A few days ago, a man revered among the Mormons passed away.
His name was Boyd K. Packer. Over his over half-century of service among his
people, he said many things to help them within that tradition. I actually
memorized one of his talks at one point in my walk among them. I did this not
only because the instruction in that particular talk was so helpful in my own
walk and service, but because of the personal inspiration that came to me while
I listened to it. Something he said in it sticks with me to this day, and has
taken on additional meaning. In “The Candle of the Lord” (The Ensign, 1983), he spoke at some length about the Spirit, giving
scriptural reference to how soft and still its’ voice can be. Here’s the quote
that came to my mind. “The Spirit does
not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it
whispers. It caresses so gently that if
we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. No wonder the Word of Wisdom (the
Mormon health code) was revealed to us,
for how could the drunkard or the addict feel such a voice?”
Mr. Packer is right. However, what I missed at the time is the idea that preoccupation – or distraction – is the most serious hindrance to our well-being. Instead, in my religious and often self-righteous manner of thinking, I went straight for the Word of Wisdom reference. But the fact of the matter appears to be this: preoccupation with anything can disallow our “hearing” of the voice, let alone addiction. The preoccupation can be with food, music, rage, the neighbors, sex or sports, to name but a few. But more than anything else, it is our culturally conditioned addiction to distraction from that part of ourSelves that is able to hear that Voice that keeps us adrift and vulnerable to all the calls of the sirens in this existence. I feel this needs to be pointed out with greater clarity. It’s not just our physical health and physiological cleanliness that affects our ability to hear, as I mistakenly thought was his point. It is the multitude of dissonant, worldly road noise that we allow to drown out that small, sacred, still Voice. And more and more, from constant electronic stimulation to poor food to the pressures of living among so many people in our cities and towns, distraction itself is that siren song. The noise is so taxing that we just want to check out. However, nothing is more harmful to our souls.
So what are we to do, meditate all day to the avoidance of our responsibilities? Of course that’s not the answer. Even among peoples that lived with far less distraction in times past there was work to do, issues to consider. Food was a constant concern, as was care for the elderly and young, not to mention the weather itself. But the difference was an inherent dependence upon that Voice to get them through the issues of their times. As they were dependent, they recognized the critical nature of connection and worked on many levels of reality to make certain they remained able to hear and understand. For us in this day, it is imperative that we take time throughout the day to perform acts and practices that keep us present. It may be prayer, or a few meditative breaths before we get out of the car or as we sit in traffic. It may be reciting mantras or taking a nap at lunchtime to reassure ourselves that we love ourselves; for the rampant lack of self-love is among the greatest tragedies of our time. In short, we must learn to infuse our many seemingly disconnected acts with a thread of presence. It’s far easier to do that in the woods or in solitude in the desert… but that is not our calling or opportunity in most instances. Unless we choose that way, but that’s another essay.
I have my issues with Mr. Packer, to be certain. But I am grateful for his words in this instance. And to honor his memory, I thought it appropriate to post a few thoughts here. May we take time to ascertain our preoccupations and work to remove them or to quiet their needy, incessant voices. As we do so, I am certain we will once again hear the still voice of the Spirit. She will speak to us through the trees, waters, animals, scriptures, the voices of our children and our elders, just as she does now. Only we will once again be able to hear her.
And that makes all the difference.
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