The Zen of Everything™, Day 5: Making life more like church
Before you atheists go running for the hills, or at least the greener pastures of more skeptical blogs, know this: I have never been much for organized religion.
In fact, the introductory essay to what I’d assumed would be my first book, How I Pulled My Head Out of My Ass (A Skeptic’s Guide to Self-Actualization), is all about how church—or my indifference to it—made me realize that I was different from the other ducklings. (In a meta-way, it also became about my realization that it’s really, really hard to write a book, but that’s a lesson for another day.)
Church, as realized by the band of whitey-white Catholics in my hometown, was but an anemic facsimile of what I now believe CHURCH should be: a time/place for getting down with what’s important to you that’s different from the everyday, but similar enough each time you return that it provides a useful and consistent context for holding yourself up to the light.
So the physical space of “church” can be Joshua Tree or your tricked-out new age altar or 42nd and Broadway; conversely, you can create a practice—zazen, gardening, pinstriping—that puts Church inside of you.
From whence cometh this brilliant realization? From a book about branding mentioned in a post about questions on a blog about presentations. Questions one consultant asks of prospective clients, which we might do well to ask, period:
- Who are you?
- What do you do?
- Why does it matter?
Even if you, like me, are not one for religion—maybe especially if you, like me, are not one for religion—it’s worth remembering that returning to the same, simple touchstones can be of value. Because in the absence of absolute authority, where can you turn but inward? That space is Church for the rest of us, where we go to reflect and recharge and pray.
And in that Church of You, how do you pray? Well, you’ve got to sort that out yourself, but I think an excellent place to start is…
Lesson #6: The language of prayer is the question.
xxx
c
Image by .michael.newman. via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.
6 Comments, Comment or Ping
Greg
A wonderful blog… I’ve spent the better part of the last hour reading your back issues… I’d like to note that nowhere in the 2004 or 2006 years of your writing did you once mention the words “Button” or “Gumdrop”. I just thought that was odd…
On your current topic today, have you read “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert… I don’t know why, but I think you’d enjoy it…
Great stuff!
Greg
http://www.denvertvguy.com
May 19th, 2007
Mary K
I am in a profession where I occasionally must work Sundays and, for me, missing that hour of personal devotion makes it hard to track the days of the coming week. Sunday marks my personal time.
Sometimes Church is an obligation I am reluctant to serve and other times it is something I desperately long for.
Thank you again for your definition of what Church should be. You might appreciate the book, “Growing an Engaged Church: How to Stop “Doing Church” and Start Being the Church Again” by Albert L. Winseman. I have also benefitted from the book, “Sabbath Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives” by Wayne Muller.
May 20th, 2007
communicatrix
Greg – thank you for the kind words and the book reco. I hope to rectify that button/gumdrop situation in 2007.
Mary K – wow–it’s book recommendation day at communicatrix…how awesome! I’m glad my definition resonates. Would that it spreads, right? We’d all be better off, I think, traditional and non-traditional churchgoers alike.
May 21st, 2007
Adam Kayce : Monk At Work
I’d love to read HIPMHOMA… is that available anywhere?
As someone drawn to Eastern cultures and spirituality, the fortune cookie drew me in, for sure… and how great it was to be re-connected to Presentation Zen (a long-time favorite). Ben Zander’s and Marty Neumieir’s work are also lighting me up as well. Thanks for the intro.
As always, I love your style and insightfulness. I, too, was turned off to organized religion pretty early on… but the desire for connection has stayed with me (thank whatever you want to call it).
May 29th, 2007
communicatrix
Not yet, Adam. So many shiny objects, so little time. But I’m glad to hear you’re interested in it. Because you know me—I’ll write for a readership of one, if that one is appreciative enough.
May 29th, 2007