COMPLEXITY

A beautiful setting for a church,
many amazing friends.

Life should be simple.  Both of these ladies Joan at the Jetlag and Edna at our book study have discussed some of the complexities of being human and trying to be a Christian.  This morning on a very early walk I met Doug who has been helping at with supplying meals for some disadvantaged people but they are very demanding and unappreciative so he is feeling that the church group is being used.  Difficult to know how to help people.

After I talked to him I met a young neighbor of mine who is becoming extremely anorexic.  She has four neat children.  She had problems with this as a teen-ager and has now slipped back into it again.
She has her house up for sale and wants to move away from her parents, especially her mom.  When I see her again maybe I will ask if she is getting counseling. 

Church was very encouraging reminding us of the depth of God's presence not only in nature but also in our lives.  Although scripture is fallible because of the human element involved the very nature and wisdom of God breathes through it. We can learn a lot from children who find simple things fascinating.  I also found the message a little complex so I am not sure I got the message within the message.

Also reading Karen Armstrong can be very complexions so I am reading very slowly.

Armstrong writes about the Aryan peoples of India who had been aggressive, passionate warriors becoming transformed by the priests in the ninth century BCE into more anodyne ceremonies.
Giving up what they had called sacred violence to turn inward and find what the causes of violence in the psyche, they imitated a spiritual awakening that would become central to Indian spirituality.

Sages and their pupils in the years to follow would explore the complexity of the mind and discover the unconscious long before Jung and Freud.  Their goal was to find the true self that lay hidden and in finding peace within they would also find unity with the Brahman, "the all".  The indestructibly energy that fuels the cosmos, establishes it"s laws and pulls all the disparate parts of the universe together.  "This would require mental excises, disciplined lifestyle and intensely dialectical discussions."  They had hoped to help bring about freedom from terror and anxiety.

Urbanization developed and new forms of aggression emerged.  Competition and greed took over their minds and life became violent again.  The Old Religion no longer spoke to the changing times and animal sacrifice were done away with and the mind changing discipline of yoga became central to Indian spirituality.  This lead to the ability to master the ceaseless flux of thoughts, sensations and fantasies that course through the mind in order to concentrate on the awareness of the needs of others.
This entailed not only yoga exercise but disciplined living and kindness to all creatures.  The possibility of freeing the mind of greed, hatred, envy and lust and cultivating emotions that would bring out compassion, joy and gratitude could now be realized.

Yesterday was a lovely warm day and Randy and Sandra came and loaded up some unwanted bricks from around our place, and helped take out some heavy garbage that will be picked up on Thursday.  Then they took us out to lunch, after which we both had naps.

My interest in hockey will now decrease and it was sad to lose but the best team won and before you know a new season will be starting.  Lots of running around planned for today but plans do not always work out we will see.