The Merry Monk

This is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen (props to Ben Hughey).

I watched this in awe of the fearlessness of these humans that dare to abandon the safety of our prison of solid earth, and instead soar above it at 100+ miles an hour. They know the exhilarating freedom that comes from a mind unencumbered by the boundaries of fear.

Yet, at what price? Make sure you watch the whole video. These guys know life viscerally in a way that only comes by facing death.

This has challenged me in a profound way. Am I willing to lose my life that I may find it? Honestly, I have to say “No.”

Matthew 16:25 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Watching Words posts document my attempt to “hear” God by paying attention to reality. The idea behind this spiritual experiment is that, in the Biblical narrative of creation God said, “Let there be…”, and there it was. So, we’re essentially God’s words walking around in God’s words. All of creation is something he said, and if you want to hear his voice, watch his words.

For more on the concept, see Cymatics and the Voice of God and Parables and the Voice of God.

I would not want all my words
To parade around this world
In pretty costumes,

So I will tell you something
Of the Barroom view of Love.

Love is grabbing hold of the Great Lion’s mane
And wrestling and rolling deep into Existence

While the Beloved gets rough
And begins to maul you alive.

True Love, my dear,
Is putting an ironclad grip upon

The soft, swollen balls
Of a Divine Rogue Elephant

And not having the good fortune to Die! — Hafiz

I had all kinds of semi-profound shite to post this morning, then I found this. That other crap can wait. Check this out!

The wise man knows how to run his life so that contemplation is possible.

-Gabriel Marcel

There’s an inherent danger in introducing people to spiritual practices. We each have a lifetime of experiences that inform our thinking about topics like the disciplines, religion in general or Christianity in particular. My talk about meditation, fasting or prayer will inevitably be misunderstood in a multiplicity of ways depending on the hearer’s frame of reference.

One way to ameliorate this situation is to share common experiences. That’s why I’m a big proponent of what I call spiritual experimentation.

On today’s Mobile MonkCast, I got back into discussing this rule of life from Pete Scazzero. If any of it seems too religious, ignore that part. But, I hope you will consider joining me for a little spiritual experimentation with adopting a rule of life. Who knows, you might like it.

Click here to listen to my rambling about Rule #3.

Prayer

- Be a lover of God, seeking to live in the love of Christ above all else.
- Befriend silence.
- Allow Holy Scripture to shape and form Christ in me.
- To integrate contemplative practices (e.g. Daily Offices and Sabbath keeping) and rhythms to slow down my life.

Rest

- Value my own dignity as a human being made in God’s image through self-respect and self-care.
- Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.
- Remember God’s history of faithfulness with each new challenge.
- Receive God’s limits as a gift.

Relationships

- Love my neighbor as I love myself—embracing my singleness as I bond with others, or in marriage, giving first priority to my spouse and children.
- Walk in community while respecting each person’s uniqueness.
- Apply emotionally healthy practices in order to love well.
- Listen more than I speak.
- Live in truth, asking the hard questions.
- Bridge racial, cultural, economic and gender barriers for Christ.

Work/Activity

- Point others to a deep, personal relationship with Jesus.
- Savor the sacred in all I do—at work, rest or play.
- Remember the poor and marginalized.
- Share my gifts, talents and resources, in and beyond our community.

“If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do this I must believe.”

- Soren Kierkegaard

“Take away paradox from the thinker and you have a professor.”

- Soren Kierkegaard
____________________

Join me and Kierkegaard junkie Aaron Wiederspahn as we talk about the philosophy of Kierkegaard and the leap to faith.

Click here to listen to my conversation with Aaron Wiederspahn.

Aaron is the writer/director of The Sensation of Sight starring Academy Award nominated actor David Strathairn and Ian Somerhalder from Lost. He’s also producing partner with either/or films and the Executive Director of The Starving Artist and Burnt Norton Abbey.

Thanks to everyone who entered the Bishop Vader Caption Contest. Great open source comedy! If you haven’t read the captions, check them out. And now, without further doo doo…let’s pick a winner!

Here’s an archive of all of the Mobile MonkCasts that were MonkCasted in February. Click here to subscribe to the Mobile MonkCast via iTunes or your favorite RSS reader and join me for more merry monkery.

You can also listen by clicking the links below or using the player over there to the right in the sidebar. If you have an iPhone, download the free ipadio app and listen there.

Remember, if you’d like to join me on a Mobile MonkCast, I can record a conference call. Just email me

and we can set up a time and I’ll give you the details. It’s really as simple as a phone call.

February Mobile MonkCast Archive

02.26.10 – Heavy Petting Zoo
02.23.10 – Aaron Wiederspahn & The Merry Monk
02.17.10 – Ash Wed. Merry Meditation
02.12.10 – Booger
02.08.10 – Tony Campolo and the Help Haiti Fast
02.02.10 – Drop It Like It’s Hot

This is day 8 of my 40 day Help Haiti Fast to raise money for relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti through EAPE. Founded by Tony Campolo, EAPE has been serving the poor and oppressed in Haiti for over 30 years through entrepreneurship training, literacy programs and more. You can be sure EAPE will be in Haiti long after the world’s focus moves on.

Get involved in the Help Haiti Fast. Here’s the skinny on the fast:

- I pledge to consume only liquids (water, whey protein, fruit & vegetable juice) for 40 days
- You pledge an amount of money per day I can make it ($1 / day yields $40)
- Consider joining me in the fast and solicit sponsors of your own
- 100% of the money goes to EAPE

Let me know how much you’re in for in the comments of this post, then use the “Share” options below to spread the word about The Help Haiti Fast.

Also, I had the chance to talk with Tony about his work in Haiti, the move to cancel that country’s $1 billion in debt, and my Help Haiti Fast.

Click here to listen to Tony Campolo talk with me and the crew from Steve Brown Etc..

Finally, here’s the latest on the movement to call world leaders to cancel Haiti’s $1 billion debt in order to give the country a real chance to recover.

Haiti, may God bless the Hell out of you.

Writer, director, frontman and self-described poet troubadour, Aaron Wiederspahn usually can’t be bothered to do interviews. Most days you’ll find him busy drinking scotch, doing yoga or aimlessly wandering naked through the woods of New Hampshire searching for clues from God. However, Aaron and I go way back (plus I’ve held on to some incriminating pictures), so in my case he made an exception.

Click here to listen to my conversation with Aaron Wiederspahn.

Aaron is the writer/director of The Sensation of Sight starring Academy Award nominated actor David Strathairn and Ian Somerhalder from Lost. He’s also producing partner with either/or films and the Executive Director of The Starving Artist and Burnt Norton Abbey.

Join us as we talk about the philosophy of Kierkegaard, the leap to faith, the “need” of God, drinking scotch, asking tough questions, art, worship and more.

This is day 6 of my 40 day Help Haiti Fast to raise money for relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti through EAPE. Founded by Tony Campolo, EAPE has been serving the poor and oppressed in Haiti for over 30 years through entrepreneurship training, literacy programs and more. You can be sure EAPE will be in Haiti long after the world’s focus moves on.

Get involved in the Help Haiti Fast. Here’s the skinny on the fast:

- I pledge to consume only liquids (water, whey protein, fruit & vegetable juice) for 40 days
- You pledge an amount of money per day I can make it ($1 / day yields $40)
- Consider joining me in the fast and solicit sponsors of your own
- 100% of the money goes to EAPE

Let me know how much you’re in for in the comments of this post, then use the “Share” options below to spread the word about The Help Haiti Fast.

Haiti, may God bless the Hell out of you.