This morning I am reflecting on spiritual acceptance. I purposefully qualify the word "acceptance" by linking it to the "spiritual"underpinnings of life. Although, depending on your idea of spirituality, we struggle with behaviors, situations and outcomes on all sorts of human and social levels, labeling them as unacceptable or grudgingly tolerating as part of the human mix, spiritual Acceptance is a step toward Peace in the larger movement of Life. Acceptance is receiving with recognition that this, whatever 'this' is, is happening or has happened. Since there are obviously many aspects of Life that we do not understand, and life includes loss and suffering, as well as beauty, companionship and joy, spiritual Acceptance involves clarity and faith.
Years ago, a friend of mine told me the story of their early life in Germany during WWII, the continuous bombing where they lived, and the family's dramatic escape to America. The trauma impacted their entire life, affecting education, jobs, relationships and my friend's later attempts at meditation. As I usually do, I talked about forgiveness as the path to healing. This friend wasn't sure forgiveness was possible and left to consider it. Some time later, when we spoke again, they told me that forgiveness remained out of reach, but new Peace and deeper meditation had come through Acceptance. This conversation in turn, gave me new perspective on the power of Acceptance as well as the blocking power of denial. There are layers of meaning in both denial and acceptance. Denial can be protective. New Thought has a prescription for denying the power and 'substance' of adverse events in order to free our thinking to accept the Good we are seeking. But that can easily degrade into psychological denial--crippling our ability to digest, and come to terms with overwhelmingly painful or frightening events. Ironically, when we are able to integrate both the painful and the deeply satisfying wonders of our life, in Acceptance--however we get there--we know both Peace and Gratitude. Life opens in new ways.
Acceptance is not then just about trauma or the flaws of others or our dissatisfaction with ourselves and our life. Spiritual Acceptance includes our ability to graciously recognize and receive gifts which are freely given. We receive and learn acceptance on the level of human relationships, in the world of nature, and in our spiritual practice. Ultimately, we learn to accept the unearned Grace of God. Before I settled into writing this post, I decided to first venture outside and empty my recycling bin. What a magnificent, clear October day! As I came back to the front door, I gazed at the mountains to the North and scanned the trees around me, looking up at the high tree right next to the front door. All the lower limbs had recently been trimmed away and today, the high branches were suddenly full of apricots! There are other fruit trees in the yard, but I have never seen any sign of fruit on this tree, where I have exited and entered daily for 3 summers. I was stunned. When had they arrived? How could I not know this was a fruit tree? Did the pre-storm pruning bring the fruit? What about the extreme heat? I have no answer, but I have a harvest of apricots. "Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest," flashed through my mind. What other ripening nourishment awaits your acceptance? (Susan Nettleton)
https://www.greatestpoems.com/love-after-love/... https://www.greatestpoems.com/mending-wall/#more-380 https://allpoetry.com/Human-Family https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/.../WhenWorld/index.html