Thomas Merton: Inspiration for a monastic day

I started watching Merton: A Film Biography (1984) last night and finished it this morning. Perfect beginning to my day alone. I have some tasks I wish to complete so I will get this journal entry done so I can keep moving. Maybe the problem with my monastic days is my laziness, it is good to have a chore to complete.

I am looking out into the backyard from the kitchen table; the persimmon has less than a dozen leaves. The sun is still low at 9:30 AM so the shadows are long. Weather.com says 59 degrees. Good weather to feel contemplative, it is the closest to the feeling of the fall days the rest of the country enjoys we will have in southern California.

Near the beginning of the film, one person mentioned how when you start reading Merton, you want to read more and more of his books. That is how it was for me in college and the years that followed. I enjoyed and remembered a lot of the readings they used in the movie. I wanted to get out my Merton books and start reading. That will probably wait for retirement.

There were lots of threads also such as the Dalai Lama or Thich Nhat Hanh talking about there meeting and relationship with Merton. I wrote down where I think they were quoting Merton that the path of all great traditions was to transform human consciousness through spiritual discipline. The one thing he wanted to be remembered from his last talk in Asia was that we can't rely on structures, we stand on our own feet. That coincides with my current situation where I am not feeling that supported by the Methodist Church but I am not attracted to switch since I don't think it will be that much better or at least not appropriate at this time.

Unity Movement

I quote Bishop Spong way to much but I enjoy reading his views as he answers questions sent to him. In a recent letter he says, "Mysticism is a powerful movement, which fascinates and attracts me. I do not, however, believe everything that goes under the general banner of mysticism."

He adds, "I am attracted to the Unity Movement on many levels and have found wholeness of both body and mind in their congregations. Their quest for knowledge is impressive. Their joy in life aids wholeness. Their concentration on what Matthew Fox called "original blessing" rather than on original sin is a welcome relief. I think their emphasis on the enhancement of life rather than the denigration of life must be found in the Christianity of the future. I call Unity my second spiritual home."

I don't know much about the Unity Movement but I know I am not excited about being in an "anything goes" theology church. At this point, I don't have a spiritual home where I can talk openly about the things I do here. The church I am in though is a good community. I enjoy teaching classes and leading congregational worship. I always make sure it is meaningful to me but I don't "protest" or talk openly about the differences. I enjoy leading the classes with lots of discussion. I can slip in my views along with everyone else since it is not a stand up and lecture class.