St. Paul
During a recent day workshop on stress and meditation I suggested to the participants that a well lived life is one of balance. (Stress is a life out of balance, and meditation helps find balance ... that sort of thing.)
Before, during and after that workshop I have been musing much on the idea of balance, finding equilibrium, managing the flow of change between complementary opposites.
All that is is in flux, constant movement, constant change. As night reaches its darkest, so the day begins. The child on the swing in the playground reachers her highest, only to return to the lowest again. Summer is its hottest, and the wind changes with a hint of Autumn cool. To understand that all phenomena have complementary opposites in tension and change is helpful. To find balance in the midst of the change is an important skill to learn.
One such pair of complementary opposites is unity and diversity.
St. Paul uses the analogy of a body to explain the principle. "Take a look at your body," he suggests. "It is clearly one, yet your many body has so many diverse aspects." To focus merely on the unity of the body would miss the great variety. To concentrate on the diversity of aspects would be to miss the essential oneness.
I'm becoming more and more amazed at the body. For health and well-being I have been studying much the ancient Chinese art of qigong—energy work—and the interconnection of mind-body-spirit. The human body is its many expects is complex, diverse, truly wonderful in its variegation. Yet, it maintains its essential unity. As one part moves, the whole body moves. Energy flow in the little finger of my left hand effects the energy flow throughout my whole body.
The complementary pair of unity/diversity is helpful in so many areas of human relationships.
We are all in this together, yet we each bring something different to the whole.
Apply to your place of work with your colleagues. Apply it to the members of your family. Apply it to your spiritual community. Each organization is one yet has many diverse aspects. Celebrate the oneness. Be comfortable with the diversity.
We get out of balance when we want to make everyone the same. We would lose so much if all shared the same passions, had the same understanding, pursued the same interests.
In the Lindisfarne Community one of our sayings is that "all truth is God's truth." Truth is one. Yet it has so much variety. We have been pleased to welcome into our little spiritual home folk who bring with them a love of truth from many different traditions. Such variety is very enriching. We have become comfortable with the differences without wanting everyone to be the same. We try, also, to give space for change for no one is static in their spiritual journey.
A few years ago we had a wonderful experience enjoying diversity. It was Easter Sunday, and we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants for lunch. That particular day happened to be the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The restaurant owners are Sikhs. Guru Nanak's birthday is is known as prakash, the dawning of spiritual illumination. We arrived at the restaurant to find the place more than usually packed, with many folk in elaborate and colorful Indian dress. We were welcomed with open arms, wished a Happy Easter and told we could eat as much as we wanted for free. "But, we're not Sikh's," we said. "Doesn't matter. We are all celebrating together. You are more than welcome." That day we enjoyed perhaps the best Indian meal ever, with the best company imaginable.
When St. Paul talked about the human body in its essential unity and diversity, he concluded by saying, "So it is with Christ." By the time St. Paul wrote these words "Christ" already meant far more than the historical Jesus who lived in Palestine. Theologians have called this development the "Cosmic Christ." The Cosmic Christ is the way God pervades all of creation. In another place St. Paul says this Christ "fills all in all." The Cosmic Christ is the great unifier of all that is.
As we enjoyed our Indian meal celebrating both Easter and Prakash there was an example of "the body is one, yet has many members." There was an example of the Oneness of all that is in its rich diversity.
+Ab. Andy
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