Monday, August 14, 2006

Does this resonate with you?

"We stumble and fall constantly, even when we are most enlightened."

--Thomas Merton
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20 comments:

The Lost Crow said...

if we are here to help
and we help ourselves by helping others
then we also must help others by letting them help us.

but somehow I can't buy this philosophy

I just want to do what I want,
without help
and do what I can on my own
and if you come to get in my way
and want a fight
then more power to you
and may the better man win

8:14 PM
Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Lost Crow...Nobody asked you to "buy" my life vision statement. It's mine. You are entitled to yours.

I would be interested in what others reading what you have written here have to say about your philosophy.

8:59 PM
QUASAR9 said...

I think Crow by the very name he has chosen literally wants to:
"I just want to do what I want, without help and do what I can on my own"
offering someone help when they don't need it don't want it or don't seek it, can be antagonostic, and backfire ...
No good saying to yourself that that me a hidden crow for help
Crow's philosophy will come back and bite you with: It is your illusion and therefore your error that you should think that way.
If Crow wants to visit he'll visit.
Crow wants to be his own Master, andnot (subjugated?) subject to any illusory bonds of friendship, kinship, peership or guildship.

It is the Nature of Crows
Am I reading you right crow, asnd should I add you don't want to be read either - well not strictly speaking. Your body of work is open to review.

12:29 AM
serenity said...

I have no idea how old Crow is (and did not look), and I am saddened by a life that feels so alone that it must shut itself off to the idea that we are all connected to each other in our humanity, which also means a beautiful interdependency in service to others. I suspect he must be young, as in youth there is a tendency to believe one is all powerful unto oneself and requires nothing from anyone nor feels a responsibility to serve anyone. As individuals age and mature, however, life experience often brings wisdom; and hopefully the embrace of that wisdom is tight enough to disallow the seeds of bitterness and loneliness from taking root. My heart serves you, Lone Crow, as there are no conditions placed on service. Even if that just means serving you with best wishes and compassion residing quietly in my own heart.

There is a wonderful book called Tuesdays with Morrie written by Mitch Albom about a former teacher of his who is diagnosed with amyrtropic lateral scelorsis (ALS), a fatal neurological disorder which slowly renders an individual completely incapable of movement, or breathing, or swallowing, and finally takes his life. In this extreme example, service is shown to be mandatory to this man by everyone around him, and he learns to find joy in his dependency on others, for he sees that in his dependency he finds the purest of love from those around him.

I wish you love, Crow, and I serve you in light and love.

Thank you Don, for this beautiful Merton quote. It is precisely when we "believe we are most enlightened" that we are most vulnerable to the stumbling. And this is so beautifully related to your life vision because sometimes we find ourselves in desperate need of that service from others who share in our light.

Blessings, love, and peace to you. You are pure joy.

1:00 AM
Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Quasar9 and Serenity. I appreciate both of you sharing your thoughts.

This blog is first and foremost a reminder to me on a daily basis to live a conscious life. It's not easy, as everyone knows. Conscious is seeing life and being to the extent I can in a non-dual way. All is one.

All who visit are welcome so long as they willfully do no harm to others. I have learned that many unintentionally harm others in word and deed. Their pain is often so large it spills over into their relationships.

All whom I encounter in life are mirrors. Some my heart wants to look in and others it doesn't. Truth can be found in both types of mirrors.

Merton's quote is a reminder to me to find humility and never see myself for anything more than I am --just one of many billions of stars in the sky. I give thanks for the sky and the constellations that emerge when stars be who they are together. Quasar..I think you actually know something about these matters.

6:53 AM
Bob said...

I am not most enlightened yet!

7:26 AM
Bob said...

Regarding lost crow's comment I believe the first idea of letting others help us is good. Perhaps it takes more generosity to receive help than to offer it.

However the second idea about going it alone does not appeal to me. It takes guts to ask for help.

7:30 AM
Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks for your comments Rob. I can say that I will always have a ways to go. I used to find it hard to accept other's help because I saw that as a sign of weakness. I thought I was supposed to do it all myself. It took me a while to realize that I needed others in most aspects of my life.

7:46 AM
Margie said...

Thanks for sharing that beautiful
quote Don!
I am enlightened by your sharing!
Have an enlightened and peaceful day!

7:49 AM
Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Margie. You as well. Thomas Merton was someone I wish I had met. His contemplative way set the example for many Christians who desired a direct relationship with the Divine.

7:52 AM
QUASAR9 said...

Hi don, just been checking out your webpage, interesting Consulting. Incidentally whilst most of us may be open to scrutinee, as Serenity has noted crow is in his younger years, and may not welcome his opinions being dissected, because of his age, and because of his nature at this stage of his development.
I wouldn't want him to feel alienated, estranged or antagonised without having had a chance to further express and explore his philosophy.

His views are valid. For Serenity and you an I, it is connected. For crow at this stage is thesis anti-thesis and logic -
everything is illusory:
friendship - need of? why?
friendship - demands of? why?
friendship - pros & cons
frienship - burdens of? why?
frienship - benefits of? why?

Of course, there is a point when you recognise which friends to make and which friends to avoid, Which frienships to nurture and which frienships to nip in the bud.

But your or our values may not, are not crow's where he is at.

Anyway, that aside.
Here's wishing you a great day, and may the hummingbirds brighten up your garden.

9:24 AM
aa said...

Nice T. Merthon quote. Life as we know it in a handful of words.

As for lost crow:

I respect your philosophy for that is your own.

Truth be told, I held those exact words tightly in my fist, at some point, early in my life; which is why I would not even deem to lecture you. I know well enough to let you discover enlightenment and acceptance on your own time.

Live and let live, but live it to the fullest.

Best of wishes to you.

10:19 AM
Dan said...

Interesting.
And you know I would say something like "Who is it that stumbles and falls?" And "Who is it that wants or doesn't want help?"

10:32 AM
Kathleen said...

stumbling and falling... yes... all the time...lol..! after all these years of stumbling, falling and making a fool of myself... it just gets funnier... (And I agree with Dan... who is it that is laughing...! :)

As for the response to Crow...

Crow is on his path... all is well... many have the strong urge to "go it alone"... in the depths of aloneness we find the One that can never be alone, in the depths of togetherness we find we are always alone... same... same...

10:43 AM
serenity said...

Don:
And this is why your site is such a beautiful oasis to me, and my appreciation for it just grows. As I am still in my infancy of contemplation and reflection; I find that learning and growth means I make many mistakes along the way, getting in the way of myself and sometimes others.

"All who visit are welcome so long as they willfully do no harm to others. I have learned that many unintentionally harm others in word and deed. Their pain is often so large it spills over into their relationships.

All whom I encounter in life are mirrors. Some my heart wants to look in and others it doesn't. Truth can be found in both types of mirrors."

"Merton's quote is a reminder to me to find humility and never see myself for anything more than I am --just one of many billions of stars in the sky."

Yes.....yes to all of this. On the first two, my weakness tends to be in continuing to embrace those whose pain and sorrow spill over to me in ways that become toxic to me. My mistake is that my very belief that love and compassion can heal all forgets that a person has to be open to that and it cannot be forced on them. I am working on it. I am working on it.

The third brings to mind a passage in the New Testament....He who exalts himself will be humbled. Any time I find myself truly thinking I am "enlightened", I am reminded of what an infant I really am.

Thank you, Don, for your wisdom, your words, and your welcoming of me to your site. It is a blessing every single day.

10:50 AM
Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Margie, Rob, Quasar9, Serenity, Kathleen, Dan, and Free Spirit.

So much richness and wisdom. Dialogue enriches us all. I love it. Sharing...giving and receiving.

Merton's profound words have spoken to all of us...in our own way, and in a voice we could hear. That's wonderful.

I give thanks for Lost Crow for having caused us to huddle and consider the possibilities that emerge when we engage ourselves and others.

Rob...I always appreciate you calling at it as you see it, but with kindness and respect.

Margie...who harmoniously writes lovely poetry everyday from the Rockies, and gee Kathleen is probably not far away from you.

I laughed when I read Kathleen's comments...Ah yes, class clowns the lot of us. LOL.

And Dan, always points us back to the only thing we can ever know...our subtle sense of ourselves that makes us all "That" absent any boundaries, words, or anything separate.

Yes Serenity, indeed learn the price of self-exaltation. Surely I have. Thanks for the reminder.

Quasar9, I am hoping to learn more from you as we converse. In reading your blog, I see there are many things to learn from the white-bearded one who is a teacher.

Free Spirit...yes, wise words. And I too thought I had to do it all for myself.

Lost Crow...you're a Capricorn, and so is a significant piece of me. Two goats! And so is a part of Kathleen, and for all I know the goat may run through other's blood as well. As I finished a couple hours on the tennis court with my wife just this morning, I wished just for a moment I was 19 all over again.

What can I say? I learned a lot here and hope everyone else did as well. These things are possible when we don't "judge." We learn, and we grow.
Blessings to all.

1:43 PM
QUASAR9 said...

PS - Hi thanks don, if you haven't already done so you might wanna check out Crow's last post.

"Playing Tennis with the wife and wishing you were 19 all over again" - is something possibly we'd all like to be able to go back to forever and a day.
Have a nice evening - Q

7:43 PM
Alicia M B Ballard StudioGaleria said...

Yes... as the way to enlightenment appears to be an obstacle course... :)

You are welcome to visit (any/all) of my blogs.

Truly pleased to have began finding "thinking-feeling-experiencing-searching" bloggers - you one of them!

Joy to you
-.a.-

12:54 PM
dumbdodi said...

YES

5:52 AM
Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Dumbdodi, Quasar9, and Angeldust. It resonates with me as well.

6:57 AM

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