Katrina G. Boyd: Chop Wood; Carry Water; May 25, 10 a.m. I’ve always enjoyed the Buddhist saying about the relationship between spiritual growth and our physical reality: “before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water; after enlightenment: chop wood, carry water.” Another ancient variation on this theme comes from Lao Tzu: “after enlightenment, the laundry.” For me these simple statements point towards two fundamental truths: spiritual growth does not free us from mundane jobs and we must make an effort to put aside our material tasks long enough to seek enlightenment. In the modern world our work is often far removed from this type of physical labor, but we still have our daily “chores.” For the last several years I have personally been working on making time for spiritual exploration and growth, but also on finding moments of contemplation in everyday activities. You’ll just have to wait for the talk to see what I have to say on this topic because I have to go metaphorically chop wood and carry water—right now. About the Speaker: Having earned a Ph.D. from Indiana University in 2001, Katrina G. Boyd has taught for OU since 2005 and is now an Assistant Professor in the Film and Media Studies Program. She has been part of the Morning Star spiritual community since 2007 and hosts the Spiritual Cinema series, which typically meets on the third Friday of the month. Meditator ~ Scott Williams
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 16:38:27 +0000
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