Opposite Of Meditation Is Not Action, It's Reaction
Opusul meditației nu este acțiunea, ci reacția.--de Richard Rohr
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În cadrul dezbaterilor politice sau chiar pe tărâmul reflecțiilor spirituale pare că societatea noastră se află într-un punct de minim în ce privește conversațiile avute pe subiecte dificile și controversate. Consider că singura cale de a depăși polarizarea este o re-valorizare a tăcerii.
Tăcerea are o viață proprie. Nu este doar ceea ce înconjoară cuvintele și nici ceva ce stă în spatele imaginilor sau evenimentelor. Tăcerea este o ființă cu care interacționăm și devenim intim familiari. În filosofie, prin ființă înțelegem acea calitate fundamentală care vine înaintea tuturor celorlalte atribute. Tăcerea este la temelia realității - ființă primordială, așadar. Ființa pură este aceea din care se trag toate celelalte și la care tot ce există se întoarce. Sau, cum îmi place să spun, Realitatea este cel mai apropiat aliat al lui Dumnezeu.
Atunci când ne conectăm cu tăcerea ca prezență vie și primordială, putem vedea toate celelalte lucruri - și le putem experimenta de-o manieră profundă - în cadrul acestui spațiu. Tăcerea nu este doar o absență, ci o prezență originară. Tăcerea înconjoară orice ‘Știu’ cu un umil și răbdător ‘Nu știu’. Tăcerea protejează autonomia și demnitatea evenimentelor, persoanelor, animalelor și tuturor lucrurilor create.
Să fiu bine înțeles, genul de tăcere pe care îl descriu nu ignoră nedreptățile. Așa cum explică Barbara Holmes: ‘Unii dintre noi îi permit tăcerii să ne hrănească și să ne cuprindă căutările; alții, care au fost reduși la tăcere de către nedreptăți,, caută să dea glas bucuriei regăsirii spirituale. Oricât ar părea de înspăimântător să ne calmăm, trebuie să găsim liniștea din centrul strigătului, pauza din mijlocul lui ‘amin’, ca un prim pas către regenerare’.
Trebuie să găsim o cale de a ne întoarce în acest loc, să trăim în el, să ne adăpostim în acest sălaș de liniște interioară. Tăcerea exterioară înseamnă prea puțin, dacă nu se trage dintr-o tăcere interioară adâncă. Totul apare mult mai limpede, când vine dintr-un loc de liniște.
Fără liniște, nu trăim cu adevărat experiențele proprii. Suntem aici, dar nu în profunzimea lui aici. Trăim multe experiențe, dar acestea nu au puterea de a ne schimba, de a ne trezi, sau de a ne da bucuria și pacea pe care, așa cum spune Iisus (Ioan 14:27), lumea nu ne-o poate oferi.
Fără un dram de tăcere interioară și exterioară nu trăim și nu gustăm momentul prezent. Opusul contemplării nu este acțiunea, ci este reacția. Avem nevoie să așteptăm acțiunea pură, ce apare din liniște profundă.
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Întrebări pentru reflecție: Cum vă raportați la idea că acțiunea pură apare din liniște profundă? Ați putea împărtăși o experiență în care ați reușit să vă întoarceți în centrul strigătului sau în mijlocul lui ‘amin’ (adevăr, în ebraică)? Ce vă ajută să stați centrat în prezență originară/primordială?
Fr. Richard Rohr este un preot franciscan din provincia New Mexico și fondator al Centrului pentru Acțiune și Contemplare din Albuquerque, New Mexico. Învățăturile lui se inspiră din practicile tradiționale franciscane de contemplare și golire de sine, și capătă forma compasiunii radicale, îndreptate cu precădere în folosul celor marginalizați social.
Fr. Richard Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His teaching is grounded in the Franciscan alternative orthodoxy—practices of contemplation and self-emptying, expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion that pure action proceeds from deep silence? Can you share an experience of a time you were able to return to the core of the shout or the pause in the middle of your amen? What helps you stay grounded in primal presence?
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14 Past Reflections
On Jun 4, 2020 sharnita chilukuri wrote :
Beautiful read! Yes silence is when you can truly commune with the spirit within you!
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On May 28, 2020 Molly wrote :
You must be selfish with the taking back of your time. It is the most valuable thing we have and yet we give it away to distraction so easily. Who cares what our society or culture says, it has no bearing on the way a person chooses to live. Who ever said I needed to be moving at the speed of light to be, what... successful? a person? worthy? We need to choose our passions carefully because that is where our hearts live. I choose to be selfish with my time (purpose in serving God) and generous with my love.
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On May 21, 2020 Rhea Dsouza wrote :
I really have been savouring thedistinction between saying my prayers..and Being prayerful... Saying the prayers is an Action..and is momentary..Being prayerful is a space to come from ..its a quality of Silence that holds ..other actions....and from a prayerful space..every and any action is ..Holy
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On May 4, 2020 Sergio Fabbri wrote :
I think it could be interesting to try to found a new language to talk about something that, using our current language, is in a sense unspeakable (as perhaps Wittgenstein would say).
What here is called "silence" - that I perceive in a very active way - could be ambiguously meant as something thinkable just as a "place" where anything isn't there anymore.
Instead, during meditation, what I agree to call "silence" - because of lack of a more proper term - is a very dynamic presence, an essence and not a mere background.
I'm saying this even though I'm agnostic...
Thank you for such inspirational words!
What here is called "silence" - that I perceive in a very active way - could be ambiguously meant as something thinkable just as a "place" where anything isn't there anymore.
Instead, during meditation, what I agree to call "silence" - because of lack of a more proper term - is a very dynamic presence, an essence and not a mere background.
I'm saying this even though I'm agnostic...
Thank you for such inspirational words!
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On May 3, 2020 Anabel Yurrita wrote :
Es verdaderamente un tesoro alcanzado, quien encuentra el valor del silencio!!!!!
ahi nos encontramos con nosotros mismos y con Dios...
ahí es donde está la paz.....
ahi nos encontramos con nosotros mismos y con Dios...
ahí es donde está la paz.....
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On Apr 29, 2020 Jerard C. Lizares wrote :
When I feel anger, stress and mostly all extreme emotions, I tend to be quiet when the feelings subside.Then I started to realized, after being true to that emotions, what comes next. Silence give me the answer because it helps me to put things in balance. Balance my emotions and thinking. Then it keeps me better because I know now where I'm moving on.
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On Apr 28, 2020 Linda K Lyzenga wrote :
"Some of us allow [silence] to fully envelop and nurture our seeking; others who have been silenced by oppression seek to voice the joy of spiritual reunion in an evocative counterpoint. As frightening as it may be to “center down,” we must find the stillness at the core of the shout, the pause in the middle of the “amen,” as first steps toward restoration." These words struck me to the quick. Grace washed over the fear & invited me to new awareness & broadened my perspective. Thank you!
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On Apr 28, 2020 Anilkumar Pandit wrote :
For tuning ourself with existence and know it in entirety, it is essential to shun all noise.
Internal Silence thereof becomes a great facilitator for ourself to transform as an observer with capability to perceive totality.
Internal Silence thereof becomes a great facilitator for ourself to transform as an observer with capability to perceive totality.
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On Apr 28, 2020 Pisha wrote :
Actions after deep silence to me is accepting the situation and then taking the required action without any kind of negative emotions. Taking action with a peaceful state is mind.
When I'm free from judgement or expectations, it helps silence my mind.
When I'm shaping behavior in children, the results are so powerful and peaceful everytime I take action after silencing my mind. If take any action when there is still any kind of chatter in my mind then it completely becomes a very reactive environment.
When I'm free from judgement or expectations, it helps silence my mind.
When I'm shaping behavior in children, the results are so powerful and peaceful everytime I take action after silencing my mind. If take any action when there is still any kind of chatter in my mind then it completely becomes a very reactive environment.
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On Apr 27, 2020 Tizz wrote :
I am coming to love this "Being," silence. I am learning this truth deeply right now. My silent presence in my family's life, listening, is helping alleviate their stress. My silence and listening inside when recharging and connecting to Love allow me to act with love rather than react with fear. Something that is helping me reach this deep core of silence, even more, is qi gong. I'm saving this beautiful essay to read again, and sending it to friends. Thank you. ♥.
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On Apr 25, 2020 David Doane wrote :
As Richard Rohr says, silence is a primal presence. It can be very helpful in finding stillness, finding one's inner core, one's real self, one's connection to all that is or Being. Being can be found in silence, and we often talk or make noise to avoid being. I assume pure action is Being-based action, and pure action often proceeds from deep silence. All that said, nothing is always, and there are no guarantees. Pure action may also proceed from sound. Reality isn't just the closest ally of God -- Reality (or creation) is God incarnate. Silence, particularly inner silence, can help you realize that and can help you embrace your experience, and you can abide in inner silence even when there is no outer silence. When I am in the present and reflective or meditative, tuned in to what I am experiencing, I return to the core, the pause, the discontinuity. What helps me have times of being in the present is the peace and joy experienced in those times. What helps me is turn... [View Full Comment]
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On Apr 24, 2020 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
Sadly, the world we live in has a little time to slow down and has a little time to be silent. Both our outer world and our inner world has a little time to pause, see, listen and contemplate. Both worlds are largely filled with little space and time for emptiness and silence. This essay reminds me of a wise saying stated by the great Indian spiritual teacher Shankaracharya:
Gurostumaunamvyakhyanam, shishyastuchinnaha samshayaha. The teacher observes the silence and the doubtsof the students get dissolved. The teacher is within us. In order to make wise and pure choice and take wise and pure actions, deep inner silence is essential. My father taught us to be silent by repeating the Sanskrit word Shantihi-Peace- three times. When we asked him why three times, he mentioned Peace within-intrabeing, peace between-interbeing, and beyond both- Transcendental being.
Over the years I have learned the power of practicing pause as stated by Victor E.Frankl:" Between stimulus and response t... [View Full Comment]