There are differing ways of looking at the multifaceted diamond of spiritual wisdom. There are those that believe that we must 'pick a lane' when it comes to following a religious path. If you want, the logic dictates, to maximize the treasure trove of wisdom that your faith has to offer then it's best to devote yourself to the fine print of that faith. After all, there is so much to learn and most importantly put into practice. Within Judaism, the team I was born into, there is enough in the Five books of the Torah to keep a person busy for a lifetime, then there's kabbalah, Talmud, Hasidism, Maimonidies, the Pirkei Arvot. Well you get the picture. There are also those that believe that only their path is the way to God. But what if your interest lies in diving deep into that one word, God. If that's the case then why not see the pursuit as having many wells leading to the one river. As part of my training as a Spiritual Director we were asked at the Aleph's Jewish Renewal Seminary AOP, or the Aleph Ordination Program, to take a course called Deep Ecumenism. Renewal Founder Reb Zalman Schacter-Shalomi challenged us with this; "Go out and ask,how do you get it on with God?" I did that. I met with a friend who had been the Moderator of the United Church of Canada. My question for her was one that had bothered me for a long time. I realized that in my ignorance of Christianity I had lacked respect for the power and importance of Jesus. Or as my friend's grandmother once said, "Jesus a good man, but the son of God??" The Moderator, Marni, replied. "First of all, His drivers license wouldn't say Jesus Christ. Jesus is the human manifestation of the divine on earth, Christ is the cosmic consciousness, the universal as opposed to the particular of Jesus." This brought to mind a prayer in the Saturday morning Jewish Renewal service.
You are the breathing that gives life to all the worlds.
And we do the breathing that gives life to all the worlds.
As we breathe out what the trees breathe in,
And the trees breathe out what we breathe in,
So we breathe each other into Life,
We and you.
YyyyHhhhWwwwHhhh
(Rabbi Arthur Waskow Z'l
So, as I was meditating at last night's Dharma talk at the local Buddhist Centre, focusing on the trait of generosity, thinking about the Mussar teachings on that very soul trait, I was grateful that we have the gift of cross pollinating. Of inter-being as Thich Hnat Hahn, the Vietnamese Monk said. Renewal Judaism is about opening our hearts and minds to all that the spiritual life has to offer. Deep Ecumenism is part of the course offerings in the ordination program I'm glad that it is.