Head, Heart and Body

I’d like to share a passage from a new book by Richard Rohr.

It really resonated with me, and as I thought about sharing it here, I noticed that it carried on from my last posting! (Living what we preach) Having a quality of life that others will ask about! Luminous and light filled!

Answering the invitation to an authentic life of faith lies at the heart of our leadership.

I hear an important ‘self check in inventory’ that I will use: ” On a sliding scale, how are my: opinionated head, closed-down heart, and defended body?”

“To finally surrender ourselves to healing, we have to have three spaces opened up within us-and all at the same time: our opinionated head, our closed-down heart, and our defensive and defended body. That is the work of spirituality-and it is work. Yes, it is finally the work of “a Power greater than ourselves,” and it will lead to great luminosity and depth of seeing. That is why true faith is one of the most holistic and free actions a human can perform. It leads to such broad and deep perception, that most traditions would call it “light”. Remember, Jesus said that we were the light of the world also (Matt 5:14) and not just himself (John 8:12). Christians often forget this. Such luminous seeing is quite the opposite of the closed-minded, dead heart, body-denying thing that much religion has allowed faith to become. As you have surely heard before, “Religion is lived by people who are afraid of hell. Spirituality is lived by people who have been through hell.”

Richard Rohr, Breathing Underwater, St Anthony Messenger Press, 2011. p. 8,9

His book is about the connection between spirituality and the 12 steps of AA. It is a beautiful introduction to the 12 steps in a way that will be accessible to Christians.