"You've heard it be said," those are the words that are recorded as coming from the mouth of Christ. He took the letter of the law. For He had spoken it was not to abolish but to be fulfilled. So He took what they knew and started there... So amazing. He did that for the lawmakers, the prostitutes, those that would think themselves righteous and those who never dare such a thing. He met everyone where they were at... Leper colony, women, Samaria... He would go to them.. Not expecting them to come to Him. Though they did.
"You've heard it be said," He would say. He would then talk about an action. Murder, adultery, false witness, vengence and the question of who should be loved. He spoke, "you've heard it be said," meeting each listener in the moment, and then He took it further and further.
It was not to be about action. It was to be about the heart. It wasn't any longer going to be what you put into the body. It was what was now going to come out of the heart. No longer could an external set of behavior "save" a soul. Now one must see one's own heart and deal with what is seen there by the Divine, who is never blinded nor fooled.
So I got an email talking about a "late, great" somebody. I was being told, that which I already knew. But the person was saying, haven't you heard it be said. I know many things about a "late, great" human being. I understand that person's thoughts on many matters. I have seen first hand some of the wreckage too. Such as that "late, great" somebody's opinion on yoga, on tattoos, on many subjects. I will momentarily refer to a West Wing Episode where Jeb Bartlett addresses such a thing. I was being told, "you've heard it be said," but that was all that they had.. the letter of the law. Which isn't actually a letter of the law but a person's personal opinion and preference. What I say back is this... "You've heard it be said." I will continue however and not just stay there.... You see I don't want you taking the "late, great" one's opinion.. I don't want you taking mine. I want you to think for yourself. Understand that spirituality is more about the flow of the heart then anything else.
It isn't what my body does or doesn't do, it isn't what I eat or don't eat, it isn't how I worship or if I worship, it isn't if I do yoga or if I don't.. Yoga isn't ever holy. I am. Yoga is a modality that brings together the body, the mind and the spirit in such a way that I find peace and union with self and the Divine. I am not confused at what that Divine is... and neither is that Divinity confused about what the nature and character of its Divine self is......
When Jesus goes into Samaria.. a place that the Jews of that age would not go. This is what He eventually says to a woman He meets at a well. "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers."
You've heard it be said! There and then again in the book of Acts reiterating what the prophetic voice of a Hebrew man named Joel once spoke... Upon all flesh will the Spirit of the Lord be poured out...
I implore you... It matters not to me that which you say about me, my practice, my life and embracing of yoga... It should matter to you.. There was in the times right after the Christ would ascend the question of food. Peter had a vision. Paul would teach. Meat having been scarified to idols was now no longer the problem. It would be what a person's heart would lead them towards. What a person's conscience could bare up under. Weaker, was the world used to describe the one who couldn't see that it was just meat. But the onus was upon the stronger to watch over and not use one's own liberty for gloating or anything like that.
You've heard it be said.. that there is an hour where true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth. I'm telling you I'm seeing it .. I'm seeing it at a yoga festival with dance and beauty and mantra, and I'm seeing it in the yoga studio with practice and patience and rest. Worship looks different.. to some it is a hymnal, to others its a rock band, to others still it is silence, and for others it incorporates the body. Some won't think one way is for them. That is ok. But let's not be as the religious of old and insult and condemn. Let's find the place of worship where it is in freedom we follow the Spirit of the Lord into love, laughter and life...
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom not fear.... It did start with "You've heard it be said..." but it didn't stay there... Let's not either!
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