When I was teaching Religious Studies at the University of New Mexico in Taos, I often brought in guest speakers to enhance my students’ experience of multiple faith traditions.
This is beautiful because it refuses the lazy line between believer and unbeliever. Some people deny the God I also do not believe in: the punishing idol, the tribal mascot, the cosmic accountant. And some people who say they do not believe in God still become radiant with mercy, humility, courage, and love.
That is the part that matters to me. The name on the outside can lie. The heart reveals more. If someone becomes kinder, freer, less possessed by the nafs, more willing to stand with the vulnerable and live for love, then something holy is moving there, whether they use our language for it or not. Sometimes the atheist is the one who reminds the believer what God looks like when love becomes embodied.
Just pre-ordered and looking forward to reading it.
And thank you for this article this morning about your friend…it just resounds with who God is and what makes our lives look and resembles more and more like God…and it’s rooted simply in being and becoming people of love.
If our lives, pertaining to our thoughts, desires, emotions, choices and social relationships with all people and all things, are not rooted and permeating in Love, then we have become disconnected with the source of life and love Himself.
If there is anything within us that makes us think it is “us versus them”, we are in need for reorienting our hearts back to God Himself.
I love your closing words that you shared about your ‘atheist’ friend, John, whose very life was a revelation of God’s heart:)!!
(((And all the while, John exuded this lovingkindness, humility, and wonderment in the face of the human condition. His visit changed something deep inside all of us. That is enlightenment. That is radical and revolutionary action. I was the one broken free of my prejudices and preconceptions.
!!!At the feet of an atheist, I caught a glimpse of God.!!!)))
"Instead, he told wonderfully engaging stories of his own adventures, and in the end connected it all to what is most beautiful and liberating about the teachings of their beloved Jesus. They were totally captivated. And so was I." Wonderful breach-mending work.
Fourth time for Ordinary Mysticism & almost through it again. Each time it's like God makes entirely new and different again. Now at nearly 84, I now see the why and wherefore of God and my long gay life. My decades of hiding myself since I was 14 yo in 1957 and why the hiding is more clear each month I continue to live still. There was no opportunity but only to hide in plain sight. Not anymore as all my adoptive family has died something I never expected before me. My only sadness is my hiding because I was illegal and immoral in all fifty states in the union. But then it was what it was. Amen
I appreciate your inquiry- in your books and here. I used Ordinary Mysticism in a class to help us all look at the boxes that we draw around the ephemeral. You do a very good job of spotlighting the boxes from which we peak at the openness of All-That-Is. I appreciate you opening the doors to John’s message and sharing it with us.🙏🏻🎶
I never cease to be amazed by your wondrous writing. I truly wish that I had met Ram Dass and John. When we consider unconditional love, we embrace what Jesus and the mystics truly are. My dear friend who professes to be an atheist is one of the more loving people I know. You are teaching wonderful insights that unconditional love knows no boundaries or "beliefs." Thank you.
This: " I was the one broken free of my prejudices and preconceptions. At the feet of an atheist, I caught a glimpse of God." .... Eckart Tolle writes in "Stillness Speaks" (i paraphrase) that when we acknowledge our true nature as consciousness, we access an alive and abiding sense of peace. ... Consciousness is not only awareness, it is connection. And connection is an everyday/transcendent name for love. Love? Love is the circle of giving where we access and share what is beyond us and within us and amongst us. (Jesus talked about this.) John Nichols rose above categories and divisions with both feet on the ground of earthly reality. With heart open to connection. (Jesus did this, too. So do other mystics.) Thank you, Mirabai for your storytelling.
This is beautiful because it refuses the lazy line between believer and unbeliever. Some people deny the God I also do not believe in: the punishing idol, the tribal mascot, the cosmic accountant. And some people who say they do not believe in God still become radiant with mercy, humility, courage, and love.
That is the part that matters to me. The name on the outside can lie. The heart reveals more. If someone becomes kinder, freer, less possessed by the nafs, more willing to stand with the vulnerable and live for love, then something holy is moving there, whether they use our language for it or not. Sometimes the atheist is the one who reminds the believer what God looks like when love becomes embodied.
Yes, living for love. Thank you, Aleks 💜
Thank you for this beautiful story, and for introducing me to John through your words. Uplifting and inspiring. Much gratitude.
Thank you, Jeffrey 💜
Just pre-ordered and looking forward to reading it.
And thank you for this article this morning about your friend…it just resounds with who God is and what makes our lives look and resembles more and more like God…and it’s rooted simply in being and becoming people of love.
If our lives, pertaining to our thoughts, desires, emotions, choices and social relationships with all people and all things, are not rooted and permeating in Love, then we have become disconnected with the source of life and love Himself.
If there is anything within us that makes us think it is “us versus them”, we are in need for reorienting our hearts back to God Himself.
I love your closing words that you shared about your ‘atheist’ friend, John, whose very life was a revelation of God’s heart:)!!
(((And all the while, John exuded this lovingkindness, humility, and wonderment in the face of the human condition. His visit changed something deep inside all of us. That is enlightenment. That is radical and revolutionary action. I was the one broken free of my prejudices and preconceptions.
!!!At the feet of an atheist, I caught a glimpse of God.!!!)))
WOW! WOW!! WOW!!!
Blessings Everywhere:)!!❤️🙌🙌❤️
Thank you, Cleve. Both for pre-ordering God of Love and for your reflections on this post today. 💜
"Instead, he told wonderfully engaging stories of his own adventures, and in the end connected it all to what is most beautiful and liberating about the teachings of their beloved Jesus. They were totally captivated. And so was I." Wonderful breach-mending work.
Thank you, Miranda. I love the way you use the phrase "breach-mending". 💜
I loved this post. When I worked as a hospital chaplain, I met many loving, caring, compassionate self proclaimed “atheists”.
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing that, Margy 💜
Thank you, Mirabai, for sharing, for your book, and for this encouragement ❣️
Thank you.
Thank you, Valerie!
What a wonderful story of surprising Enlightenment. Thank you for sharing. I also lived in Taos for a while, and loved it there.
Thank you, Cheryl. So glad you got to experience the magic of Taos 💜
How I love this, Mirabai.
Thank you, Kelly.
Isn't it amazing how we can catch a glimpse of God in the most unexpected of places and ways!
Indeed! Thank you, LeMel.
Fourth time for Ordinary Mysticism & almost through it again. Each time it's like God makes entirely new and different again. Now at nearly 84, I now see the why and wherefore of God and my long gay life. My decades of hiding myself since I was 14 yo in 1957 and why the hiding is more clear each month I continue to live still. There was no opportunity but only to hide in plain sight. Not anymore as all my adoptive family has died something I never expected before me. My only sadness is my hiding because I was illegal and immoral in all fifty states in the union. But then it was what it was. Amen
Thank you, Thomas for your vulnerable and beautiful share 💜
I appreciate your inquiry- in your books and here. I used Ordinary Mysticism in a class to help us all look at the boxes that we draw around the ephemeral. You do a very good job of spotlighting the boxes from which we peak at the openness of All-That-Is. I appreciate you opening the doors to John’s message and sharing it with us.🙏🏻🎶
How beautiful you used it in a class, Joseph. Thank you for sharing that 💜
Beautiful story-telling; all that's left in reality is love; we all get distracted by the perishable wrappings... (I'm bowing to you on the inside).
Peace
Thank you, Greg 💜
I never cease to be amazed by your wondrous writing. I truly wish that I had met Ram Dass and John. When we consider unconditional love, we embrace what Jesus and the mystics truly are. My dear friend who professes to be an atheist is one of the more loving people I know. You are teaching wonderful insights that unconditional love knows no boundaries or "beliefs." Thank you.
Thank you, Kim 💜
This: " I was the one broken free of my prejudices and preconceptions. At the feet of an atheist, I caught a glimpse of God." .... Eckart Tolle writes in "Stillness Speaks" (i paraphrase) that when we acknowledge our true nature as consciousness, we access an alive and abiding sense of peace. ... Consciousness is not only awareness, it is connection. And connection is an everyday/transcendent name for love. Love? Love is the circle of giving where we access and share what is beyond us and within us and amongst us. (Jesus talked about this.) John Nichols rose above categories and divisions with both feet on the ground of earthly reality. With heart open to connection. (Jesus did this, too. So do other mystics.) Thank you, Mirabai for your storytelling.
Thank you, Steven for your reflections. 💜
Beautiful beyond belief.
Thank you, June 💜