I surrender my mind
I surrender my feelings
I surrender my heart
I surrender to The Only One
I surrender my morning
I surrender my day
I surrender my night
I surrender to The One who gave me life
I surrender my thoughts
I surrender my sorrow, my joy
I surrender my innermost being
I surrender to The One living within
I surrender now
I surrender now
I surrender now
Now in silence
Let The River flow
I’ve read some very interesting books lately. I will be writing about some of them in posts to come.
One of my favourite books now is the book “Falling Upward – A Spirituality for the two Halves of Life” written by Richard Rohr, a Fransciscan priest. This book has opened my eyes to a better understanding of two different states we can be in as human beings wandering this earth.
Basically, I think a main message in the book is this: In the first half of life you need to build your ego and in a way become secure and grounded in this ego. The second half of life is about going deeper than this ego and starting to figure out more about your truest identity.
Another aspect here, as I understand Rohr, is that the person in the first half of life is more dualistic and black-and-white in his thinking. He may also be more focused on orthodoxy and dogma, which makes his faith often more exclusive. Later in life, by going through some processes that involve contemplation and also suffering, the person becomes less preoccupied with dogma, orthodoxy and also more inclusive when it comes to where truth is found. You really need to read the book to get the full understanding of what I am (/Rohr is) trying to say here. If you happen to be in your thirties or older I really recommend giving the book a chance.
The title, I think, refers to the process you have to go through to spiritually cross over to the second half of life, which involves a kind of falling. Partly this falling may involve quite a bit of suffering and emotional pain. But, in the end you will find that the road downward is actually the way up! As I see it, this can also be understood in light of what Jesus said about dying to your own self, which in my opinion can mean (among other things) that your ego has “to die” or lose importance, in order for a new and true identity (God’s image in us) to grow forth (see f.ex. Luke 9,23 and Gal. 2,20).
I truly believe that by preparing for and going through this tranformational process in life, by the grace of God, we can find a way to connect more fully to the living water that Jesus talked about to the Samarian woman, and finally find a deeper and more (ever-)lasting joy!
If you like this post and/or other posts on this blog feel free to send me a note including your email-address in the form below.
Also feel free to leave comments (see link below title) for sharing and discussion.
Watch and listen to Father Richard Rohr explaining contemplative prayer/the contemplative mind, historical background and why it is so needed:
At times you realize that your chattering mind makes you very talkative. Words, words, and words fill up the space between yourself and other people. Then you realize that these words are what they are, just a lot of words! You feel an energy that makes you keep talking and this whole process just makes you fed up with yourself. You tire from taking up so much space. The ego is truly showing its face. It wants to be something important in this world.
Now you may realize it is time to sit down and quiet yourself. It is time to choose silence and follow the energy inward. It is time again to realize that you (the ego) is not important and again it has to go. It is time to stop talking and start listening and looking inward. As the German poet Rilke said The only journey is the journey within.
Are you realizing now that you are talking too much and your ego is taking up too much space? Jesus said we have to die from ourselves to find our (true) selves. Your ego has to die for you to find truth, true life and existence.
It may be that you are ready for silence. You may listen to and say these words of the Psalmist, when you sit down and surrender to silence:
Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am. Be still and know. Be still. Be…
When man realizes that thoughts are just thoughts and that the ability to think is just a tool that can be used when it is beneficial and useful, this can be experienced as a small revolution! In the lives of many people, thoughts are honored with too much credibility and power. Man are too often easily governed and therefore thrown around by the strange and sometimes chaotic thinkinggames of the mind.
In the moment that thoughts are revealed as what they truly are, nothing but simply thoughts, this creates a sense of freedom. From then on thoughts can come and go like leaves on the river’s surface and this can help man to move along on the peaceful, contemplative road.
When the mind loses its unjustly power, the chattering mind can also calm down so man himself becomes calmer. In this experience, a room for contemplative silence and new expectations can grow. Man is ready for new steps into the exciting unknown within his Godgiven inner being.
In the comtemplative, often quiet, prayer you can find the calmness to rest from your own (false) self. Several times in the New Testament (se Matt. 10, 38-39 and Mark 8, 34-35) the words of Jesus, about laying down your own life and taking up your cross and following him, are repeated. It is all about losing your life (false self) to find true life itself. Jesus is showing the way that leads to a new dimension through the resurrection in which you can partake in, in your own life. Seek to live your life, more and more every day, in touch with the depths within yourself. Through this connection with your inner being and God’s own Spirit that is awakened in your innermost, you will find rest from yourself. “Yourself” means not your real and truest self, but it can be all your personas, masks and your ego which are used (and also at times useful!) on your earthly journey. By surrendering your ego/false self and not counting this self as decisive and your true self, you will find that which God has placed within you. In a quiet surrender you can lay down all that which is not real and search for life in the depths of your inner being, where you will find the kingdom of God.
There will be a time after searching and seeking, after walking through the dark night of the soul, where you’ll find a place to stand. There you will know there is only one deep purpose to life, which is to grow into oneness with the Only, the Only One. In this place, where loving and longing unite, you will find peace.
Jeg har som nevnt en venn. Han sa nok en gang noen kloke ord: “Det skjønneste en kan undre seg til, er visdom”.
Her er en videolink til en tale kalt “The contemplative pathway”. Franiskanermunk og grunnlegger av Center for Action and Contemplation, Richard Rohr, underviser og avklarer også at å være kontemplativ ikke er ensbetydende med å være introvert.
I den komtemplative, gjerne stille, bønn kan du finne ro til å hvile fra det som er ditt “eget”. Flere ganger i det nye testamentet (se Matteus 10,38-39 og Markus 8,34-35) refereres og gjentas Jesu ord om å legge ned sitt eget og ta opp sitt kors og følge Han. Det handler om å miste “sitt” liv for å finne selve livet. I det å miste sitt liv viser Jesu vei. En vei som leder til en ny dimensjon gjennom en oppstandelse du får del i. Søk å leve ditt livet, mer og mer hver dag, i kontakt med dybden i deg selv. I denne kontakten med ditt indre vesen og Guds egen Ånd som vekkes til live i ditt indre, finner du frem til hvilen fra deg selv. Med deg selv, menes da ikke ditt egentlige jeg, men det kan være alle dine persona, masker og ditt ego som anvendes i din ferd på jorden. Ved å gi avkall på dette slik at det ikke regnes som det avgjørende, finner du det som Gud har lagt ned i deg. I en stille overgivelse kan du legge ned det som ikke er ekte og lodde dypere.
A Contemplative Life 