Who Owns Breathing?

Or the imagination?  How about touch?  
Or silence?
Well the obvious answer is no one.   

But many Christians act as though they are forbidden territory.  If it's anything other than the Bible and words (and even those are under regulation) it's to be feared.  When I mention Centering Prayer or Reiki there are those who say "Oh isn't that New Age or Eastern?  I can't do that, it's dangerous, I could be opening myself up to the Devil."

I once heard a well-meaning pastor urge his congregation to trust God rather than the imagination thus setting the imagination in opposition to its Creator.  It's not the imagination itself that is the problem, it's where we let it go. Saint Ignatius was transformed by God through his imagination in the 14th century and so developed spiritual practices to engage Scripture and prayer in this way.
 
Elijah did not hear the voice of God in the earthquake, wind or fire but in the sound of sheer silence.  Jesus made seeking out a quiet place (to listen to the Father who spoke within him) a regular spiritual practice. 

Jesus also touched people and they were healed (and the way he went about healing was different depending on the situation and person).  He breathed on his disciples before telling them to receive the Holy Spirit (the name for Spirit in both the Hebrew and Greek can also mean "breath").  Much of his ministry looked more "Eastern" than "Western."    

There are some religions and traditions that have done a better job incorporating things like silence and the body into their spiritual practices. Rather than allowing fear from keeping us from receiving a gift, we can learn from them.  With discernment (sifting wheat from chaff), we can integrate, or more likely recapture, what's been missing in our own tradition.  Questions arising from the Biblical narrative can help us with the sifting.

If we're to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, I think we need to humbly leave space for "holy envy."   Theologian and scholar, Krister Stendahl coined this phrase, referring to the practice of recognizing and admiring elements in another religious tradition, even allowing those elements to enrich one's own faith tradition (or wishing it could).  

As a United Methodist, I've experienced holy envy in denominations like Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, and others.  As a Protestant, I've experienced holy envy with Catholic, Orthodox, Celtic Christian and Saint Thomas Christian practices and beliefs.  As a Christian, I've experienced holy envy in Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism (mystical Islam) and others.  And without exception, the places of holy envy have invited me to a deeper awareness and experience of the love of God, neighbor and self.

No one owns breathing, imagination, silence, the body, or even truth (this is not to say that all religious truth claims are equal, but that truths are found in all religions). Rabbi Rami Shapiro closes his emails with "Alles iz Gott."  He wants to remind me or whoever else emails him looking for wisdom that, "All is God"  because God embraces, transcends and is the source of everything!  And our Creator is amazingly generous (as Matthew 5:45 reminds us that the rain falls and sun shines on everyone).  

So with your heart, mind, soul and strength listen and learn. Allow yourself to remain open to holy envy.   Discern.  Let go, discover anew, or integrate.  And find yourself further on the path of Shalom, this already-not yet living into the Kingdom of God where individuals, communities and all of creation experience wholeness, peace and completeness...and a holy sigh of relief!

---