcopal Church inMaconGeorgia. I had my twenty third birthday in that capacity so many years ago, nearly forty years now. Sitting on my desk at the house is a Living Bible I received as a birthday gift, as I look back how appropriate in its name. This book it is alive with notes, thoughts, pictures from people along the way, even phone numbers and under lined verses with various kids autographs as they would select their favorites.

Occasionally I will open this old bible and spill out the tidbits and reflect on days gone by, on how philosophies changed and evolved. It has been several years since I called one of the numbers in the inside cover written nearly forty years ago. Back then Katharine was a high school student and a regular in our group. She is the one that gave me that bible for my birthday those many years ago. That call was a spur of the moment thought. I found she was in Europe at that time doing work for a mission board based out ofAfrica.

I received another email about six years ago from her again asking to not email Bird Droppings every day to her as her computer limits get maxed out so easy when traveling in third world countries.

 

“I am in Dili, East Timor now still working with Catholic Relief Services. In this rather “gypsy” life I lead of moving in and out of remote and often isolated places, it is very nice to know that I still have links with people I have known for more than 30 years. However, as it happens, in this life we also face challenges with email communication …  I love getting the Bird Droppings daily, but with the very limited access we have here to send, download and receive, I am afraid that I am going to have to ask you to take me off your list-serve.  I can only get to email about once a week and downloading large documents that come daily really does slow down the whole system. I work and pray daily for peace and healing… please hold that thought for me. A note now and then would be fine and appreciated. Wishing you all the best and peace.” Katherine Pondo

 

I speak often of the puzzle of our lives falling into place piece by piece each little intricate facet interconnecting to the next. Today as I sit writing and thinking of all the pieces over the years all the lives that have intertwined I offer this morning that when you get a chance to keep the Katherine Pondo’s of the world in your hearts and thoughts as often they are on the front lines of humanity trials and tribulations. Looking back over my wanderings today this is a small world and we so often try and segregate, delegate, and relegate belief. Over the past years religion has sparked political battles and upheavals. I honestly do not think Ramakrishna as he thought of harmony among religions would have foreseen the drama and often fighting that exists because of religion. So today please as always keep those in harm’s way on your mind and in your hearts and to always give thanks.

namaste

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