The Holy Mystery

Franciscan monk and contemplative, Richard Rohr spoke in Atlanta last Saturday. Over 500 people filled the pews at St. Phillip Episcopal Cathedral. Humble and humorous, Fr. Richard kept us spell-bound for hours. Below are just a few morsels from the ten pages of notes that I took.

• The dualistic mind doesn't like mystery. When we have a new experience we divide the field...that which we agree with and like--we welcome. The negative, problematic, and different--we eliminate.
  
• To be non-dualistic is to hold the paradox, the dark and the light. (way oversimplified, but gives a taste of his teaching on this)
  
• The dualistic mind is not bad, it allows us to read, learn, etc., but it can not go far enough.
  
• We need a Capernican Revolution...just as we learned that the earth is not the center of the universe; the soul has to suffer the the same displacement...God is the center, not us.
• People who have love of God have tremendous humility...when you meet the Holy One, you know that you don't know.
• Karl Rahner said that we should not use the word "God" for fifty years. Instead, we should use the term, "Holy Mystery" because to name It is to act as if we understand It.
• From David White poem, "What to Remember When Waking," "what you can plan is too small for you to live."
• The Reformation was oppositional...contemplation died in the Reformation because it focused on opposition.
• What we call contemplation today, was simply called prayer.
• The "third eye" is a Christian term.
  
• The Enlightenment wasn't very enlightening.
• The dualistic mind is not a joyful mind.
• You are present when head space, heart space, and gut space can open at the same time...keep mind space open...don't form your conclusions...do not judge. (notes for the heart and body opening were too long to simplify, sorry!)
• Find the gift of your soul and find a way to give this gift. It usually doesn't involve making money.

If you would like to learn more about Richard Rohr and his work you may go to the website for the Center for Action and Contemplation. He is truly a transformational teacher. Namaste