Skip to main content

Seeing Differently


Two years ago, I was anticipating my first symposium as a student in The Living School, a two-year program of Richard Rohr's Center for Action and Contemplation. I had read Father Richard's work for more than a decade and was excited for this opportunity to grow in my practice of nondualism as a contemplative activist.

My life experiences had introduced me to the concept of nondualism long before I knew the term. I had previously thought of it as thinking out of the box or moving beyond common perspectives. The most significant lesson in my earliest life was probably the mystery of God as three persons in one. Another lesson was presented when my family entered the Catholic church in my racially segregated hometown's only parish. Segregation is a clear and extreme operationalization of dualism. It discourages intellectual curiosity by maintaining clear and distinct options that are in essence no option. 

Prayers offered during the Triduum introduced me to a way of praying for people of other and no faith traditions in a way that recognized humanity's universal search for truth without praying for everyone to convert to Catholicism. This was definitely thinking out of the box in a society where the only overly simplified measure of faith was the answer to one question of faith "Are you saved?" 

The truth has the capacity to transcend our beliefs because we are incapable of fully comprehending or expressing it with human language. In seeking the truth we experience nuance as it frees us to move into an unforeseen space where we can experience a deeper level of understanding. It also enhances our ability to move beyond the practice of quick judgments and exclusionary practices. We begin to see differently and come to recognize that theology and science are not adversaries.

One conversation remembered from my childhood was between my father and one of my mother's aunts who was known for speaking with authority. On this occasion, she stated that the theory of evolution contradicted the Bible's story of creation. Disagreeing, my father replied that evolution does not deny our belief that God is the Creator. As a child, I was simply amazed by the nondual assumption offered by my dad. It was not a matter of "either or", but one of "both and."

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for reading Leslye's Labyrinth. I welcome your comments.

Popular posts from this blog

Why I Write on Race

No, this is not what I wanted to do.  I did not choose this as my path, but it is the path on which I journey. At this time of my life, it is the path that must be acknowledged and no longer resisted. A deep sigh reveals my coming to terms with the convergence of my lived experience, my gift of words, and this moment in time.  As a citizen of the United States dealing with the heinous and flawed construct of race is inevitable. To speak about it requires inner work that I wanted to avoid. Included in the work is one essential question. Has the racial system been designed to privilege or oppress people? While many of my fellow citizens may  deny that race is relevant to them and in their lives, for those of us who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), the truth of our nation's original sin is our lived experience. It is no secret. My parents sought to shield me and my siblings from the oppression that infiltrated our lives in an apartheid system. Even without th
6 comments
Read more

Rising Above the Cacophony

In my research on Thomas Merton, I have come across a number of references to jazz music. While I appreciate the genre, I am quite far from being an aficionado. A longtime fan of Mary Lou Williams, I was pleased to learn that Merton also shared an appreciation of her musical genius. Then, there was a reference to John Coltrane's Ascension. The Catholic me was quite intrigued by both the title and Merton's fascination with the piece. I promptly went online and ordered the CD. The first time, I listened for less than five minutes as the cacophony of musical instruments reminded me of being in a club in my younger years. Remember when the music was so loud that it was like noise making it difficult to have a conversation? With my second attempt, I was pulled into the experience of hearing the sounds of individual instruments ascend amidst the perceived chaos. It was quite fascinating. As I type, I am listening to this work of Coltrane for the third time. It is having a diffe
Post a Comment
Read more

Planting Seeds or Not

So, yesterday was a difficult day for me personally. I received word that a deacon had offered an "excellent homily on racism." To provide a setting for you, I am speaking about my hometown parish where I was the only Black child and the only child of color among those making their First Holy Communion in the spring of 1966 in a racially segregated society. The only parish in town may have also been the only integrated church in the predominantly Christian town.  After being away for many years, I returned home to care for my mother and, consequently, to the parish.   How could I not rush to access the recording of the livestreamed liturgy to receive a balm for my weary soul in this time when we are confronting two pandemics: Covid-19, and the legacy of 400 years of white supremacy? Unfortunately, it did not take long for me to realize that my thirst was not going to be quenched nor my soul soothed by the deacon's words. Early in the homily, he stated: " I feel th
Post a Comment
Read more