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| ...even if you have broken your vows... |
Wonderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.
It doesn’t matter.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vow
a thousand times
Come, yet again, come, come. Rumi
Consider the following: Just as a trapped animal "instinctively" bites its own leg to free itself, human beings also try to instinctively and often ignorantly bite and fight their way to freedom.The catastrophic use of mind-altering substances is just one example of the attempt to be free of unwanted experiences in life. What keeps you trapped?
"Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times." Come.
Thank you, Liz, for the invitation! For many years I refused to make a vow because I knew I would not keep it. The results of that delusion was akin to running around in the world with my head down. I ran into trees, bounced off cars, fell into open sewers and did considerable harm to myself and others. The fear of failure had driven me into not even trying. About two years ago I woke up to the idea of making a vow. I began to make vows, out loud, even! Of course, I have broken many vows since that time, but I am doing significantly less harm to myself and others in my attempts to keep the vows. To extend the metaphor, the vow forces my head up and causes me to slow down rather than run. Upon breaking a vow, it is very freeing and forgiving to just recommit to the vow. As opposed to being with all the hurt/pain/anguish of running full force into objects, people, etc.
ReplyDeleteMany bows and blessings to all beings, "especially those with a mind that takes its own confusion as real." Thank you again, Liz, for the benefit of this teaching.
Good morning Toni.
DeleteWelcome, welcome, welcome. Again and again and again.
Liz