The Spiritual Cafe

Tonight I met a diverse group of earnest people who meet in what they call The Spiritual Cafe to discuss questions of a spiritual nature.

Each Friday a topic is presented for discussion. Those attending divide into groups of about 8 people and share their ideas for about an hour. Then these smaller groups gather in one large group to share their insights and ponder more questions over tea or coffee.

Tonight the weather was so lovely that we all moved outside for the second hour, so we could feel the fresh breezes on our faces.

The entire experience was energizing and I came home feeling very good.

I had a dream years ago in which I was in a circle talking, and people were listening to me with attention and joy.

Tonight, when I contributed my thoughts in the large group, I realized that the scene matched the one in my dream. As in my dream, what I said resonated with a number of people.

Needless to say, I plan to attend regularly. I felt at home with the people I met and, over time, I may make some good friends.

Tomorrow I will be attending two great functions.

The first is a Mother's For Peace Mother's Day rally in Peace Park at noon.(Mother's Day was originally founded by Mothers to protest conscription and loss of their sons to war.) The second event will be a picnic in Gibbons Park at 2 p.m. with the people from The Spiritual Cafe.

Peace Park is a five minute walk from home. Gibbons Park is about a twenty minute walk from there - maybe longer - but I think I'll bike over. Maybe I'll take some photos tomorrow and post them here. I'll need to pack a lunch - I'll take my backpack.

Well, I've stayed up later than I mean to.

Let's see what Rumi, my old friend, has to say.

Yesterday at dawn
My friend said, How long
will this unconsciousness go on?

You fill yourself with
the sharp pain of love,
rather than its fulfillment.

I said, "But I can't get to you!
You are the whole dark night,
and I am a single candle.

My life is upside down
because of you!"

The friend replied, I am
your deepest being,
quit talking about wanting me!

I said, "Then what is this
restlessness?"

The friend:

Does a drop stay still in the ocean?

Move with the entirety and with the tiniest particular.

Be the moisture in an oyster
that helps to form one pearl.

From The Illustrated Rumi translated by Coleman Barks

A lovely thought upon which to fall asleep.