A love letter to those I accompany
By Vickie MacArthur
Dear beloved friend,
I write to you as one who has been meandering on this spiritual path of love for what seems like a very long time. Many people have crossed my path. We have walked together in circuitous ways of mutual giving and receiving, as if following the inner call of an ancient labyrinth, sometimes moving away from each other, sometimes coming back together, yet always following the whisper of our own heart’s wisdom. I believe that different souls are drawn together at different times for reasons not always fully understood or acknowledged, yet somehow deepening our understanding of the Divine mystery of love that holds us all.
In truth, I feel like I’ve already caught glimpses of you through the many moments and encounters of my own life. I’ve seen the worried face you bravely show to the world, and wondered what lies beneath. I’ve seen the longing in your eyes for something none of us can quite define.
I’ve seen you in the faces of those who have left the church, or temple, or synagogue, or mosque you grew up in, because it does not speak to the knowing felt deep in your bones. You know the power and mystery of a Love that cannot be contained in the brick and mortar of buildings and tradition. Perhaps you’ve had a direct awakening to God or Universal Spirit, or Suchness, or Love, and you no longer need or believe in the hierarchical structure that places churches and priests as intermediaries between you and the Source of Love and Life Itself.
Perhaps you’ve never had an experience that points to God or Mystery. Perhaps you wonder “Why not me? Where is God in the midst of my messy life, in the middle of a pandemic?” Perhaps you simply need someone to “lean in and listen” to the secrets your heart wants to reveal.
I’ve felt the restlessness in you that intuits where Spirit is leading, yet feels that your voice is not heard, even by those who seem to know you best. I’ve felt the loneliness of those who no longer have a church or spiritual community and have resigned themselves to their own solitary spiritual journey. I’ve felt your heart’s longing for the company of others on the path, for sangha, for spiritual friends, and community. It is for this reason, that I offer my ears, my eyes, my voice, my silence, my embrace, my heart, my love for you, my love for God, my love for the world, all of who I am, and all of who I am becoming, and all of who we are becoming together.
With loving, listening silence,
Vickie
Vickie MacArthur
feels like she has an inter-spiritual heart that cannot be confined to one religion. As a long time yoga and meditation teacher, and having recently completed Pacific Jubilee’s Soul Guiding program, she is passionate about bridging religion and spirituality, creating safe and loving spaces for those who don’t fit the traditional religious mold. You can find more of her love letters in her upcoming book, Love Letters To My Teacher: How A Buddhist Monk Ignited the Love in My Heart.
Read about Vickie's spiritual accompaniment practice here. Find her yoga and meditation classes at www.spiritinmotionyoga.com
