Another one of my favorite teachers sprung an analogy on me this week that I hadn’t considered. And of course, as a practicing fisherman, I couldn’t believe that it had never occurred to me! I love it.
We were discussing what the experience of changed mind (forgiveness) was like. He was describing how he saw the symbols – the people, actions, etc. – that used to cause him pain, fear, irritation, etc. He said that he still saw these symbols during his day but that the hook didn’t set as often anymore. Brilliant.
For those of you who aren’t of the cult of casting and reeling, setting the hook is the act one initiates when a fish takes the bait. If you don’t set the hook, the bait is just spit out or is pulled free as you try to reel in the fish.
Remember, forgiveness doesn’t remove or change the form that you see; forgiveness transforms the meaning, the purpose, of the form. You may still recognize the “hooks” that used to reel you in to depression, panic, jealousy, anger, etc., but they don’t set. Why? Because you no longer are willing to give them the power of your mind. You are the fishermen, perhaps the fisher of men, and you are also the fish. You get to decide the purpose of the hook. Does it bring you pain, suffering, and sadness, or does it reconnect you to yourself. Symbol’s the same; the content has changed. As goes the content, so goes your experience.
Reel in your Self today.
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Such a perfect analogy! I hope to make it back to the group soon. I miss you guys...
ReplyDeleteThe other morning I woke up and the very first thing that popped into my head was that I would drop my defenses on that day. Usually, what happens is that I get this quick little tinge of dread and then there's this five or ten minute pep talk about how I'm alright and God is with me and the world is what I make it. On that morning, it was different. I just came out of the gate ready to go. I've held on to that feeling for a couple of more days now and I want to be 'hooked' on it for good. See you next Monday.
ReplyDeleteExcellent analogy!
ReplyDeleteAll this past week we've been doing the review," My mind only holds what I think with God." In the context of fishing, I feel like a net fisherman. I'm getting used to the idea of sorting the ego fish from the HS fish. Today, our pastor made another statement that sort of made me bow up. He talked of our needing to remember our "seperatness from God" and "God being seperate from us" and I kept myself from getting 'caught up' on that idea. See you soon.
ReplyDeleteI did it again. I went fishin' in Ego Mt. Lake. We went to my daughter's graduation commencement and there were all these people jumping up and down and screaming at the top of their lungs like they were at little league game. I got annoyed at that. My in-laws were with us and earlier one of them was being annoying. I'm just hauling them in pretty as you please! I'll throw them back and choose again. I am among the ministers of God.
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