  Spiritual
This week: Your One Wild and Precious Life Edited by: Sophy  
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Hi, I'm Sophy ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Your One Wild and Precious Life
At the end of my favorite Mary Oliver poem, The Summer Day she asks “what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Her question resonates within me along with Joseph Campbell encouraging his students to “follow your bliss.”
Since Campbell first uttered those three words, many religious people have erroneously interpreted them to be hedonistic and narcissistic. But that’s a terrible misunderstanding, because following one's bliss, as Campbell saw it, “wasn’t merely a matter of doing whatever you want. It’s about identifying that pursuit which you are truly passionate about and attempting to give yourself absolutely to it, for in so doing, you will find your fullest potential and thus be able to serve your community and the larger world around you to the greatest possible extent.” (Quote from Joseph Campbell Foundation website.) And that is exactly the opposite of the interpretation given by those who see following one’s bliss as merely self-indulgent.
Christian monk, Brother David Steindl-Rast, commented on Campbell's "follow your bliss" philosophy by saying that bliss “is what you really, really wanted to do in life, but it has to be understood as Campbell, himself, understood it, on the deepest level. If you take it superficially and think it means just 'do what you like,' that is a very different thing from what Campbell was saying. Your bliss is your blessedness – what you find in your deepest heart of hearts. For your bliss, you are willing to sacrifice things. Your bliss is not simply your private bliss; there is no such thing as private bliss. In our heart of hearts, we are united with all others."
So bliss isn’t about “if it feels good, do it.” It’s about where you feel the deepest sense of being alive, where you are most at home, when you are most full of energy, most free, most centered, most authentic, most related. Bliss is about finding out what this is for you and not being afraid to follow it, because this is the creative life-energy stirring within you. It’s the mysterious power of the universe, which some call God, calling to you.
To discover our bliss, we need to probe our imagination and heart with honesty and courage, and attend to what we discover there as being our authentic, unique purpose in life, the thing that would satisfy us beyond obtaining a job with a certain salary and benefits, the thing that would be of most benefit to the rest of the global community. Finding and following your bliss then becomes a calling, a responsibility, a vocation to carry out for the sake of the rest of the universe, not just yourself. Of course you will achieve a level of personal satisfaction or contentment when you find yourself pursuing the right path for yourself, but that’s not a selfish endeavor. As Dick Leider says, “Where your gifts and your joy meet the needs of the world, there lies your purpose.”
None of us live in isolation – we all need a group in order to survive, and in return each individual has an obligation to that larger group. For Campbell the way you support that group is by following your individual bliss. If you find and follow that thing that you love, and then try to find a way to bring that love to your group, that’s what brings life to the rest of the world.
We are all unique, spectacular creatures. We all have a purpose or calling to find and follow. Some of us have more than one, and if we are lucky enough to hear those callings, and find a way to pursue them, we have the best chance at living our lives as our authentic selves. And people who live their lives as their authentic selves are much more able to care for and contribute to the rest of the world. So whatever it is, whatever that thing is that we are supposed to do with our one wild and precious life, when we find that thing and do it, we not only benefit ourselves, we may just end up saving the world, or at least our little corner of it.
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Here is a response to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (June 25, 2014)" about "Breathing Lessons:"
From Zeke 
This is a fascinating description of God's name. I will pay attention to my breath in the future.
It is a lovely form of prayer to be sure.
     
From Quick-Quill 
Soph what a powerful NL. I'm most impressed with what you wrote. It is deep on many levels and it touched me in a special way. Thank you for posting this. He is my very breath and you've opened new life to just breathing.
Thank you so much for your kind words - I am glad it touched you.
From Teerich - 2019 
Hi Sophy
Thank you for this wonderful gift on a dull damp morning. Your sentiments resonate so much with my personal philosophy of life.
Thank you for including one of my humble efforts in you choices. I loved your other selections and left reviews on several of them.
Keep the faith.
Terri
Thank you so much!
From katesthename
Thank you for the "Breathing" article. God just Amazes me constantly. My every breath says "God". Wow! How Marvelous He Is! Thank You Papa!!!
Thank you for your kind words.
From rachie
I thought this was a wonderful newsletter.
Rachie
Aww thanks!
From shepherd46
Your article, "Breathing Lessons" is wonderful and inspirational. I enjoyed reading it and will never think of breathing without thinking about this article.
Well done!
Morningstar
Thanks much!
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! Sophy
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Spiritual: July 23, 2014 Issue [#6445]
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