Sunday, January 14, 2018

Epiphany Musings



The Christian feast of the Epiphany was last Saturday—the 6th. As I child, the story of three wise men, traveling on camels and crossing mountains, deserts, and verdant valleys, enthralled me. Sister Corita, who taught me in 4th grade, made a whole story of this journey with a chilled wind followed by shimmering heat. Listening to her, we fourth-graders felt that we had been along for the ride.

I don’t know how old I was when I learned that the word epiphany meant “a sudden revelation or insight.” Then it was that I began to have my own epiphanies. With some regularity, I’d have a moment of clarity and understand something that had previously eluded me.

While in college, I discovered the poem “Journey of the Magi” by T. S. Eliot. It spoke to me of birth and death and the cycle they encapsulate. Each January 6th, I reread Eliot’s poem and find myself examining my own life to see what is birthing, what is dying, and what is perhaps doing both.

This year, I sent out a New Year’s letter about what I hope is birthing within me. In the final paragraph I wrote:

In 2018, I want to look for and find that which surmounts the differences I have with others politically. I want to offer all whom I meet—friends, family members, strangers, candidates for political office, and those already in Congress and the White House—a listening heart and mind. Only then, I think, can I truly say that I believe in the Holy Oneness of All Creation.

A Minnesota friend responded to my letter with the following thoughts, which she has given me permission to share with you:

I’m not sure that a “listening heart and mind” are enough to change the course inflicted on us by political and corporate leaders, but I wish it were true. Given that fear and ego are pitted against compassion and reason, it’s hard to see any common ground. It would be a worthy challenge if you could chronicle this struggle and give us hope that “all is, indeed, well”!

With things as they are, it’s useful to remember that all is on a continuum. Light is balanced by dark; hot is on a continuum with cold; good is tempered by evil, etc. The “Holy Oneness of All Creation” is not just goodness and light. There is darkness there too. Depending on our core beliefs and our perception of reality, we have an affinity for one side or the other. Some of us glow with gratitude and compassion while others get their energy by sowing fear and chaos.

My perception of reality makes me want to see the good in others because everyone has some redeeming qualities and has performed some act of kindness. I’m having trouble seeing the good in people who mock compassion, heap their fears and frustrations on scapegoats, and destroy our planet.

I’ve given up on trying to understand them because we are on completely different wavelengths. It’s like trying to understand someone who’s speaking a different language. In the same way, they have trouble understanding my reality.

I don’t know what the answer is, but have been told that this polarity will continue to reap chaos until the extremists on both sides are neutralized—whatever form that takes. Only then can more stable socio-economic and political structure be formed.

For me, these words from one of my Minnesota friends are an epiphany. They help me understand the birth and the death we are witnessing in the United States right now. They also help me “see” that I need to plunge myself into a deeper understanding of Oneness. I trust that if I do that, I will experience surprising epiphanies in the weeks and months ahead.

Peace to you, pressed down and overflowing, and may you, too, have your own surprising epiphanies this year.

Photograph from Wikipedia.



22 comments:

  1. I really love the word "epiphany." And thank you for sharing your friend's response to your letter. I resonate with every word. :-)

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    1. Dear DJan, I, too, love the word "epiphany." And when I suddenly have one, I am always so enlightened. Peace.

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  2. I have had more than one epiphany. And hope to have more. Like DJan your friend's response beautifully encapsulates what I feel. Extremist anything scares me.

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    1. Dear Sue, yes, extremists worry me too. There's a passion in them that doesn't recognize logic or rationality. Peace.

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  3. I really do try to keep and open mind and heart. Giving everyone the benefit of the doubt is a reasonable thing to do because we know what someone is going through. However, what about bullies, narcissists and sociopaths? They love people who are open because it gives them a chance to force their own agenda. Definitely, open up to people but keep on guard. Not everyone is kind and wants the best possible outcome for everyone.

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    1. Dear Birdie, I know what you say is true, but all my life I've looked for the best in people and mostly found it. Now, however, I admit to being stymied. Peace.

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  4. Listen to your friend; she's brilliant!!

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  5. I like the word epiphany, not sure if I have had one though, that said I liked this post

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    1. Dear Jo-Anne, I bet you have--one of those sudden moments when something--some understanding--dawns within you. I'm glad you liked the post. Peace.

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  6. I find life plays out in epiphanies, and mine the smallest. I cannot imagine what will become of this planet.

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    1. Dear Joanne, I don't know what might bring about an epiphany that would change the minds and hearts of those who deny and resist the very notion of climate change. Peace.

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  7. I remind myself often that even the most hardened criminal was once a helpless, trusting baby and I try to be open with people, though in the world today there is no foolishness in being wary. As far as politics goes I think we should act on Pema Chodron's words and not "water the seeds of anger and hatred." Too much attention is given to what's bad and the good passes by with hardly a mention. Good luck in all your undertakings this year!

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    1. Dear Molly, Thank you for sharing the words of Pema Chodron. I so believe that we need to look for good. If we look, we can find something that will keep us moving forward with softened hearts. I agree with you that we've got to "accent the positive" as a song of my youth says. And "eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative. And don't mess with Mister in between"! Peace.

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  8. I have many doubts and difficulties finding the "goodness" in many in our country today and it's very much on my mind. I had an epiphany already this year as a result of studying the writings of Pema Chodron that has felt like a shift in a basic understanding I have held of life. An epiphany is so wonderful when it occurs, and I can't wait to see where this new path takes me for the rest of the year.

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    1. Dear Cynthia, having an epiphany is a gift from the Universe--the Oneness that I believe connects all of us. I"m so glad for you. Pena Chodron has touched so many of us with her wisdom and gentleness.

      The goodness I think is not always in the person. It can be in an action that ultimately brings about a change for the better. I personally think that all the president does is influencing many of us to be politically active for the first time in years and to get involved and to fight--really do all we can--for change. I hope so. Peace.

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  9. I wrote in my last post about empathy. Since I now feel it for the spiders I find in my bathtub, I have some for our miserable leader as well. It is something so seriously wrong there, that it is hard to even be angry. However, we live in a democracy and to me it looks like it is being threatened, as it is in several other countries in this world of ours. It looks to me like way too many leaders, and followers as well, need to be shown the light. To have a sudden revelation or insight that they have, indeed, chosen the wrong path. Would they then choose a path of Empathy, Kindness, and Love, or just shrug their shoulders and continue to destroy our world? I know this world has been worse off, but for some dumb reason, I thought we would become better, move toward the light, have better values, as we became more aware, more developed as human beings, more healthy, lived longer, and so on. I think it is this going backwards, back to a darker time, that is upsetting me so much.

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    1. Dear Inger, many years ago I read "The Divine Milieu" by Chardin, a Jesuit archeologist. He wrote about the Alpha and the Omega of history. Like you, he believe that human beings were becoming more and more compassionate and loving and moving toward the Omega point when we would fulfill all the possibilities of being wise human beings.

      Like you, I, too, have thought that this is happening. I still think it. I just think that we move two steps forward and one step back on this journey to the Omega point. The times we are living in right now seem to me, in some ways, to be a step back.

      And yet when I look for good, I can find it. Peace.

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  10. I believe that our way of looking at thing gives them meaning we get from them!
    i totally adore and respect your approach towards life as WHOLE and either i believe that we are just one race divided into groups due to worldly reasons such as gene pools ,languages and cultures but mostly because leaders of this world want us to stay away and divided from each other for their selfish purposes as they know that if the people on planet are united once they will be loosing control and power of benig super from others

    I see lots of goodness in people of this whole world as total which is misguided by the leadership till now though but there will be time when common men will realize the strength of unity and power of enlightenment

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  11. Dear Baili, your philosophy of life is so enlightened. And it's so encouraging to read the words of someone who absolutely believes in the Oneness of All Creation. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. They are inspiring. Peace.

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  12. Thank you for sharing this, Dee.
    I love Epiphany and have been know to use the word as well whenever I've had an epiphany.
    We always leave our tree and decorations up until Epiphany. One of our daughters asked me, when quite young, "when are the wise guys coming", an oft repeated phrase here.

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    1. Dear Penny, thanks for sharing your daughter's spontaneous words. They made me laugh and for me that's always the best medicine. Today was a migraine/arthritis day and I spent it taking pills and sleeping! Now I'm fit as a fiddle and ready for laughter and you provided it. Peace.

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