Rumi Reflection Group, 29th May

 

She is not that kind of beloved most imagine;

she is a ray of God.

She is not just created,

she is creative.

Rumi

This afternoon we met in the garden at Sally's again and read from Love's Ripening.  We're up to the chapter on 'Feminine and Divine', and we couldn't decide which poem to read... so we read all four of them!  We had a great discussion on the union of opposites, on Hegel's dialectics, on hope and despair.  We also talked about possibilities for future activities - art and study and clowning!

The painting above is by Clara Stella from the Circle, who's leaving this week to go back to Italy...

Street Training, Sun 26th May

 

We met in the ampitheatre again then walked to the ruins of the Norman cathedral, where we did a little relaxation, checked-in wth each other, and read the chapter on Oneness from Bernie Glassman's book "Bearing Witness".  We had a good discussion about our own barriers that we erect between ourselves and other people, and how they sometimes come down.  Then we headed out for some bearing witness practice on the streets, this week wandering aimlessly (andare a Zonzo as it's called in Italian) and just mingling with the place and the people.

We came back together to discuss the practice, sat in silence for a little while, and then shared a meal together. The squirrel you can maybe just make out in middle of the photo is eating a breadstick from the meal!

Let our heart, our hand, and our table be open to everyone...

Chris

Rumi Reflection Group, Thursday 16th May

 

The Rumi Refection Group met in the lovely outdoors cafe at the back of Sally's Secret Garden.  Eric brought some homemade crumble, and we read from "Love's Ripening" again.  We had a good discussion also about possible social support projects which could grow out of our Circle...

A laughing pomegranate

brings the whole garden to life.

Keeping the company of the holy

makes you one of them.

Whether you are stone or marble

you will become a jewel

when you reach a human being of heart.

Rumi

Street Zen training, Sun 12th May

On Sunday we met again in the Roman Amphitheatre in Chester, then took shelter from the wind and rain under an arch in the ruins of the Norman Cathedral.  We studied some of Bernie Glassman's book 'Instructions to the Cook', then headed out onto the streets to wander and mingle, bearing witness to the life all around us.  We ended by sharing a meal together in an alcove on Bridge Street Row.

Rumi Reflection Group, 2nd May

 

We held the second Rumi Reflection Group today, meeting in Sally's Secret Garden again for hot chocolate and tea.

"We are all of one soul struggling along one path,

and all drunk with the same wine."   Rumi

Street Zen Circle, 28th April

 

On Sunday, we met at a chilly, windy amphitheatre, and enjoyed the sunlight with the tourists.  Seeing some new faces, and a few familiar ones, we gathered in a sheltered spot for an initial meditation, and introductions.  Somewhat appropriate for the unseasonably cold weather, there was a shared reading of a passage, relating the tale of a long term suvivor from Auschwitz, and how it was Love that allowed him to persevere, and to carry on with life afterwards.  How he chose to see the inherent love in people.  That's certainly the message I took from the reading; how we all have the capacity within us for a humungous range of actions, and by choosing love, we truly choose life. 

 

There, then, we went to bear witness to our own little corners of Chester, each of us noticing something, or nothing, and a few having encounters with non-human animals.  Once we had regrouped, we retreated to the ruins of a church, to share our stories and our food.  The warmth of both the conversation, and of the delectable offerings helped immeasurably to ward off the chills I think we all felt that afternoon. 

 

I think I'm not alone in saying that I look forward to seeing as many people as possible at the next training session. 

 

 Sincerely,

 

Eric