Addictions
Many years ago a young man was hitchhiking across North America—he was most fortunate, as dusk was arrived, to be picked up. The driver of the car and hitchhiker soon fell into conversation. The driver mentioned that he had once been an alcoholic, but he was no more. He told the hitchhiker he was now working 12 hours a day. The hitchhiker suggested to the driver he had merely traded addictions. The driver thought about this for a few silent moments, then suggested to the hitchhiker that rootlessness, cynicism and wanderlust might also be an addiction. The conversation reflected further on a variety of crude and subtle addictive tendencies, given temperaments, that one and all must confront.
Bap a Mole
There were once parents who annually took their children to the travelling circus. One of the booths at the circus was a game of bap a mole. A hammer was given to those who played the game, and the head of a mole (not real of course) would pop its head up through various holes, The task was to hit the head of the mole when it appeared and thereby win the prize—3 hits won the large prize. The mole, under the cover, thrust its head up, unpredictably so, through various openings. The children and parents, in haste, attempted to, with their hammers, hit the mole`s head before it disappeared under the surface tarp. The game ended with the parents and children only hitting the mole`s head from two opening—a small prize was awarded. As the family was leaving game, a woman, who had been watching them said, “much easier, isn`t it, to hit the mole`s head in its various guises and appearances—-much harder to actually get the mole of the egò and false self`”
The Taper
A young man who had lived a busy and hectic life in the city decided to visit a wise woman at her hermitage just above the forest on an alpine ledge. The journey took three days, and the man arrived as dusk was appearing and a fine soft orange alpine glow coloured the glacier thick mountain across the valley. The man timidly and nervously knocked on the door and the woman greeted him warmly. She had prepared some fine wine, fresh bread and cheese for their meeting. The conversation turned in many directions, but as night and darkness came to dominate, a taper was taken down. The woman lit one end of the taper to provide light in the chalet. She handed the taper to the young man. The older woman then told the man she was going to light the other end of the taper. The young man momentarily protested and suggested that the taper would go out quicker if both ends were burning. “Indeed it will”, the woman replied. “And so it is with those who are too busy with city life, victims of their drivenness”.
Ron Dart
Hi Ron;
I would enjoy hearing where these winnowed wisdom episodes come from. Clearly I see some of them are from you, yet I recognize some (by their skeletons at least). I wonder which are the original Dartisms?
Would you kindly include a reference for those which borrow some of their shape or content from your readings? I would enjoy the increased exposure.
Thanks;
-Mark
(PS where was this first picture taken?!)
Mark,
Some of the tales come from the Desert Fathers/Mothers (somewhat embellished and developed), some from Hasidic legends and lore, others quite original yet in the spirit of the Christian wisdom heritage.
The Winnowed Wisdom series (hope to turn all these tales into a book someday) are part of a larger project to retrieve the significance
of the Christian wisdom tradition.
Fiat Lux
Ron Dart
In other words, Mark, Ron tends to carry these stories as oral traditions, rather than being able to cite a chapter and verse reference for you. Your best hope is to quote the story ‘via Ron Dart.’
Thanks Ron and Brad;
I am wondering Ron if you could direct me to a good starter on Hasidic legends? Is there a good book or collection (perhaps something useful online)?
Also, have you read much from Eastern religious wisdom literature? E.g. Buddhist wisdom? I am growing to appreciate this body of wisdom and see how the Holy Spirit truly has come to so many who hungered even outside the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Love in Christ;
-Mark Basil
Dear Mark,
You might find Martin Buber’s 2 Volumes on the Hasidic Tradition quite insightful and informative. The Orthodox 5 Volume Philokalia is a mother lode, of course. I received an email from Timothy Ware a few months ago–he mentioned the 5th volume of the Philokalia will be out soon. And yes, of course, there is much wisdom literature in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions as there is in the Greek and Roman traditions. Have you read the “Tao” section in C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man, Tolstoy’s A Calendar of Wisdom (which he considered the distilled insights of his life vision) or Erasmus’ Adages?—all pure and burnished gold wisdom literature.
Fiat Lux
Thank you very much Ron!
I have not read any of these sources; this is just what I hoped for (esp. the Jewish sources). I am enjoying the breadth of the Holy Spirit’s generousity as His seed germinates in the willing hearts and minds across the world’s religions.
It is also helping me refine what is unique in the Christian gospel. I am starting to see that what is unique to Christ is only lived by precious few of our greatest Saints- those few Christ identifies (and he’s speaking to his disciples of course) who will traverse the narrow Way that leads to life, and actually arrive at some measure of dispassion and divine love.
Peace;
-Mark Basil