As I reflect on St Francis of Assisi's comment: 'Seeing God in the Mirror of our Lives' that I mentioned in my last blog, I find it relates in many ways to A Testament of Devotion that I have been reading this week. This book is a collection of reflections by Dr Thomas Raymond Kelly Ph.D. (1893-1941). Kelly was an American Quaker educator and Mystic. While his writing reflects the gender-biased language common to his era, I found his chapters wonderful 'food for the soul', especially in his opening article, The Light Within.
Quakers, also referred to as The Society of Friends, believe that each person has the latent ability to experientially access what they refer to as The Light Within. Kelly begins his article by reminding us that within all of us, we have an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a Divine Centre. This is because God dwells in all creation including every person. And what is more, we can all learn to access and return to this 'Eternity within' at will. Even if we are unaware, or have lost touch with this 'Eternal Light within', it never fades. The Divine is forever calling for our attention – inviting us to be at home in this 'Centre of Creation'; and waiting to guide us as our 'polestar of the soul'; learning to continually return to this inner sanctuary and live by its Light.
What Kelly suggests is not new. However, I am sure I am not alone in finding this simple truth rather illusive. Partly, perhaps, because we live in secular society, and the events and demands of everyday life command our attention so we forget, or perhaps have never experienced, that we carry this deeper divine centre within us.
What I found helpful was the simple way Kelly affirmed that the art of living fully and successfully, is learning to balance the interplay between two levels of everyday life: the everyday demands living in the 211st century world demand of us; and learning how to develop an awareness of the Sacred Wisdom and Light that all human beings carry within them, regardless of who they are or what values and believes they hold.
Kelly then suggests ways we can develop the awareness – and this I found was food for my soul. It is not a matter of becoming religious – whatever that means for you – or me. It is learning to balance our outer life of everyday concerns and activities such as work, relationships, and so on, with inner awareness and orientation. Kelly compares it to the story of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (c. 1614 –1691) who served as a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery in Paris and is remembered for the simple way he expressed his relationship to God as recorded in the book, The Practice of the Presence of God. Br Lawrence discovered it is learning to balance the demands of everyday life with the willingness to cultivate an inner sensing of the Divine Presence within us. Br Lawrence discovered at first it felt strange, and we often become preoccupied with the outer world and its demands, I know I find that. But both Kelly and Br Lawrence say that with persistence we will discover it becomes easier as we learn to rest in the Eternal Inspiration and Presence within amid all the business and distractions of everyday life. Both suggest the simple repetition of a short verse of scripture or mantra that is repeated inwardly will help as it too becomes a familiar friend companion and guide as we learn to be at home with the One who dwells in the Home that is found in the deepest centre within us.
Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and goodwill on your journey.
Phil
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Kelly, Thomas R, A Testament of Devotion pgadey.com › quaker › KellyTestamentOfDevotionPDF\
Lawrence, Br, Practice of the Presence of God d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net › documents › 2016/10PDF
