Thursday, February 21, 2008

height (concerning vertigo)


Christopher Cousins, "Unadherence" (2007)



beyond vertigo, faith is to find oneself in the grip of height and without ground. this can be confused with vertigo since, in the disorientation and fear that inevitably follows, one feels as if one might plunge into the abyss. yet vertigo is a desperate attempt to cling to self-control when in the grip of height, fearing that one may step off the edge, might lose one's footing. but beyond fear, peace will be the recognition that one was never simply one's own, and has not been plunged into the abyss. there can be, in the grip of pure height, no fall, because the height has no limit: one is actually in perfect rest. recognizing that one is at a height beyond all abyss is the constant challenge of faith. this is why there is despair even in faith: one wonders if one is not truly falling, and if one will ever truly learn to rest.

-LoA

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Greetings of Peace Dea LoA:

You have beautifully stated an essential truth :) Beyond the five senses and the six directions, there is a place the ego fears to go. This fear is of letting go of the me-ness that keeps us grounded. Vertigo is an excellent description of it, a disorientation on the spiritual path as the mysteries unfold in the silent no-place of Oneness.

I am so happy you are back :)

Ya Haqq!

Lawrence of Arabia said...

thank you, it is very nice to be back.

and congrats on your wonderful granddaughter!

LoA.