© Paramount: Star Trek- the Future Begins: Kirk’s birth at the moment of his father’s death saving Kirk and his mother.
The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Dreams have always been important with me. I remember dreams that I had when I was six. Had them every night, so I guess I just got into the habit of remembering them. Almost all of my breakthroughs in my life have come from information or insights that have been presented to me by my dreams. Many people give importance to their dreams. Dreams have always been around and many people are guided by them. I am not sure how important it is to remember dreams in themselves, I believe they may just be telling us what is going on in our lives before we are consciously aware of them. Of course many dreams are nonsense and are dealing with stresses that happen the day before. There are many theories about dreams, but I guess we tie into those theories that flow from our experiences. So I believe that dreams can be a form of ‘revelation’ for the dreamer.
A few days ago I had a very small dream, when this woman came up to me and said, ‘Mark, everyone is in labor”. I woke up and thought it significant for me and have been thinking about it off and on for the last few days. The dream reminded me of this scripture quote:
“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21
To say that each person struggles in his or her life is an understatement. When anyone spends any length of time talking to people they are always dealing with something. There is always stress and anxiety and fear. So to say that we are all in ‘labor’ does ring true for me. I would imagine that when a child comes into the world from the womb it is not a pleasant journey and a fearful one at that. The reason I am saying that is some people seem to remember their time in the womb. I don’t know how that is possible but I believe this is true. For me it only deepens the mystery of our consciousness.
Yet like the labor of giving birth, which I have been told is one of the most painful physical experiences that one can go through, often ends in joy and forgetfulness of the pain experienced. My mother had 11 children and she always forgot the pain and only remembers the joy of a new birth.
If we are truly pilgrims, then we are on a journey and on that journey we encounter many instances of suffering and pain. Yet we get through them, and if true to our calling, we will find joy and peace on the journey as well. If the process of our lives is rebelled against, then I believe we only suffer more. The less we are in touch with reality the more we suffer I believe.
Christ said his burden is light, and it is lighter than when we go our own way and seek to escape pain and suffering in ways that only bring on other problems. This weekend we are having a ‘Serenity” retreat. It is a 12 step AA group that has been coming here for years and when talking to them, they get it; they have learned that to live according to the will of ‘their higher power’ brings serenity and peace to their lives.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
