White Robed Monks of St. Benedict

Peace be with you.

The Feast of Pentecost

*Veni Creator Spiritus ...

It's often remarked that age is just a number. One cannot hold age as one might hold a cup. Age is a qualia, a function of the brain. Age is like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder, is it not? Which calendar is in use: Gregorian, Julian, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist?

As an attribute of The Human Condition we may dwell, dwelling being a conditioned habit pattern of behavior, on our very condition. What we perceive about ourselves and the world and the world itself (including the universe) is in our heads. We are a universe unto our own. There is consensus reality that we perceive as we are wont. This so-called consensus reality is also in our heads: beauty. And we make it all up according to our belief systems – beliefs which are also in the head and our creation - and that we make it all up is also in our heads, made-up as well.

Given that we perceive as we are wont, what perspective do we take to further color our perception? Are we the judge, jury, executioner; the victim, rescuer, persecutor; the saint or the sinner, the rich or poor one (either in any of a myriad of facets); the teacher or student; pendant, priest, rabbi, imam; an influencer and so on, such as Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Moslem, atheist, agnostic, absurdist, populist. What is our perspective?

All we need to do is look at the front page of any newspaper. We can discern any number of perspectives: from the proverbial ultra far right to the ultra far left. The (made-up) Bell Curve indicates that 2.5% of us are on either extreme. 13% would be the moderates to the right or left, leaving 64% (32%-32%) in the middle: The Great Unwashed.

We may also apply the Bell Curve to Awareness / Conscious Awareness: some of us are more or less aware, more or less conscious of what is going with us as members of Homo Sapiens. Compassion, by the way, is to recognize the suffering of another and to do something to alleviate that suffering (i.e. worry, depression, anxiety, for example) which means sometimes to do nothing as we only truly learn from our suffering (noting the distinction between (sympathetic) enabling and (empathetic) tough love). How conscious are we of the other much less aware of the other?

Now that we have mentioned perception and perspective, there is one more element in our dynamic: positioning. How do we position ourselves relative to our perspective that imbues our perception based upon what we believe to be the case? There are 5 possible positions:

(1) I am OK, you are OK;
(2) I am OK, you are not OK;
(3) I am not OK, you are OK;
(4) I am not OK, you are not OK;
(5) We (both) are, so let's move forward the best we may. Accordingly, we have to let go to an extent the Great Trinity (that is, Me, Myself, and I) and take a position of "we" rather than "I".

Hence, the attached picture is offered for an enhanced perspective. If not we, then we are playing a game that most of us do not know we are playing. We attach ourselves to various soap operatic themes and parts on the stage of life seeking salvation or resolution, mystical or otherwise. As the Greek plays (especially the Tragedies as we, the hero/heroin, die in the end) and Shakespeare taught us, we are all playing the lead part in our own human dramas. Besides being The Star, we are also the producer, director and even the stage hand taking care of our props (a la GQ, Vogue, Rod & Gun, TikTock, NY Times, Instagram, etc.). How often do we say: Play the part!

The universe is some 13.8 Billion Years old as we measure. We, Homo Sapiens, came upon the stage of life some 300,000 years ago. Our ancestors include: H. habilis, H. erectus, and H. heidelbergensis as well as H. neanderthalensis, and the cryptic H. naledi. As the attached picture attests, we are the universe. (cf universe)

At the (alleged) Big Bang, all the atoms were and continue to be. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. No new atoms are created as such. There is the transformation of matter and energy, all being energetic waves in varying degrees of compactness, shapes and sizes within an ever expanding universe. Where is the universe: now here. Where do we go? Nowhere as we are now here. Nowhere = now here.

And the caterpillar asked Alice: And whoooo are youuuu?
(Alice)

So, what to do? Let us say we are in a funk, depressed, worried, anxious, angry, mad, sad, etc. All we have to do is realize our circumstance. Once acknowledged we then become more consciously aware – of our current perspective on life, the moment. Are we being the victim, for example? Then what's the position: I'm not OK, you are OK. Feel. Breathe: inhale 4/consciously pause 4/exhale 4. Elect another perspective: I am handling this moment with aplomb. Position: We are both OK now let's handle the moment. Such activity may be described as wise, the gift of The Spirit.

*Veni Creator Spiritus: Catholic hymn sung on Penetcost probably composed by Rabanus Maurus, a ninth-century German monk.

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
Veni, Creator Spiritus, mentes tuorum visita, imple superna gratia quae tu creasti pectora.

O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Qui diceris Paraclitus, altissima donum Dei, fons vivus, ignis, caritas, et spiritalis unctio.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God's hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Tu, septiformis munere, digitus paternae dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, sermone ditans guttura.

Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o'erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Accende lumen sensibus: infunde amorem cordibus: infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti.

Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Hostem repellas longius, pacemque dones protinus: ductore sic te praevio vitemus omne noxium.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest. Per te sciamus da Patrem, noscamus atque Filium; Teque utrisque Spiritum credamus omni tempore. Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.
Deo Patri sit gloria, et Filio, qui a mortuis surrexit, ac Paraclito, in saeculorum saecula. Amen.

Thank you and Many Blessings to you and yours.
Peace and Joy!

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