“a Good Day” With Brother David Steindl-rast
Posted On : September 28th, 2009
Tags: Benedictine, benedictine monk, Brother, brother david, David, Good, Spiritual Leader, Steindlrast, Video, With
This video, featuring Brother David, a highly-respected Benedictine monk, author and spiritual leader, is a BLESSING to all those with “eyes to see and ears to hear.” Look, listen and be inspired b… (more…)
> Captwasabi:I think this is a lovely statement. If it’s not your bag, then just leave it alone and go elsewhere. This message speaks to some; to others it may only seem like “hogwash”. Let’s let a kind word remain just that, okay? And not slam the man just because you disagree with his take on things. Go read a book about electronics or fly a plane or something that makes you feel fulfilled – cool. I might find joy in something entirely different, and that’s cool too.
I spend my days in much the same way, have been for some time now. I think you are correct, presence doesn’t solve much, having more to do with being than doing. However, I do believe it can add a great deal of effectiveness to whatever we are doing. As for awareness without thought, that is the basis of many spiritual traditions, most meditation techniques and all mysticism. You may not have experienced it, but awareness certainly can exist without thought.
You talking about a lot of stuff that really doesn’t solve much of anything imho. Sure, gratefulness and amazement is all well and fine. I prefer to spend a bit more time of my day helping folks achieve that which most of us take for granted. As for awareness without thought, one cannot exist without the other. Dogs and cats are not aware of self because they are incapable of though. They live each day as though it were the last and I aspire for more. Toodles.
He’s done a lot more than look at clouds all day. My understanding of presence is awareness without thought. Thought is useful when changing a gasket, but if it never shuts up?I think B. David is just encouraging greater awareness of the beauty that surrounds us. First Day = Awe, seeing anew. Last Day = Not putting off life (someday I want to…). The gift is the beauty that presence brings into our awareness. How often does our internal dialogue blind us to that. There’s so much more.
If doing it successfully is being aware of the present and that there are unique things to behold every day and to make plans “from a place of presence and not from some imagined fear” I believe I have. I say believe I have because I’m not entirely sure what a “place of presence” is. Anyway, this is not the message that the video imparts. The message is one of paying attention to the unique “to live each day as though they were the first and the last days” and that is what is impractical to me.
Why?
I wasn’t asking about religion or spirituality. I was asking about living in the present moment.You’ve tried that, successfully?
I feel sorry for you
Yeah, I did but I came to realize that religion of any form and spirituality of any shape is pure hogwash. To accept a day as a gift from some higher power and that “the only appropriate response is gratefulness” is just a nice, sly attempt at religious indoctrination. I’m not going to waste my time in amazement of electricity or plumbing because I know how these systems work and I can instead go out into the workd and help those who do not and that is the true gift, the sharing of knowledge.imo
“Cute but not very practical.”You’ve tried it then? Living in the present moment does not mean making “no plans for tomorrow”. It means being present, and if making plans, doing so from a place of presence and not from some imagined fear of what might or might not happen if we do or don’t do this or that.This day being your first and last brings a sense of gratitude not only when looking at the sky, but also when waiting in line at the checkout after buying a week’s worth of groceries.