September 9, 2015

COME HOLY SPIRIT

To get Spirituality, one has to climb a

mountain, cross a desert, slowly take

stairs and steps - and sense and realize

what these experiences are like. One
has to see and touch trees, rocks, dirt
and dust. One has to listen to music:
guitars, pianos, orchestras, birds, crickets 
and bees - lots of bees - classical, pop,
rock, country western - as well as Oriental.
When there is lightning to stop and 
look at storms, rumble and stillness.
One has to know about desire and wants.
One has to know about control and will.

One has to plunge into lakes and rivers

and like a deer taste water, salt and

sweet meadows. One has to walk beaches

and slowly jump or dive into the edge

of an ocean and then wade out into the deep.

To catch the Spirit - one was to walk

outside in the cool of evening and feel

the breeze and see leaves and needles
shaking in the wind. One has to carefully look

at veins in leaves - to see them bud and see 
them crumble. One has to taste - really taste

and savor bread and wine - but while eating with each other - and talk about the taste, 
togetherness and communion. One needs 
to know the poets: Levertov, Oliver, Bishop,
Berry, Hopkins, Haviz, Heaney. One has to read the great texts - memoirs - autobiographies, like the Confessions, the Seven Storey Mountain,
the words of Rumi and the three Teresa’s - 
and so many others - to know Jesus’ words  - especially  his parables, his sayings and his teachings, as well as one’s own story. Write it
all out chapter and verse. Then let all that be sorted and sifted out slowly in long early dawn walks or in deep prayer and cries and 
sometimes screams to God in the Dark Nights 
of our darkness - and sometimes in bright insights and Ah’s - on the street or on the bus.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2015