"Windows to the Outside”
by Guide
Chandonn
copyright 1998, all rights reserved.
first performed 3/11/98
[This group meditation was originally written as a parable. Then it
became part of our "Many Names, Many Faces" worship service. It was designed
to illustrate that the Divine (or God) looks different to different people,
different cultures, different perspectives. As we tend to believe that the
differences in religions are simply differing points of view, this meditation
helps to illustrate this point.]
Imagine yourself in a small one-room cabin. You are in the center of the
room.
Each of the three walls before you has a window in it. The wall behind you
has a ladder leading up to the roof.
I ask you the question: "What is outside?"
You go to the first window and look through it. You see the seashore. Beyond
is the great sea. The ocean waves ripple and flow in a formless dance. It
is so large that it dominates the view, extending far beyond the horizon.
I ask you again: "What is outside?"
You go to the second window. You see a forest. The trees are dark green and
there is moss on the ground. A small stream bubbles and laughs as it races
through the foliage. The animals scurry about: evading predators, gathering
food. The wind blows gently. The sun shines brightly. Even the crescent moon
in the sky smiles on the life below.
Again I ask: "What is outside?"
You now go to the third window. Here you see a city. People bustling, working
their various jobs. You see people making things and running businesses.
You see healers and protectors. You see rulers and messengers. You see warriors
and peace-keepers.
Now you return to the center of the room, where you can see the three windows
at once. You see the ocean, the forest, and the people. And you understand
this as being what "outside" is.
You turn around and climb up the ladder. You quickly reach the roof of the
cabin. There is a hot-air balloon here. You climb into it and quickly sail
upward into the sky.
From the balloon you can see that the city gradually fades into the forest,
and then into the sea. You see great plains, other forests, other cities,
and mountains in the distance.
As you sail higher you see that the ocean is much larger than it appears.
It fills most of the horizon.
Now the sun begins to sink in the West. The light gradually fades in shades
of orange, red, and purple until the sky grows black. The stars are visible
above, billions of points of light reaching out from immeasurable distances.
You think about the many other places out there which you don't even know
about. You think of other worlds, other oceans, other forests, other people.
You realize that all of this is "outside".
The image now fades from your mind and you return to your self.
Created by Guides Chandonn,
Hypatia X, and
Sophia X Pharou
Last modified:
06/20/2009