onthly MeditationMeditation for August 2011
Leave a comment at the bottom if you wish.
Judith reads:
The Spiritual Eye
The spiritual eye which looks upon Eternity …must not only be opened, it must be trained, so that it may endure to gaze steadfastly at the Uncreated Light. …[This training's] essence is a progressive cleaning of the mirror, a progressive self-emptying of all that is not real, to the attainment of that unified state of consciousness which will permit a pure, imageless apprehension of the final Reality which "hath no image" to be received by the self. Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism, Page 208.
The training of our "spiritual eye" involves regular, daily practice. As an athlete trains for upcoming events by practising her chosen sport and repeating her exercises over and over, so a contemplative trains her spiritual eye to look for God, by faithfully coming to be in God's presence each day, reading the scriptures, and praying to the Sacred One.
Daily one comes to one's quiet place; daily one cleans the mirror or window pane in order to see clearly into the heart of the loving God; daily one empties oneself of that which is impure so that one can perceive the one true God unmarred by blemishes that cloud our vision.
If one neglects the spiritual training for even a single day one's progress toward spiritual maturity is lessened, one's spiritual eye becomes less able to gaze steadily upon eternity, and one's relationship with God is diminished.
All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadow-boxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 1 Cor. 10:24 (New Living Translation)
© Judith Lawrence August 2011
My newest spiritual book is now available at Wipf and Stock: wipfandstock.com at a special introductory price of $12.80.
See also my weekly Wednesday blog, Contemplative without a Cloister.
Leave a comment:
Meditations in the Archive
