From The Restory - Conversations On The Journey (58)

 

The Depth Dimension

Thank you, Heather, who has sent us this

after listening to last week's conversation. 

The Conversation

Elements From The Conversation

"Is there anything I can do to make myself enlightened? 

As little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning. 

Then of what use are the spiritual exercises you prescribe?

To make sure you are not asleep when the sun begins to rise.”

                                                                                                                    Anthony de Mello 

Reporting On A Move

Tuesday morning

Friday evening

The "store room" filling up.

Friday afternoon in the cottage at Tafelkop. 

Matilda lost in thought. 

On Friday afternoon we went to Tafelkop to look at those parts of the barn which are to become pottery studio and woodworking workshop, and the cottage which will form part of the envisaged retreat centre.

Tafelkop is one big basket of potential for what we are thinking and dreaming about. In short: like Barrowfield, a place that is good to people, where they are coddled and nourished on many levels.

You will notice however, that when we talk about Tafelkop, the phrase "which is to become" often pops up. It is going to take time and a lot of very hard work. There are days when we ask ourselves: "Are we crazy to do this at this stage of our lives? To dream such dreams?"

It is then that we tell ourselves: "Don't look down! Don't look down!"

Music

The theme of this month's music is saying goodbye, moving on, ending something, new beginnings. At this stage it resonates deeply with us personally. But it is also remarkable how many of our family and friends are in a process of moving and going through big changes.

Like being at the centre of the concentrated beam of a magnifying glass, many powers and energies converge to be crammed into the space of weeks or days, with a high potential of things going wrong. When you lie awake at 3 in the morning, all the things that has to be done, and every concern and fear, shine like bright neon signs in the dark.

Going deep, under the waves of worries and cares, helps immensely. Through that we then experience being held and sustained, of being cared for when listening to the old Irish prayer, known as St. Patrick's Breastplate. Often it is also referred to as The Deer's Cry.

The video being posted is an adaptation of the ancient prayer by Arvo Pärt.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, 

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 

Christ on my right, Christ on my left, 

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, 

Christ in me, Christ when I arise, 

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, 

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, 

Christ in every eye that sees me, 

Christ in every ear that hears me, 

Christ with me.

With our love. Christ is with and in you.  

George & Matilda