Tuesday, September 14, 2010

meditations on aspirations

copyright Gregory Colbert - Ashes and Snow

I've heard and experienced several things in the past two weeks that have both challenged and resounded with me. They are affirmations of my placement here at SFTS, as most of these things have been in assigned readings... classes... chapel.

Yesterday, one of my professors shared with us that he is not going to use the word 'God' for one year. Just as in Judaic tradition, he sees names as serving important functions. They express an ability to truly know and understand someone. The early Jews never spoke the name of YHWH because it indicated that they fully knew YHWH... and how can we, as humans, ever fully comprehend the mystery that is g_d? He is refraining from use of this word in hopes of rediscovering this mystery. What a wonderful way to create consciousness within oneself.

After reading the poem North South East West by Koren poet Kim Kwang-Kyu, my professor made the comment: "There is always something that doesn't like a wall."

I am in a class called Sex & Spirit through the GTU on Thursday evenings. I found in my first introduction to this class, that I am incredibly uncomfortable talking in a group of strangers about sexuality. My inclination is to totally shut off any contribution of my own and to just listen uncomfortably to others. I can't go without saying that the group does have several within it that are going for the shock factor... so maybe I'm not totally to blame. However, I wonder now what walls exist within me and also recognize that there is something else there that "doesn't like a wall."

2 comments:

  1. Oof! Great poem! There's something nice in knowing that no matter what we humans do, there are things in the universe and in our day-to-day lives that we have no power over.

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