In his heralded poem “Burnt Norton,” T.S. Eliot speaks of “The still point of the turning world,” a near perfect expression of Change and the Changeless. Eliot attended lectures in 1920s London by the Russian philosopher P.D. Ouspensky, featured in this Spring 2019 issue of Parabola; no surprise as the search for that still point is a perennial spiritual quest, one that has inspired seekers from the Buddha to Thoreau, Thomas Merton, and countless others including G.I. Gurdjieff, Ouspensky’s own teacher.
If we can rest in that stillness, the sages say, we will find there “the peace…that surpasses all understanding”; or “I Am”; or God: call it what you will, it is the Center that does hold. To reach it requires effort and guidance. And so this issue opens with meditations on the changeless and change by masters of the spirit: Ramana Maharshi, Lewellyn Vaughan-Lee, and Adyashanti. At this year’s World Parliament of Religions, those who share those teachers’ visions and many others exchanged their practices and wisdoms; a report by Trebbe Johnson appears in these pages.
This issue delves into less traditional realms as well. There is a powerful photo essay on sand dunes by David Ulrich; a call to conscience and common sense from Lucinda Herring, a pioneer of the green burial movement; an exploration of hidden esoteric wisdom in Shakespeare; and a brief visit with an extraordinary man in touch with both change and the changeless, Mister Fred Rogers.
May this issue of Parabola serve you well.
—Jeff Zaleski
Cover Description: Unsplash.com. Photograph by Yuran Ding
TABLE OF CONTENTS
There is Something Which is Eternal and Changeless
Ramana Maharshi
Encouraging words from a Hindu sage
Living the Moment of Love Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
Awakening to ourselves and the world
The Simple Joy of Being Adyashanti
Backpacking into deepest Reality
A Prophet for Our Times Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle
The shining example of Father Bede Griffiths
The Calling Lucinda Herring
Meeting death with dignity
Change, Suffering, and Illusion Richard Smoley
A meditation on ultimate things
Dune David Ulrich
A photo essay
They Were Free Rev. Diane Wilde
Buddhism comes to a California state prison
A Moment with Mister Rogers Jeff Zaleski
Chatting with America’s favorite saint
A Fuller Life Charles Halton
A conversation with Trappist monk Brother Paul Quenon
Mastering Change Sheri Ritchlin
The wisdom of the I CHING
The Garden of Time and Timelessness
Martin Hakubai Mosko and Alxe Noden
Cultivating the Real in a Zen garden
The World Is One P.D. Ouspensky
The Russian philosopher on the nature of our world
EPICYCLES
Madame White Snake Anonymous / Chinese
Retold by Betsy Cornwell
Tam Lin Anonymous / Scottish
Retold by Betsy Cornwell
TANGENTS
Spiritual Activists Confront the Woes of the Planet Trebbe Johnson
The 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions
The Esoteric Shakespeare Michael White
“All the world’s a stage…”
BOOK REVIEWS
Timeless in Time: Sri Ramana Maharshi
A.R. Natarjan / reviewed by Samuel Bendeck Sotillos
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
Jordan B. Peterson / reviewed by David P. Stang
ENDPOINT
