6.26.2010

mundane


well, one of my beloved eremite sisters asked that i post once in a while about my vocation--basically, anything that wasn't more of my 'poetry.'

so. all is well. I had my second meeting with my Bishop--he is such a jewel. And very tender. That's nice, because that's exactly what I need right now. I'm beginning to get tired of pretending to be strong all the time, even to myself. So, when I speak with him, i get to be vulnerable; it's nice. I've read two books on my list! Although my Bishop isn't interested in milestones, just LIFE. well. i can't help but feel as though I need to keep up my end of things and study diligently. although, as with brother Merton, I only get one to two hours a day to read (well, his was to write, but you know what i mean), so I have to read quickly.

And today i 'invetend' a new prayer form for myself. I used quotations because of course there is nothing new under the sun, but it is new and idiosyncratic to me at least.

I have been going through an anti-theurgic phase--focusing on a more 'magickal' approach (a term I use rather loosely so don't freak, mom). But, lately, there has been growing a more theurgic nature to my praxis. It started as a prelude to my 'real' prayer while my coffee water boiled. Then became a sort of necessary part of my preparation for my 'work', as well as a psychic opening of myself into, um, myself (hard to explain). But anyway, I would extend the slit in reality, vulva of the Divine and let it grow until instead of being a tiny part of my mind, it would be large enough to engulf my entire body, and my entire prayer carpet (um, it's big).

But the breakthrough was today when I stayed in that prayer mode for the entire morning. It started out as visualization (fantasy exploration) of what it would be like with my first parish, mentoring other men (and women, if they would have me) into either a deeper spiritual life or the priesthood--and it became a very interested extension of my older phase of pure worship prayer. I can't explain it now, but it is in the nature of becoming that bridge between humanity and God--that true becoming of priest. I feel that every week has become like a 'minor order' advancement in my calling as priest. Today, and only today, i began to understand that 'nothingness' that mystics are continually talking about. It is not nothingness to me, though---it is complete passivity, i am the phallus, the vulva, the holy canal and the womb, and i am the child.

i should put ratings on these posts at the top. This one got kind of pg-13-ish. But that's what happens. Sexual imagery just seems to be the only way to describe what is happening. Actually, it IS what is happening. I guess you just have to be there . . . .

Peace . . . . Maybe I should keep this sort of stuff on my private Shadowbook. But there you go. A brief glimpse into my unmasked spirituality, if you've stuck with me this long. . . . .

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Pete,

Loved this post! =) Thanks so much as I am very much interested in the spiritual progress of my friends both in real time and in virtual reality.

Despondent this week even though I got a copy of St Francis' Rule for Hermits in the mail yesterday. I need to start outlining one for myself as well as move out more clutter from the bedroom so that one soon it will be true oratory.

It's great to read about you and other of my sisters and brothers who are trying to keep up a spiritual life amid spouses, children and work! =) So happy that things are going well with you and your Bishop!

Yours Before The Sacred Flame

Emmanuel J. Karavousanos said...

Mysticism has been elevated to a mystery simply because we ignore what is already obvous. Mysticism is no mystery. In fact it is simply what we know as, peace of mind and freedom of thought. In fact peace of mind and freedom of thought are synonymous. One attains this gift when he/she (in some way) analyzes something that is obvious, familiar or known, or something we've taken for granted. Why? Because we learn things superficially and not intuitively.
As we may now be able to see, the mystical state is not difficult to understand, but it is difficult to attain.
Emmanuel Karavousanos
Writer, Speaker

pete smith said...

Thanks, Emmanuel! I appreciate your continued comments.

A question: I include in mysticism two strains: a) the apophatic/lack of thought/silence mode; and b) the hyper-realist, visionary, full-sensory type. Your comments seem to exclude the second mode--is there a different word for that kind of 'prayer'?

thanks!