For Lovers of God Everywhere

I eased into this morning by meditating with a fellow devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda. It was a beautiful way to begin the day, sharing a reading from Yogananda's writings, followed by a meditation that was both sweet and deep as we shared our Kriya Yoga practice together. I offered mine for a soul and her spouse undergoing a very critical and life-threatening situation.

I am blessed to be able to meditate with this soul companion as I am also blessed to meditate with my Reiki meditation group. Once a month we gather to chant and meditate together and offer the healing energies of our shared practice for many intentions. After this gift of coming together for a couple of years, I find myself deeply reaping the incredible fruits of these beautiful opportunities I have been given...

After meditation, I turned to a book that I acquired recently - For Lovers of God Everywhere, by Roger Housden, subtitled - Poems of the Christian Mystics.

There are a series of very beautiful pieces in this book, and I want to share a few. The first selection comes from the writings of St. Augustine. I first encountered this piece in my twenties, when I was devoted to joining the Visitation nuns in St. Paul, Minnesota, for the Liturgy of the Hours, when I was both young and had the time and flexibility to do so. I read an excerpt from this piece at that time, and was moved to the core. Now, I re-discover it once again, and find it is just as touching and edifying the second time around, if not, more so.

The second selection comes from the works of Hadewijch, a medieval mystic, and one of my favorite poets. Her writings are full of unbridled passion. And the third selection is by St. Francis of Assisi, and this piece I'm sure, is not widely known or recognized by many.

I Came to Love You Too Late

I came to love you too, late, Oh Beauty,
so ancient and so new.
Yes, I came to love you too late.
What did I know?
You were inside me, and I was
out of my body and mind
looking for you.
I drove like an ugly madman against
the beautiful things and beings
you made.
You were inside me,
but I was not inside you...
You called to me, you cried to me;
you broke the bowl of my deafness;
you uncovered my beams
and threw them at me;
you rejected my blindness;
you blew a fragrant wind on me,
and I sucked in my breath and wanted you;
I tasted you
and now I want you
as I want food and water;
you touched me,
and I have been burning every since
to have your peace.
~ St. Augustine

You Who Want

You who want
knowledge,
seek the Oneness
within

There you
will find
the clear mirror
already waiting
~Hadewijch

Wring Out My Clothes

Such love does
the sky now pour,
that whenever I stand in a field,

I have to wring out the light
when I get home.
~ St. Francis of Assisi

Go out today, and stand in the light. Let the beauty of this day unfold before you. Let the message of these words nourish you. Let the sky pour out its light and love all around you. And may you share and shine that light with those whose hearts are gray and heavy, and hungrily seeking for a lamp to guide the way.