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Since participating in Jan Novotka’s weekend retreat a whole new world has opened up with almost everything I read saying the same thing.  One significant change that I have become aware of is new meanings in the Psalms and the Gospels.  This morning’s Gospel for example of the blind man wanting to see has a whole new meaning as did that of the rich man “selling all and giving it to the poor.”  No longer did I read the blind man as wanting to see with his eyes or the rich man selling his car and furniture.

The words of Jan’s song: ‘Silence fill me with your emptiness’ are exciting but at the same time really scary.  This “new language” or “new consciousness” calls for an emptying and a total reliance on God.  It exposes one to uncertainty, vulnerability and emptying.  The uncertainty I can and have done for a good part of my life, the others are not so familiar and are quite scary.

I have been reading Eckhart Tolle’s book in conjunction with James Findlay’s “A Palace of Nowhere” and the two complement each other very well.  Findlay is at pains to explain the formation of the ego or small self and how that is manifested.  Tolle also discusses the ego and how it is developed and how it is maintained in every-day life.

I am left in awe as to how and where this has happened throughout history.  When I read Maori spirituality everything is so connected as is everything in Celtic spirituality and yet we live in a fast moving technological world where everything is disconnected at the same time as we are seeking more connectedness through technology such as the internet.  In a fast growing and moving technological age where we have every available aid to connect at one level we are more and more disconnected at a deeper level: very superficial and very much in need of instant gratification.

I was very interested in Tolle’s explanation and definition of sin: meaning to miss the point of human existence, to live unskilfully, blindly, to suffer and to cause suffering.  Tolle states that it is our individualistic human condition that creates sin and this human condition is the ego which is maintained through ownership: our ego informs us that we are what we own whether that be possessions, opinions knowledge etc.  When these are stripped away we begin to find the truth.

Collective Consciousness

A major part of my reflection though has been about the collective consciousness.  This has been in relation to the happenings in the Corrections environment over the past few weeks with the 3 Strikes bill, the double bunking, the union and then the death of the prison officer last week.  Tolle discusses the collective consciousness and its part in the wars and other major world events.  It seems that the New Zealand psyche now has such a collective consciousness of violence that seems to be spreading and manifesting itself at all levels.

The rise in gang affiliation, the names of the gangs: Mongrel Mob, Black Power, White Power, Bloods, Cryps, Killer Bees at one level and their requirements that violent crimes must be committed to acquire patches and full membership; the very names of the gangs and the way they relate are de-humanising and I find myself at times wondering how did humanity become so depraved.  When I see some of these men in the prison and hear them barking at each other as their communication, see them unable to conduct a conversation, unable to walk or talk like ‘normal’ human beings and behaving with almost instinctive, animalistic behaviour I wonder what has happened in their lives and in our society to make them like that and is there any hope for them changing when that is all they have ever known.

I think of our embarrassing statistics in domestic violence and child abuse; our approach to criminal justice; our mentality of lock ‘em up and throw away the key; our need to always have someone to blame.  With the death of the Auckland prison officer there is an element that would punish every person in prison now and all that are to come.  With such disturbing trends there is such a need for a counter cultural movement that will counter-act this human dysfunction as Tolle calls it.

Concept of Awakening

I find the concept of awakening a source of hope as a counter measure to the above.  I appreciate that I can do nothing on my own and struggle with the idea that I need to let go of my opinions on the matter and just allow the light inside to shine.  All I guess I can do is allow the awakening within me to occur and hope and pray that it is highly contagious!!!!  With God nothing is impossible.  However, the challenge is to continue to pray and be open to the increasing awakening:  take me to that empty space ... but slowly, gently and painlessly!!!  After all there can only be fear if there is a bottom!!!!
 

[Submitted by Sr. Veronica Casey]