Teacher: Rev angel Kyodo williams

Sito Sasieta introduces our teacher and links to an interview from which her teaching was  taken: The catholic priest, Richard Rohr, writes, “If something is spiritually true, it will also be true in the physical world, and all disciplines and all religions will somehow be looking at this “one truth” from different angles, goals, assumptions, and vocabulary.”

Ten years ago, I would have distrusted a quote of this nature. Two weeks ago, when I heard today’s teaching, I found myself reveling in how other traditions can enrich the way we enter our tradition, for how fresh language can help us go deeper in Scripture & prayer.

Today, in lieu of a traditional sermon, we’re going to hear a few recorded words from the zen buddhist teacher, Rev. angel Kyodo williams. She’s going to speak about a simple meditation practice that she teaches. It is called point meditation.

Today’s recording, I hope, provides a nice pairing to the theme of this weekend’s retreat— of finding solidity in God, of returning to the Spirit that dwells in each of us, (or as the scriptures paint it, of finding our balance amidst the winds and waves, of coming back to our foundation). Not so much to shut out one another, but as Rev. angel puts it, to steady ourselves for one another.

Jesus holds this tension when he says, “I have not come to abolish the law.” & yet breaks rules all the time to be true to his inner compass. God seems to invite each of us into both solidity & malleability. Sometimes we’re instructed to put on a piece of the armor of God. Sometimes we’re instructed to soften & become like clay. What a strange & challenging paradox.

Whether or not you went on this weekend’s retreat, I want to invite you & challenge you today to see if there is something from Reverend angel’s words that you can carry into your own contemplative practice. Perhaps it’s a felt sense of how God lives in your body. Perhaps it’s a way to calm & center yourself before you pray. Or maybe her point meditation can just be a practice that you keep in your pocket & pull out when you need it. (see last part of recording)

Untangle: Reverend angel on How These Crazy Times can make us Better Humans