Worthy to be loved

Our job is to love others

without stopping to inquire

whether or not they are worthy.

That is not our business and, in fact,

it is nobody's business.

What we are asked to do is to love,

and this love itself will render both ourselves

and our neighbors worthy.

-Thomas Merton

Today, I presented at Seattle U's School of Theology and Ministry on 'Yoga, Spirituality, and Health.' It was well received. Father Pat Kelly, SJ, is so delightfully welcoming. I felt at home right away. We were on the floor most of the time. Shoes off to remind ourselves that wherever we seek God is holy ground. Even when waiting for that latte, in the bathroom brushing your teeth, or at the office dealing with a difficult co-worker.

I remember one of my earliest spiritual guides, Fr Pat O'Leary, SJ, telling me that the world is my monastery and wherever I am is my cell. That quieted my disappointment of not being able to become a monk anymore.

But Merton's call to love is far more challenging I think than becoming a monk. Inside a monastery or not, the call to love others unconditionally is the challenge I want to tackle. Even for short periods of time, I want to experience that, and to share that love. Human love is very limiting. It's like holding your breath forever. You just can't. You can't be loving all the time. But perhaps, when I love at that moment, can I just love without condition, without reservation, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, with all my strength? Help me, my Beloved. Teach me how to love as you love us.

How about you?  Has your spiritual practice enabled you to love more fully, less conditionally? What needs to happen for you to be more loving, more compassionate?

God has entrusted to us the news of reconciliation.

So we are ambassadors for Christ;

It is as through God were appealing through us,

and the appeal that we make in Christ's name is:

be reconciled to God.

-2 Cor 5:19-20

Love is all you need.

All you need is love.

All you need is love.

All you need is love, love.

Love is all you need.

-The Beatles

Today, in 2 separate events, I was told by long time yoga friends, where I am. At least in relation to yoga.

This morning, during brunch after I taught Blessed Movements at Yoga Barn, a friend (who I choose to keep anonymous) told me she considers me to be her teacher. She's been a teacher herself for quite a while, and is well-respected, and well-loved by her students. To be considered a teacher is an honor, although I shrink at the thought of it. I asked why she regards me as her teacher. One thing she said is my openness. Well. I strive to be open, as in warrior pose. To be open and vulnerable. I love saying that the practice is how to keep the heart open, even in hell.

Then at six in the afternoon, I met with another long time yoga acquaintance. She was in my prenatal yoga classes in my early days as teacher. She has gone to a lot of yoga classes of different styles. She's now exploring 'Street Yoga' and is going to a 5-day workshop with Sean Corn in California this month. She told me my 'style' is 'unusual' in a good way. That my 'style' speaks to her that no other style does. There's the seamless flow, she said, that felt natural. And the words I say during the poses are appropriately worded and seemed to address where she is at the moment. She asked me more questions how I got to where I am. The short answer is: teach what you know, teach what you practice, teach from the heart.

So where am I? I am comfortable with my 'style' whatever it is. I am happy that I connect to people's heart with that 'style'. But I don't know how that style developed. Except that I believe the Zen saying How you do anything is how you do everything. I believe that to live a simple life, one needs a simple philosophy. Mine happens to be: Love. Call it lovingkindness, or compassion. I just like to call it Love as taught by Jesus, the Buddha, and as the cornerstone of every major spiritual tradition. 

Love is the main message and intention in all my classes and my book. It is the quality I hope I radiate and incarnate in my daily life. 

How about you? What is your personal theology, your philosophy, that guides your life, your decision making, your speech, your actions?

Let us pray.  Standing, feet shoulder width apart, open your arms, lift up your heart, and softly say with conviction:

I love you, O God,

with all my heart

with all my soul

with all my mind and

with all my strength.

Give me the strength,

the wisdom, and perseverance

to love my neighbors

as I love myself.

Amen!