Morning Ruminations

I woke up very early this morning thinking about listening to my soul.

At class on Saturday we did an exercise that I am still pondering. We were in a group - each person had a turn with the "stick" and when it was our turn we took 20 - 30 seconds and listened for a question from our souls. Then handed it to the next person who did the same thing and they answered the question. After that they listened for the next question.

I found myself patiently waiting for my turn and when it came, it came. I heard the answer clearly and after that I heard the question just as clearly.

Since then I have thought alot about listening to my soul. And I know that there are certainly times when it happens - often in sermon prep, or Bible studies and in conversations. Sometimes I experience what I can "soul moments" of happiness when I can almost see the flowers blooming and the butterflies within me. At least that is how I name it when I know it.

All of this makes me want to be more attentive. Live in such a way that I am clearing out the noise to hear and not distracting myself with those things that numb me.

None of these are new ideas. Just a kind of different way of getting to what god wants for us.

My soul is a place of deep peace and joy. But it is also where I experience pain. And it is a place of connections.

Sunday night I went to the Songfest at Bethany Christian Church. Churches from Columbus and Cincinnati - predominantly African American - came together bringing their choirs to sing. The purpose of the celebration - beyond worship - was to raise money for scholarships for African American seminarians.

The singing was often powerful. The choirs were not that large - but very "soulful"
I can still see the face of one of the women who was doing a solo with her choir. She sang about how the Lord lead you "through it" She was at least 60 - maybe 70 or even 80 years old. And I wondered about how much she has been led through. Of course, I don't know. But I do know that as a 60 year old white middle class woman that while my life has had suffering and pain, there has also been privilege. The privilege that comes from being born into a college educated family and just being in the dominant culture. And wondered how different her life experience had been.

Often Soulful singing - comes of suffering and awareness of suffering and compassion for those who do suffer. The music Sunday afternoon may not have been "pitch-perfect" but it was full of soul.

I just write this - ruminate on it - understanding that God wants me to be connected to all of it - the pain, the struggle, the joy, the celebrating. That is what makes life rich.

And as I write this I realize that the blessed life is found in being able to learn and listen to other people's stories that are unlike mine. Hearing not only my soul but their souls. Hearing their stories so that maybe we will connect in some ways of the spirit.

Because we are one in the spirit. If only we knew it.