Twelve years ago last Tuesday, Keaton Izzy was born. It seems like her Incarnation into this dimension was only yesterday -- AND that she has been here forever. As
miraculous today as she was then, she is a on-going reminder of the
sacred nature of life on earth. As Christmas Day 2025, approaches, I thought
that I would again
share the post I wrote the week of her birth.
One Love,
Lance
Originally scheduled for a Christmas Day arrival, Keaton Izzy made her debut appearance on planet Earth in the wee hours of Monday morning. Nine days "early," she arrived in plenty of time to avoid a head to head competition with Baby Jesus.
Sporting all ten fingers and toes,
sparkling with Buddhanature, her birth -- like all births -- is another
obvious affirmation of the Miraculous. As she peered from one face to another, following the sound of our voices, I could feel
her Presence as pure, unadulterated Life Force. She was Love Incarnate.
Enraptured, my heart opened to the Sacred Mystery as I held her in my
arms. Then, at a certain point, a profound sadness emerged.
As a child, the Christmas season always brought with it a certain
sadness. Something seemed more than slightly askew. The idea that the
holidays were a special time of mirth and merriment didn't jive with the
reality of my life. Often separated from one -- or both -- of my
parents, living in poverty, all those tidings of comfort and joy didn't
land well for me. As the years rolled by, I imagined it was just the
chaos
and uncertainty of my own childhood that left me feeling sad. I
thought I was just "out
of the loop."
As the years have rolled by, I have thought that less
and less. Even when the conditions of my life had improved, what I saw
in the world around me, the scurry and stress of Christmas shopping, the
drunken revelers, the television news full of the violence and warfare,
made "peace on earth" and "goodwill toward men"seem like ancient and
empty promises.
Yet, in my heart of hearts, something still whispers to me.
The stories of the birth of Jesus, like the stories of the birth of Buddha, are woven from strands of myth, miracle, and magic. In the ancient writings and legends, the births of these two holy men were preceded by dreams and visions. Arriving amidst choruses of angels and showers of perfumed blossoms cascading from the sky, these special beings brought into the world teachings which have influenced countless people over the course of thousands of years.
As best I understand it, both Jesus and Buddha taught that there is a spiritual dimension of life that exists within and beyond each of us. It is accessible to those who seek it. They also shared some tips on what can aid us in that search. One of the major pieces of advice flies in the face of what has emerged as the dominant theme in today's world.
Speaking in the words and images of their own time and culture, both Jesus and Buddha pointed out that the worldly idols of wealth, status, power, etc. were "false gods" and that grasping onto such things would always lead to human suffering. They both said that true human happiness would never emerge from an individualistic ego fixation on acquisition. As Jesus worded it, we were to turn our backs on "Mammon", "take no anxious thought for the 'morrow,", etc. Above all, we were called to love with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. From that love an ethos of generosity and compassion flows naturally.
And yet, here we are. Living in the United States, consumerism and greed appear to rule the day. The richest nation on earth, we are about 6% of the earth's people, gobbling up over 50% of the earth's resources and spitting out over 50% of it's pollution and garbage each and every day. This avarice accelerates to warp speed during the Christmas season. The spectacle of piles and piles of brand new toys laying in the midst of piles and piles of torn wrapping paper in a celebration of the birth of Yogi Jesus always saddens me. It seems clear to me that each day we race ahead as a society propelled by capitalism, we continue our race toward an armageddon of climatic collapse or nuclear warfare.
That is terribly sad.
And yet...
Sitting here at this moment, I'm grateful that I stumbled into a meditation practice as a young man. Over the course of the past 56 years, I have come to realize that if I am to live my life wholeheartedly, I must open to the heartbreak that True Love will inevitably entail. Again and again, I've seen that allowing myself to feel the sadness of the human condition has allowed me to access a deeper joy. That joy exists beyond the graspings and aversions of my own individual ego fixation. In opening my heart to life as it is -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- I open to the sacred.
As I held the newborn Keaton Izzy in my arms that morning, that sacredness was self-evident. I was awash in the inherent preciousness of the life cradled in my arms. In the eternity that flowed through each moment, I was deeply aware that, like the births of Jesus and Buddha, Keaton's birth was a holy event. With my heart wide open, I could feel the adoration of the magi in a distant land two millennia ago merge with that of the doting parents and grandparents assembled in that room. I felt the Presence of the One Love that flows within and beyond all that is.
All You Need Is Love
Love is central to both the Teachings of Jesus and of the Buddha. Jesus proclaimed Love as the basic "Commandment". Buddha said Love's power to heal was the only unalterable Law. It's just like the Beatles sang, "Love is all you really need." Love connects us to our true self, to one another and to the One Love which exists within and beyond all that is, has ever been, and ever could possibly be. It is as simple as that.
Yet, simple doesn't mean easy.
The good news: Love can be cultivated.
The not-so-good news: Learning to love is a exacting discipline. It takes courage. You have to be willing to look at yourself with complete honesty and compassion, and to reach out to connect with others -- even when it's not easy. True Love takes commitment, time, effort, and patience -- lots and lots of patience -- with yourself and others. You have to be willing to break your heart -- over and over and over again.
Above all, it takes Practice.
As I sit here with sunlight spraying diamonds in the snow outside the window, I pray that Keaton will know that she, too, is the Christ Child, Saraswati, Kwan Yin, the Buddha. I pray that she will know that she emerges from boundless love, and that in her essence she is boundless love. I pray that she will engage her life with curiosity, kindness, caring, compassion, and courage. I pray that she will know True Love. Lastly, I pray that I can get my act together well enough to be one small piece of that Knowing.
I'm going to Sit now. What are you up to?
Originally Published December 19, 2013. Revised.
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