In recent teaching experiences, I've had several participants challenge my emphasis on seeing the inside out nature of our experience. "Aren't you overlooking valuable information in the world out there?"
Here's a brief summary of the question followed by my response.
"You emphasize how essential it is to know that God is the source of everything, even our internal experience. Still, we live in a world where things happen, things we're meant to observe and respond to. If my child is having chronic anxiety or I'm receiving consistent negative reviews at work, is it enough to focus on the truth that my experience moment to moment is coming from God? What about asking myself what God wants me to learn and do in the face of these challenges? They're also from God."
These are excellent questions. And an opportunity to clarify the message I hope to share with others.
Of course we live in a world that requires us to be attentive and responsive. The challenge is seeing that the "world" we live in is in fact simply the world that God shows us moment to moment through the gift of new thought. Through understanding that truth I will have new perspective, wisdom, and choice to learn and do in the world.
Here's an analogy you've likely heard before, with a slight twist.
Imagine you're responsible to teach someone how to sail across the ocean. You're out on the boat explaining the basics. You notice your student is agitated.
"You seem distressed. Everything ok?" you ask.
"What do you mean, 'distressed'? I have a long trip and I need to master sailing in case I reach the edge of the earth unexpectedly."
"Oh," you respond. "You needn't worry about falling off the edge. The world is round."
"Look, I hired you to teach me how to sail, not to share your theories about the earth. Can we get to the skills I need to know?"
You could continue to help him learn and do the craft of sailing. But it will be learning filtered through tremendous misunderstanding and the extreme distress it spawns.
Similarly, tuning in to my child's struggles or my own poor work performances without appreciating God-in-the-moment is building on a false premise. I will source my child's anxiety in circumstances - her chemistry, her classroom, her upbringing - and then undertake to manage and change them.
It's not that there aren't skills to know and do regarding chemical imbalances, classroom environment, parenting etc. It's just that they don't have power, they cannot be the source of any experience. There is only one Source - moment to moment to moment. That Source makes known to us - often despite our misunderstanding - how to learn from and respond to the life we find ourselves in. Acknowledging and attuning ourselves to that truth only raises our game and our ability to do.
As King Solomon said, "The beginning of all wisdom is understanding the Source" (Mishlei, 9:10).
Here's a brief summary of the question followed by my response.
"You emphasize how essential it is to know that God is the source of everything, even our internal experience. Still, we live in a world where things happen, things we're meant to observe and respond to. If my child is having chronic anxiety or I'm receiving consistent negative reviews at work, is it enough to focus on the truth that my experience moment to moment is coming from God? What about asking myself what God wants me to learn and do in the face of these challenges? They're also from God."
These are excellent questions. And an opportunity to clarify the message I hope to share with others.
Of course we live in a world that requires us to be attentive and responsive. The challenge is seeing that the "world" we live in is in fact simply the world that God shows us moment to moment through the gift of new thought. Through understanding that truth I will have new perspective, wisdom, and choice to learn and do in the world.
Here's an analogy you've likely heard before, with a slight twist.
Imagine you're responsible to teach someone how to sail across the ocean. You're out on the boat explaining the basics. You notice your student is agitated.
"You seem distressed. Everything ok?" you ask.
"What do you mean, 'distressed'? I have a long trip and I need to master sailing in case I reach the edge of the earth unexpectedly."
"Oh," you respond. "You needn't worry about falling off the edge. The world is round."
"Look, I hired you to teach me how to sail, not to share your theories about the earth. Can we get to the skills I need to know?"
You could continue to help him learn and do the craft of sailing. But it will be learning filtered through tremendous misunderstanding and the extreme distress it spawns.
Similarly, tuning in to my child's struggles or my own poor work performances without appreciating God-in-the-moment is building on a false premise. I will source my child's anxiety in circumstances - her chemistry, her classroom, her upbringing - and then undertake to manage and change them.
It's not that there aren't skills to know and do regarding chemical imbalances, classroom environment, parenting etc. It's just that they don't have power, they cannot be the source of any experience. There is only one Source - moment to moment to moment. That Source makes known to us - often despite our misunderstanding - how to learn from and respond to the life we find ourselves in. Acknowledging and attuning ourselves to that truth only raises our game and our ability to do.
As King Solomon said, "The beginning of all wisdom is understanding the Source" (Mishlei, 9:10).
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