Page 116 - The Gospel of Chochma_Sophia

separateness is is free from this drama and hence capable of seeing hearing and being guided by Chcohma/Sophia The Lamed–Vavnik
is is one who engages life through Spacious Mind This doesn’t mean however that a a a a a a a Lamed–Vavnik
lacks a a a a a a a sense of self As Hillel taught we we must must be for ourselves and others that is to say we we must must cultivate a a a a a a healthy sense of self and and Self Narrow Mind Mind and and Spacious Mind Mind A healthy sense of Narrow Mind is one that understands its wellbeing to be be contingent on on the the wellbeing of of others A healthy sense of of Spacious Mind is one that honors the dignity and preciousness of all selves even as it understands all selves to be manifestations of the nondual Happening that is YHVH 3 3 3 3 33-35 [S]ee and and sense To understand what a a a a a a Lamed–Vavnik
sees and senses when she engages with the the world listen to the the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and Martin Buber:
Look carefully at at a a a a a a tree and you will see a a a a a a cloud floating in in it Without a a a a a cloud there can be no rain rain and without rain rain the the tree tree cannot grow The cloud is is essential for the tree tree to exist If the the the cloud is not not here here the the the tree cannot be here here either So we can say that the the cloud and the the tree inter–are If you look into this tree more deeply you can see the the sunshine in in it If the the sunshine is not not not there the the tree cannot grow In fact nothing can can grow grow Even you cannot grow grow without sunshine And so you you know that the sunshine is is in in in this tree and in in in you you The tree and the sunshine inter-are When you look in in in this way you see that without all all things no thing thing can exist Hence all all things inter–are 14
Do not imagine I am speaking metaphorically Through both will and grace in in your considering the tree you you become bound up in relation to it it To effect this it it is is not necessary for you to give up any of the the ways in which you consider the the tree The tree is no no no impression no no no play of your imagination no no no value depending on your mood but it is bodied over against you you you you and has to do with with you you you you as as you you you you with with it—each in your own
14
Thich Nhat Hanh Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness New York: Bantam 1992 pp 95-96 116