Monasteries of the Heart

One day Abraham invited a beggar to his tent for a meal. When grace was being said, the man began to curse God, declaring he could not bear to hear God’s name.

Seized with indignation, Abraham drove the blasphemer away.

When he was at prayer that night, God said to him, “This man has curse and reviled me for fifty years and yet I have given him food to eat every day. Could you not put up with him for a single meal?”

Discuss: Can you relate to Abraham driving the blasphemer away? Is it justifiable to “preserve peace” and keep silence when another is trashing what you hold dear?
Have you ever been with a person who insulted or demeaned something or someone you held dear? How did you react? How do you handle it when people with a diversity of beliefs end up at the same table?

Gurdjieff, a Buddhist teacher in the early part of the twentieth century, kind of a crazy-wisdom character—knew the meaning of the slogan, “be grateful to everyone.”
There was a man in his community who was really bad tempered. Nobody could stand this guy because he was so prickly. Every little thing caused him to spin off into a tantrum. Everything irritated him. He complained constantly, so everyone felt the need to tiptoe around him because anything that might be said could cause him to explode. People just wished that he would go away.
Gurdjieff like to make his students do things that were completely meaningless. One day there were about 50 people out cutting up a lawn into little pieces and moving it to another place the grounds. This was too much for this fellow; it was the last straw. He blew up, stormed out, got in his car, and drove off, whereupon there was a spontaneous celebration. People were thrilled, so happy he had gone. But when they told Gurdjieff what had happened, he said, Oh no!” and went after him in his car.
Three days later they both came back. That night when Gurdjieff’s attendant was serving him his supper, he asked, “Sir why did you bring him back?” Gurdjieff answered in a very low voice, “You’re not going to believe this, and this is just between you and me; you must tell no one. I pay him to stay here.”

Story is told by Pema Chodron in her book, Start Where You Are. For book information on Pema's website, click here.
http://pemachodronfoundation.org/store/buy-books/#start

Discuss: Was there an annoying, irritating or difficult person who turned out to be helpful in your spiritual journey? In what way? What did you learn from the experience?

Abbot Mark once said to Abbot Arsenius, “It is good, is it not, to have nothing in our cell that just gives us pleasure?” For example, I once knew a brother who had a little wild flower that came up in his cell and he pulled it out by the roots.” “Well,” said Abbot Arsenius, “that is all right. But each person should act according to her own spiritual way. And if one were not able to get along without the flower, she should plant it again.”

Discuss: Have you ever uprooted something in the name of holiness that you now have second thoughts about?

As he was dying, Abba Benjamin taught his followers this: Do this, and you will be saved: Rejoice always, pray constantly, and in all circumstances give thanks.

Discuss: How would you answer the question: What must I do to be saved? What would you tell your children or grandchildren. Try to limit it to three teachings.