FALLINGA spirituality for the Two Halves of Life

UPWARDSt Tim’s Adult Ed. 1st February 2015

Richard RohrFranciscan priest of the New Mexico ProvinceFounder of the Center for Action and Contemplation

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATIONS

February 1 Simon : "Invitation and Introduction"February 8 Dennis: Chapters 1 and 2February 15 Larry and Joan: Chapter 3February 22 Marie: Chapters 4 and 5March 1 Pat Chapters 6 and 7March 8 Marilou and Bruce: Chapters 8 and 9March 15  TBD: Chapters 10 and 11March 22 ALL: Chapters 12, 13, and coda

Falling Upward : Invitation and Introduction• This presentation is on

• Invitation• Introduction

• It’s my take• Material is a little re-sequenced and simplified• Outline of themes that will be revisited and more fully developed over

the next few Sundays

Falling Upward : Invitation and Introduction

BASIC THESIS

There are two halves of (the spiritual) life and certain transition points

First Half

Second HalfTTtttTransition Points

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionBut Note:

• It is not chronological• We are summoned to the second half not commanded• Movement from one to the other often follows crisis• Different missions

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionFirst Half of Life

• It is about building a container for life• It is about establishing an identity (within parameters)• Boundaries • Strongly urged by our culture and institutions – especially

the church• Thou shalt, thou shalt not

• About our place in the world and who we know• It’s about security

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionSecond Half of Life

• Is to find out what that container is meant to hold• It is about wisdom• It’s about who we really are – who we are summoned to

be

“Crying What I do is me: for that I came”G. M. Hopkins

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionThe First Half of Life• What containers do have you experienced in the first

half of life?• What identities were you encouraged to have?• What was good about that?• What wasn’t so good?

Falling Upward : Invitation and Introduction

Thomas Merton said that we may spend our whole life climbing the ladder of success only to find the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionThe Dalai Lama has said:Learn and obey the rules very well, so you will know how to break them properly.

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionTransition Points• Often there has to be some interruption or falling that

makes us re-evaluate. A loss: • A person• A fortune• A reputation• Health

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionTransition Points

• Not by our own will power or moral perfection but done to us

• The human ego prefers anything, just about anything to falling, changing or dying

• It takes faith and risk• By Falling we move Upward

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionTransition Points

• What transition points have you noticed in your life or in others?

• When you have come to a transition point how have you felt about it?

Falling Upward : Invitation and IntroductionQuote from Carl Jung

The greatest and most important problems of life are fundamentally unsolvable. They can never be solved, but only outgrown.