Holy Encounters

I always find it interesting how we are guided to meet different people at different times along our journey. When we meet certain people, it seems as though the purpose is crystal clear. With others for some reason, we simply cannot know what Holy Spirit has in store…

This leads me to share a recent experience. For the last two years I’ve walked my dog everyday around the reservoir near our house. It’s a very beautiful natural setting where lots of people walk their dog and others walk on a daily basis for health reasons or whatever, so you often see the same people regularly and sometimes stop for a chat.

Usually when I walk around three o’clock, there is a Buddhist monk from the nearby temple who walks at the same time. I’ve actually seen him everyday for the last two years and although we walk right past each other, we have never spoken. Still, I always feel compelled toward him, but out of respect for his quiet time I simply nod or smile, but never speak.

Recently however, I was walking along one day with my son and we walked past the monk. As we past, I told my son that the monk and I have never spoken, but are nonetheless good friends. My son shrugged, laughed and said, “How can you be good friends if you’ve never spoken?” I told him that “although we’ve never spoken verbally we have a heart connection.” Again, my son laughed, rolled his eyes and said, “Whatever mom.”

The next day, I saw the monk walking along again and as we past each other my dog ran near to him as if he were going to jump on him. The monk was very composed and in a sort of profound way made a gentle clicking noise with his tongue as he held up his hand as if to command the dog to behave.

For some reason this impressed me and I was inspired by his authority. As I walked along, I thought about this energetic presence and made a commitment to myself to become for focused in my own spiritual dedication to live A Course in Miracles principles.

During the rest of my walk that early evening, as the intense pink and blue winter sky blazed overhead I had a deeper revelation that if I could really master Course principles and completely give myself over to Holy Spirit’s correction, I could certainly overcome the ego and truly awaken from this dream. I felt elated and grounded at the same time.

The following day, I saw the monk again, but this time after two years he spoke to me. His voice was resonant and deep as he said, “Lovely weather we are having today.” “Yes it is.” I responded and bowed my head as one highly evolved spiritual being to another. We walked past each other. I was very excited about this event and told my husband. I also wondered why after two years this was happening now.

That Friday, as I crossed the damn, I wondered if we would see each other… As if on cue, my friend approached and walked up to me directly. He asked me if I was from America and I said yes. I asked if he was from the temple nearby and if he was the monk that we had recently read about in the newspaper who unexpectedly walked in on an intruder robbing the temple and locked him in? He explained that that was a student monk at the temple and told me the exciting story. He then asked if I would be interested in attending some meditation classes to learn more about Buddhism.

I told him that I was a minister and practiced A Course in Miracles principles. I further explained some of the similarities between our two paths such as the nature of reality and illusion. I also explained that we practice awakening through our daily activities and involvements and focus on peace and mindfulness as a path to enlightenment. Our conversation continued, but the cold soon motivated us to keep walking.

The next week, as I turned the corner down the muddy stretch behind the yacht club, I saw my friend approaching. As he neared me, he said, “There you are… I’ve brought you something.” He then handed me a couple of sheets of paper he took from his pocket.

As we stood there with the chilling wind picking up, I looked at the papers. They were some schedules for weekend retreats and meditation classes. I thanked him and told him that I might enjoy attending some of the sessions. We both smiled at each other then parted.

Five minutes later, as I still had the papers in my hands looking them over intently, I bumped into someone else. A lady I had met a few times before. She was always a bit mysterious because my dog usually barks at her. Once I stopped to apologize and she said that dogs usually respond to her strangely because of her unusual energy. On that day, she had explained that she studies under a guru in India and her meditations and resulting energies have become quite intense --- which dogs seem to notice.

On this particular occasion, she noticed the papers in my hand and for some reason stopped and asked what I was reading? When I told her about the monk and our encounters she started to walk along with me with the intention of giving me the “low-down” on Buddhism and the monk.

As we walked, she explained that she too had been captivated by the energy and wisdom of the monk, and it was of her opinion that he may even be a master; but that the Buddhist practice was too demanding and clashed with the spiritual practice and meditation style of India which was her path. She said that she had attended the meditation sessions at the nearby temple in the past, but felt a deep inner conflict so stopped going.

As our walk and conversation continued until after dark, she continued weighing the differences between eastern and western philosophies and seemed to become less and less convinced of her own initial convictions. She even started to question my path as a Course student. In fact, she liked the idea of receiving guidance from ones own Inner Wisdom and the ability to hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit. She confessed that when she originally met me she thought I was a born-again Christian that caused her to keep her distance, but is happy to discover that I’m an open-minded person.

Eventually we had walked and talked so far, we walked back to her car and she gave me and the dog a ride home (interestingly she also pointed out to me the house on my block where the former Bishop of the Anglican Church now lives – another friend that I often chat with at the reservoir). Before I left her car however, we laughed about all of the differences and similarities with different spiritual practices and agreed that we may get together in the future for coffee or something… So, what does this all mean? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself…

After considering the experiences and paths chosen by others, although I respect them, A Course in Miracles is the path for me because it makes the most sense. I can personally relate to the ideas and the way it’s written for the ‘western mind.’ I am glad that I have ‘taken the one seat’ (a Buddhist axiom) and it works for me. I realize once again, that everything is just perfect and all paths lead home.

Whatever the reasons, I have been enhanced and I am glad for Holy Spirit’s unexpected Holy Encounters.