In Sacred Text Reading, we take a small snippet of writing and explore how it illuminates other ideas and writings we’ve encountered, and most importantly, how it illuminates our own experiences. As a result, the people in the “room” (Zoom) leave knowing each other more deeply than they would from a casual, chatty conversation.
So if you are feeling the need to meet others on that deeper level, dive on in. There is no preparation needed–just come ready to listen, think, feel, and if you wish, speak. You don’t have to study or even look at the text beforehand. But sometimes the particular text will be intriguing enough that you just have to talk about it with a smart, caring group, and in that hope, we publicize on the website what the texts will be.
In the session this Saturday, September 3, 4-5 pm, we’ll talk about this passage from On Presence, by Ralph Harper:
[Martin] Buber stated…, “The primary word I-Thou can only be spoken with the whole being. … He who gives himself to it may withhold nothing of himself.” The emphasis is on the whole being, mine and yours. Each must speak to the other and listen to the other with full attention, no corners reserved or hidden. We know this is possible, however difficult and even explosive. We know also that there is no need to do this in most of our dealings with people … . We would be using up too much of our spirit if we did, and would not only become exposed unnecessarily but would be rebuffed as a stone is rebuffed against an iron shield.
And on Wednesday, September 7, noon-1, our text is from a 1972 talk by Alan Watts:
You and I have all conspired with ourselves to pretend that we are not really God. Of course we are (that’s perfectly obvious). We’re all apertures through which the Universe is looking at itself. Only it is so arranged that we don’t know that in exactly the same way as we don’t look directly at our own eyes.
Whether Wednesday or Sunday, the Zoom room is always the same:
- Join this class from your Web browser: https://zoom.us/j/578882781
- Join this class using the Zoom app: Meeting ID: 578 882 781
- Join this class by phone: 669 900 9128 US (San Jose), Meeting ID: 578 882 781
- Join this class by on-tap on mobile phones: +16699009128,,578882781# US (San Jose)
- Phoning in, but not in the bay area? Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/
abL8clvIYT
And if you’d like a little time to check in and chat about other things, come ten minutes before the hour or stay ten minutes after the group is done.
Hope to see you there and learn what your heart has to teach mine.
Take care,Amy