Foxhole Soul Journey
I have had some odd mental imagery from time to time regarding the spiritual journey, one of which is the concept of foxhole warfare. The soldiers would dig deep trenches and take cover there with their weapons and supplies and emerge when it seemed likely that they wouldn't get their heads blown off to zigzag through barbed wire, booby traps and other various perils. Presumably this took them closer to the action where they could then fulfill their purpose of killing the enemy.
At the surface this may seem like a strange analogy for the soul journey, but maybe not so much.
I see the foxhole as the core and center of the being, the Zhong in Master Sha's teaching. Where one goes for stillness, for regeneration, for the safety of the Presence of the Divine. When a being feels safe and renewed to go on, we leap from the foxhole to find our way through the illusory and sometimes dangerous world of noise and color and drama, strengthened from our communion with the Divine. The outer world is so compelling that it is not always easy to find our way to the next foxhole, but it is essential that we do that, through chanting, meditation, contemplation...keeping company with our fellow sojourners, following the direction of our great teacher. Let us go to our foxhole as often as possible, and we will find that it becomes what is compelling, magical, filled with Presence and light.
with my heart I love and bless you all.