Joel: I’m continuing to read about the teachings of the Jesuit Anthony Di Mello in his seminars and retreats. We were talking about this last time, of course, and I told you how much I admired him when I attended a weekend seminar of his.
In his retreats for the religious he encouraged them to spend four to five hours a day in prayer. He also encouraged them to live in poverty and he, himself, according to the book, lived in a simple hovel during the retreat. The religious attendees seemed to get very competitive about who could live most simply. I didn’t relate to any of it. I’m bringing it up because prayer and poverty are important teachings of the church.
Just this week I came across a prayer book from the shrine of St. Anne De Beaupre in Canada. I remember how we climbed the hard wooden stairs in the shrine on our knees. The prayers contained a lot of pleading and begging.
All of this, the hours of praying, the poverty, the painful walking on our knees, are all offered up to God to honor Him. What would you say about all of these ways of honoring God?
Two Marys: Indeed, and we have said it in the Ascension Handbook. That is not to say that certain ways of living such as giving away all your material possessions are not fruitful for some or even to many who are overly attached to material possessions. But it is really not the act. It really is not that. It is really about, does it resonate? Does it really bring you to your ecstatic union with God?
Quite frankly in your modern culture, there is so much that lures you away from your ecstatic union with God that these times call for very potent, productive methodologies for connection. In other words, the times have gotten quite tough, so your exercises must carry the day. In a different time, meditating and praying for hours might be the best way for you to proceed. In today’s world that will not work for many.
As we speak there are ashrams and temples where students are spending four hours a day praying for humanity and praying for beloved Gaia. They believe in their hearts that is the best and highest use of their good life force energy and their time. So truly prayer and meditation works. They also work better when combined with powerful breathing exercises.
Joel: What I found amusing--the book is written with a light touch because, after all, Di Mello could be very funny--the people in the retreats would get a little competitive as to who could pray the longest, give away the most and live most simply.
Two Marys: Indeed, and like always, notice them by the fruits they bear. Be careful when you hear a lot of rules. Your antenna arose appropriately when you said that doesn’t resonate for me. That is because it is not appropriate for you. There are people who, when there are more rules, actually surrender more deeply. It is not for a more engaged spiritual student.
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