Dear friends,
I wanted to share a few thoughts this week about renunciation. It’s a common phrase but tends to leave people feeling that denial is involved. That of course is somewhat unattractive, so renunciation tends to be quite unpopular!
True renunciation is of the heart. It is not about denial; it is about understanding that nothing on the outside will ever truly fill the hole in our heart.
Centuries ago the St. Francis vows were Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. Paramhansa Yogananda explained that those attitudes were necessary as it was a very dark time and total withdrawal from the world was necessary to feel the touch of Spirit.
He further explained that we are in a higher age (not all that high unfortunately, but better than St. Francis’ time!). Given that, he modified the vows to Simplicity instead of Poverty; Moderation instead of Chastity; and Cooperative Obedience rather than “blind” Obedience.
Renunciation is an inner feeling, not an action. People have heard the saying “Money is the root of all evil” but that is not actually the phrase. It is, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Money represents the entire material world. Thinking the things of this world will bring us joy, and then craving them for that reason, is the error.
There is nothing wrong with owning things. There is nothing wrong with having money. But if we lose sight of the fact that our real work is freedom within, not ease or pleasure without, we wind up walking down the wrong road. There’s a beautiful chant: “I need nothing, I am free; in myself I am free.”
May we each enjoy the pleasure and goodness of this world but never lose sight of the fact that all that is positive comes from Spirit. Let us strive always to remember the giver and not just the gifts.
Blessings,
David G., manager
for the Gang at East West