Sacred Encounters

Sacred Encounters

"A sacred being cannot be anticipated; it must be encountered." 
    ___ W. H. Auden, The Dyer's Head


   Many people who are about to embark upon their spiritual quest come to consult me (Caitlin Matthews). They are curious about what they will find and who they will encounter. They have high expectations about the spiritual beings they are going to look up and 'work with'. As gently as I can, I try to explain that though they may be interested in encountering particular gods or goddesses, animals or heroic characters, they may not necessarily find the ones they hope to. Sometimes, it is true, there already exists a special relationship between a person and a spiritual being - a strong, enduring bond that takes no account whatever of the kind of spiritual discipline practiced or quest undergone. Whether that person treks into the realms of Christianity or the regions of Buddhism, the same being will turn - sometimes baffling out of place, sometimes very much at home - to her meditations and dreams.
     The most potent spiritual help may come from nameless and sometimes unknown figures who appear in meditation, soul-flights, dreams and visions. Occasionally, however, our helpers are well know - great figures of history, myth or religion. At those times we may feel humbled or overwhelmed by the sacred encounter, as well as suspicious that we may have made up the encounter from an overactive imagination. Listen to the advice and wisdom that these figures give you, if they come to you; see if it works practically, if it is trustworthy. If everything checks out, you may be privileged to be accompanied by a sacred being who is known and loved by many. But remember that our spiritual guides and teachers often take forms different from the ones we expect. Do not reject their teachings simply because their appearance may not accord with your expectations. If the help is good, then so is the teacher.

"Who are your spiritual friends and teachers? Visit one today."
[From: The Celtic Spirit by Caitlin Matthews]

October

Month of October - penetrable is the shelter;

Yellow the tops of the birch, solitary the summer dwelling;

Full of fat the birds and the fish.

 ___anon. Welsh poem

October sees the last days of autumn and the presage of winter. The themes of this month are the ordinary and the extraordinary, conflict and consensus, adaptability and renewal, combat and competition, the work of women, the reality of joy.