Tuesday, May 5, 2009

At the Threshold

Last evening, our meditation group was down to two – though there were more at the preceding service. We always start with a reading, so being read to was almost like reverting to the time when I was eight or nine, but still enjoyed hearing a story in a parent’s voice. The choice of the reader was a simply marvelous and pertinent passage from a book by John O’Donohue called Bless the Space between Us, A Book of Blessings.







O’Donohue started by talking about how spring creeps up and us – and suddenly we see that leaves are out when we hadn’t even noticed their progress, and flowers are blooming everywhere. There was exactly this feeling when my daughter-in-law and the two little boys joined me for a walk in our own garden. Benjamin found a dandelion to blow on and Andre discovered pine cones while Liz and I marvelled over the number of species that were before us. Like spring itself after winters of planning and creating, The Gathering is here.





O’Donahue elaborates that spring thresholds such as this, when applied to our lives, suggest not a smooth transition but something completely different – a radical awakening, so that what emerges from it may have echoes from the past, but also contain a clear break from it. – the “Something More” not being a trivial add-on, but a real change of direction. Will it be for us?



During the day, several associates will enter the small but comfortable rooms of the Guest House that sisters have lovingly made ready. Each room is named after a saint or theological tenet – in truth, most honour the names of parishes who made contributions when the new convent was opened. A woman friend thought it would be fun to stay in the room named for her own parish and asked if this were possible. The administrator gave her a somewhat funny look and responded, “It’s in the men’s wing”. Since the room is named for St. Mary Magdalene, we still wonder if this is appropriate since there seem to be pluses and minuses in either direction. Any Guest House room though has everything that one needs, - a comfortable bed, a desk and chair providing a place to write – or even draw because there is usually a lovely watercolor or drawing above it – and a comfortable chair to sit and read. One’s first task is to make up the bed. Once this is done, it’s pleasant to sit down and almost immediately face the reality of how tired one really is.

So before I leave in the early afternoon to join the training of facilitators, I’ll need to clear the clutter of yesterday’s visit from the children, make up my own bed anew, and gather the very few things I’ll need to take, - we’ve been urged to travel light, so that overburdened with concerns and busyness, there is at least a tiny space for “Something More” to begin to penetrate.

3 comments:

  1. Others are welcome to add comments and questions as The Gathering Progresses

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  2. It's funny to read your post this morning about the feeling of spring creeping up on us and suddenly it's there - I was thinking something similar to myself walking into the office where I work this morning. That if I don't slow down a bit, summer will be here and gone before I notice it!

    Norah, I'm enjoying these little glimpses into the Gathering - thank you for sharing this with those of us who can't be there :)

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  3. Thanks, Eveline. And you will note today that Margaret urged us last night to slow down even more. It's hard to do that when there are such interesting ideas spinning around, - but we can all try.

    Norah

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