that sometimes distract me from centering or resting in the moment/or God's love (which may be the same thing, yes?) Today my Tucson "brother" (who also corrected me re: time suck not slut... but I think my mishearing is better) noted that sometimes there are real upsides to monkey mind.Now let's be clear that this is the man who took the facebook "what author are you"and came up Jack Kerouac - which didn't surprise me one iota - because he loves that Hunter Thompson stream of consciousness groove in all manner of things. (He also turned me on to Douglas Coupland's writing, too.) But... I think he's right: there is value in making wildass connections if they advance love and hope and trust - creativity, too - like the scripture says: to EVERYTHING there is a season. For example dig this...
If this isn't the upside - and blessing - of monkey mind, I don't know what is! Ginsberg is spot on with insights that are still sadly true all these years later. Dylan makes this happen many times, too, because he doesn't fight the associations but trusts that it is the Spirit making the connections, yes? That's what I love about Peter Rollins and his insights about true faith...
As a musician there have been a lot of helpers in this realm of giving up the pursuit of a single answer: Zappa helped me with this - certainly Dylan and the Dead, too - but also Beethoven, Stravinsky and Ravel - Miles Davis and Coltrane as well. And let's not forget Brubeck, Dave Von Ronk and Scott Joplin. Jeremy Begbie suggests that perhaps music is even the best way to teach the complexities of faith and theology... and that suits my monkey mind just about right. And when I need a break from making connections, I find that I can rest in the simplicity of this prayer by contemporary composer, Arvo Part.
Like the Iona prayer concludes: gathered and scattered...in suffering and hope... now and always and I would add - centered or making wildass connections - God is with us.
4 comments:
you're on facebook?!?!
hit me up.. last name Lindon. RAWK!
yes... even I can sometimes stay on top of the technology. it's fun and i have found tons of old friends. i will hit you up and see if i can find you.
In reading this I made the leap from monkey-mind to improvisation, with all that proceeds from creating at the edge, as in jazz. Did a sermon on that once, years ago.
ChathamKat - that is totally right. As those who improv know you have to practice your ASS off and concentrate and then.. go with the flow.. risk mistakes and see where all of it - your hard work included - takes you. Thanks.
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