Symeon the New Theologian: “… Now am I joined soul and spirit present in your Presence … your Presence all at once revealing your Paradise …”

sunset ocean your presence symeon

“Your own self realization is the greatest service you can give the world” ~ Ramana Maharshi

Indeed, as we navigate our human journey, Ramana Maharshi’s words remain a profound reminder as to what truly matters – regardless of the “UPs & DOWNs” … and that despite the “tough and most challenging road” of self realization, it remains the one true and dependable way to navigate life with harmony and ever deepening inner peace – and of course lot more ….

Stillness Speaks continues to aid this journey with a richly diverse content – all of which is a reminder of Ramana’s words … content that follows our underlying principle of “Our approach is integral – all are welcome!”

… content that is offered from both departed luminaries (like Buddha or Ramana or Merton or Rumi or J Krishnamurti or Alan Watts to name just a few) or living ones (like Dalai Lama or Thich Nhat Hanh or or Joan Tollifson or Rupert Spira or Gangaji or Eckhart Tolle or Joan Halifax or Henry Shukman or Adyashanti or Amoda Maa, again just to name a few) …

ramana maharshiUltimately, all of these luminaries point to the essence of Ramana’s words, expressed in multifaceted ways … ways that are infused with their own unique “direct experience” … and, in the final analysis, their “singular teaching” is that we each have our “direct experience” of That which is always here … a paradoxical statement or exercise that simply has to be “undertaken” vs just contemplated 🙂

In that spirit of “direct experience” … today we offer a short poem, or a simple reminder, from Symeon The New Theologian … but …

… before sharing who he is and his “work” …

As we’ve done since the COVID crisis began … we want to honor and highlight the “heroes” that continue to ensure our health and safety in the midst of the pandemic: Go Fund Me has organized many campaigns targeted towards the COVID-19 relief effortsAll of these campaigns are worthy of our attention … but for now we want to highlight TWO critical ones that we are supporting personally and also as Stillness Speaks (through donations):

We are all facing financial challenges but IF your situation allows you to donate and help then …

… please visit  Frontline Responders Fund’s Go Fund Me page … and help deliver crucial supplies to these frontline responders …

… and/or visit  America’s Food Fund Go Fund Me page and help feed the neighbors in need.

And, we again, express our deepest gratitude to a) the COVID-19 Frontline Responders (all the healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, hospital/medical-services staff – firefighters, law enforcement, volunteers, and any/all the people involved in keeping the “system-at-large” functioning for ALL of us) … and b) Go Fund Me for organizing America’s Food Fund to feed the needy.

THANK YOU.

Symeon The New TheologianNow back to Symeon The New Theologian … who …

“… was a Byzantine Christian monk and poet who was the last of three saints canonized by the Eastern Orthodox church and given the title of “Theologian” (along with John the Apostle and Gregory of Nazianzus). “Theologian” was not applied to Symeon in the modern academic sense of theological study; the title was designed only to recognize someone who spoke from personal experience of the vision of God. One of his principal teachings was that humans could and should experience theoria (literally “contemplation,” or direct experience of God). ~ excerpted from Symeon’s page in Wikipedia

Symeon’s principal teaching of theoria reminds one of Hesychasm – a mystical tradition of contemplative prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church – that is

“… Based on Jesus’s injunction in the Gospel of Matthew that “when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray”. Hesychasm may involve specific body postures, and may be accompanied by deliberate breathing exercises. It involves acquiring an “inner stillness,” ignoring the senses. The hesychasts interpreted Christ’s injunction in the Gospel of Matthew to “go into your closet to pray” to mean that they should move beyond the senses and withdraw inwards to pray. Hesychasm often includes repeating the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me [a sinner]”. …” ~ excerpted from Christian Forums

So …  we’ll take a very brief glimpse into Symeon’s teaching through his poem: The Light of Your Way … (we have taken the literary liberty to “re-title” 🙂

So … pause … read … reflect … and see where it leads you …

Symeon The New Theologian’s “turning of the soul …”

Holy are you, O Lord, holy, blessed and One.
Holy are you, and generous

for you have flooded my heart
with the light of your way,

sunset light your way symeon

and you have raised up in me
the Tree of Life.

You have shown me a new heaven
upon the earth.
You have shown me a secret Garden,
unseen within the seen.

Now am I joined soul and spirit
present in your Presence —

your Presence that has waited long in me,
your Presence, the true Tree of Life,
planted in whatever this earth is,
planted in whatever it is that men are,
planted, and rooted in the heart,

presence tree life symeon

your Presence all at once revealing your Paradise
alive with every good green thing:
grasses and trees and the fruiting bounty,
a world of flowers!
sweet-scented lilies!

Each little flower speaks a truth:
humility and joy,
peace, oh peace!
kindness, compassion,
the turning of the soul,

and the flood of tears
and the strange ecstasy
of those bathed in your light.

paradise presence symeon

~~ Symeon the New Theologian

Here are some words on this poem from Ivan M. Granger, the editor of the anthology from where this poem is excerpted:

“… People are always looking for their paradise somewhere else, somewhere outside their lives, when it is always and ever right here, within, inside this very present moment, present in the Presence. The problem is in how we see the living planet and our own selves—or, rather, how we don’t see them …

… your Presence, the true Tree of Life,
planted in whatever this earth is,
planted in whatever it is that men are,
planted, and rooted in the heart, …

The Tree of Life is the center of the Garden, yet it is rooted in the heart. When we finally see it within, we see it everywhere, for it fills our awareness. As we find our hearts and discover the real life within, we naturally interact with each other and the planet in awe and reverence.

In this way we steadily reveal paradise to one another.

… Each little flower speaks a truth:
humility and joy,
peace, oh peace!
kindness, compassion,
the turning of the soul,

and the flood of tears
and the strange ecstasy
of those bathed in your light.

Indeed, when we finally see “The Tree of Life” within we can not help but see it everywhere …. Ivan is spot on … and his words are worth cultivating (and deepening) as we navigate our daily life with whatever we may encounter ….

==== === ====

May you bring more humility and kindness and compassion in your daily rhythm and interactions … and …

May you remain safe and healthy as you navigate these troubling times.

 

Above Poem plus all the italicized text in the blockquotes is from (except where explicitly noted otherwise): The Longing In Between: Sacred Poetry from Around the World (A Poetry Chaikhana Anthology) Edited with commentary by Ivan M. Granger.
Symeon’s 
Images: (edited and logo added): Featured and 1) Scenery with seaview, clouds, and waves by by wasja, 2) Ramana Maharshi (edited): By G. G. Welling [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons , 3) Symeon The New Theologian from Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain, 4) Colorful sunset at sea by Aidman, 5) A tree and its reflection in the lake at dawn by vicenfoto, 6) Dawn above the village of Vorokhta by panaramka.ukr.net. All purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our. All purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post).
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