What Does it Mean to Meditate Like a Mountain?
posted October 20th, 2007 at 2:23 pm by Betty
I came across this story this morning from Being Still: Reflections on an Ancient Mystical Tradition, by Jean-Yves Leloup, translated by M.S. Laird, O.S.A. (Paulist PRess, 2003, 1-2). Some of you may remember Leloup’s excellent book on the Gospel of Mary and his other books that take us from the West to the East. I love the idea of learning to meditate like a mountain and would like to hear what that might mean to you. Thanks for your patience in my lack of recent postings. I hope this will be a beginning again of our conversations.
Here is the story:
“When Mr. X, a young French philosopher, arrived on Mount Athos he had already read a number of books on Orthodox spirituality, including Writings from the Philokalia on Prayer of the Heart and The Way of a Pilgrim. He had been seduced without really being convinced. A single liturgy at rue Daru in Paris had inspired him to spend a few days on Mount Athos when he was on holiday in Greece. He hoped to learn a bit more about prayer and, in particular, the method of prayer practiced by those silent men in search of hesychasm, or interior peace.
This young man had read many books on meditation and prayer, but he had never really prayed or meditated before. He was looking for not one more lecture on prayer or meditation, but an initiation which would allow him to live prayer and to know it from within, by experience and not just by hearsay.
It would take too long to tell how he came to meet Fr. Seraphim, a monk who lived in a hermitage near Saint Panteleimon (which the Greeks call the Roussikon). Suffice it to say that on Mount Athos the young philosopher was a little wary. He did not find the monks up to the level of his books.
Fr. Seraphim had an ambiguous reputation among his circle of monks. Some accused him of levitating, others of barking. Some considered him an ignorant peasant, others a true staretz, inspired by the Holy Spirit and capable of giving profound advice and reading the secrets of the heart.
When anyone arrived at the door of his hermitage, Fr. Seraphim had the custom of observing the visitor in a most insolent way from heard to foot, for five long minutes, without saying a word. Those who were not put off by this sort of examination would then undergo the monk’s biting evaluation. ‘You! [She/He] hasn’t descended beneath your chin.’ ‘You! Let’s not talk about it, [She/He] hasn’t even come into you.’ ‘You! How marvelous! [She/He’s] got right down to your knees!’
Of course he was speaking of the Holy Spirit’s descent. In this way, he assessed the holiness of a visitor according to the degree of incarnation of the Spirit. The perfect person, the transfigured person, was inhabited by the Holy Spirit from head to toe. “I’ve only seen that once. That was staretz Silouan. He was truly a man [human] of God, full of humility and majesty.’
The young philosopher was not quite there yet. The Holy Spirit had stopped at his chin. When he asked Fr. Seraphm to tell him something about prayer of the heart and about pure prayer according to Evagrius Ponticus, the old monk began to shout. This did not discourage the young man. He insisted. So Fr. Seraphim said, “Before I talk about prayer of the heart, first learn how to meditate like a mountain.’ And he showed him an enormous rock. “Ask it how it goes about praying, Then come back to me.’ ”
This entry was posted on Saturday, October 20th, 2007 at 2:23 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
There is a saying by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr, that says that the mind once stretched by new a idea never regains its original proportions. The same idea I believe holds true for the heart and spirit as well.
The only forms of meditation and prayer that have a long lasting and profound impact on the spirit of an individual are forms that have been constructed slowly and with due deliberation over a long period of time
Additionally, The metaphor of the mountain is apt because, just as the mounntain erodes over time so to can the iondividual however, in both cases this erosion ultimately leads to regeneration, renewal, and restoration of the earth because, the natural processes keep the mountains and the earth from which the mountains burst forth vibrant
The metaphor serves to remind people to be mindful of their meditative and prayer practices ao that may engage in a process of spiritual renewal and rebirth through the continuous refinement of their spiritual practices.
October 21st, 2007 at 9:16 am
thank you Nathan, for your response. I have started thinking about your idea of erosion and regeneration, which is very apt. Even as we are wearing away, we are building up and changing the face of the earth.
Before you mentioned that, I was thinking about the mountain in a different way — in its grandeur and majesty and stability. Somehow identifying with a mountain brings a sense of stability to my consciousness - that we too can incarnate a steadiness and a peace and a calm, perhaps even what the saints called equanimity. There is a certain strength that I derive from identifying with a mountain and think of meditating like a mountain. Betty
October 21st, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Reverend Dr. Adam, your response reminded me of a passage from the Book of Sirach
Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her. He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor. He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings. Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the LORD loves. He who obeys her judges nations; he who harkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers. If one trusts her he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her. She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test; Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline; With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her. Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveal her secrets to him. But, if he fails her, she will abandon him and deliver him into the hands of the despoilers . . . . Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you. Sirach 4:11-19, 28)
Just like mountains grow with time so to does humankind if they accord the wisdom attained through prayer and meditation her proper place in their lives, God will grant them many blessings and inspire humankind to become steadier and more stable.
In turn this ulitmately leads to erosion, regeneration, and change for the better because, through prayer and meditation humankind acquires the wisdom that leads ultimately to truth and the betterment of humankind.
May the Peace of the Lord be with you and the Magdalene community.
Nathan