In this season of winter and darkness and advent, we continue our meditation with Meister Eckhart on repose, keeping in mind the Biblical statement that forms the basis of his teaching: “In all things I sought rest.” (Si. 24.11).
All things? Does Wisdom or God seek repose in all things? Eckhart takes this Biblical insight very literally. Says he:
If I were asked to give valid information concerning what the Creator’s aims were when he created all creatures, I would say: ‘Repose.’
If I were asked for the second time what the Holy Trinity was seeking in all its deeds, I would answer: ‘Repose.’
If I were asked for the third time what the soul was seeing in all its motions, I would answer: ‘Repose.’
If I were asked for the fourth time what all creatures were seeking in all their natural efforts and motions, I would answer: ‘Repose.‘
For Eckhart, it would seem that repose or peace or silence lie at the heart of all creation and of the Godhead as well. The Creator and the Trinity are seeking repose in all their deeds and works of creation and the human soul too seeks repose in all its movements. He gives the example of the eye:
People never open or shut their eyes without seeking repose. Either they will cast something away from them that hinders them or they will draw something to themselves in which they will rest. People do all their deeds for the sake of these two things.
When the eye is shut it is for the sake of repose, but when it is open, it also responds to the light and color that come to it. Thus, he can say that people “never open or shut their eyes without seeking repose.”
Another example he gives is meditation and he cites St. Anselm:
[First] withdraw a little from the commotion of external deeds. Second, flee, and counsel yourself before the storms of thoughts that also bring great unrest to the soul. Third people can request nothing more precious than repose.
Here Eckhart equates repose with meditation and being still. He adds:
God neither heeds nor needs vigils, fasting, prayer, and all forms of mortification in contrast to repose. God needs nothing more than for us to offer him a quiet heart. Then he accomplished in the soul such secret and divine deeds, that no creature can serve them or even add to them.
Here eternal wisdom enters the soul and:
on this account our Lord says: ‘I shall lead my bride out into the desert and shall speak there into her heart’ (Hosea 2:14). This means in the wilderness, away from all creatures.
To be continued
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, pp. 380-382.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
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Queries for Contemplation
How do you offer God a “quiet heart’?
Recommended Reading
Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart
Matthew Fox’s comprehensive translation of Meister Eckhart’s sermons is a meeting of true prophets across centuries, resulting in a spirituality for the new millennium. The holiness of creation, the divine life in each person and the divine power of our creativity, our call to do justice and practice compassion–these are among Eckhart’s themes, brilliantly interpreted and explained for today’s reader.
“The most important book on mysticism in 500 years.” — Madonna Kolbenschlag, author of Kissing Sleeping Beauty Goodbye.
8 thoughts on “Repose among all Creatures and Divinity Itself”
Matthew, Today we continue on with the idea of “repose” as Eckhart teaches us of this. Eckhart says, “If I were asked to give valid information concerning what the Creator’s aims were when he created all creatures, I would say: ‘Repose.’ If I were asked for the second time what the Holy Trinity was seeking in all its deeds, I would answer: ‘Repose.’ If I were asked for the third time what the soul was seeing in all its motions, I would answer: ‘Repose.’ If I were asked for the fourth time what all creatures were seeking in all their natural efforts and motions, I would answer: ‘Repose.‘” More than this he says, “People never open or shut their eyes without seeking repose. Either they will cast something away from them that hinders them or they will draw something to themselves in which they will rest. People do all their deeds for the sake of these two things.” When the eye is shut it is for the sake of repose, but when it is open, it also responds to the light and color that come to it. Thus, he can say that people “never open or shut their eyes without seeking repose.” And finally, “God neither heeds nor needs vigils, fasting, prayer, and all forms of mortification in contrast to repose. God needs nothing more than for us to offer him a quiet heart. Then he accomplished in the soul such secret and divine deeds, that no creature can serve them or even add to them.” I have nothing to add, because Eckhart has said it all !!!
In this Advent season we all need to receive ‘a gift’. It may come in the form of a trial or challenge so that we may discover something new and wonderful in ourselves and in creation all around us. Would that not be the best, to be pulled into and driven closer to our Creator and the Source of all Life?
You might say that the season is too busy for me to deal with other things or my and another’s personal issues and problems. Well, it should not be to anyone’s surprise that the God and Source of All Creation is always gently and sometimes firmly asking us to ‘wake’ ourselves up and come into the presence of the All-in-All. Is it best you may ask, to welcome God or pass God off as an annoyance as we often and unknowingly do? To not know God is also to not know God’s gifts and the love that is to draw us into God’s presence and glory.
To find the God of Our Creation is to follow the ‘star’ on what may mean a long, arduous, joyful and loving journey. But what is life anyway if not that? To be able to sit at ‘the foot of Love’ and in the presence of All Wonder is the greatest gift. Will we be a Mary or Martha this Christmas season and beyond or are we too busy to even consider this or be accepting of ‘the gifts’ we perceive as annoyances? What will your ‘gift’ be? Will you accept it or ignore it? — BB.
Unerving Call To Repose
Muscle spasms
wind gusts
rattling the screen
empath senses
the unerving call
to repose in the womb
of the Mother
Open the window
withdraw from
the confined
commotion of
stormy thoughts
bringing unrest
to the soul
Flee to Her counsel
surrender to Her
leading presence
into the woodlands
Her sacred spaces
of solstice solitude
and still silence
It is here that the
Mother shall speak
into your heart
the wisdom truths
of your eternal soul
in the rest of Her
loving embrace
Another good one, Jeanette !!!
This is why the SILENCE of meditation/contemplative prayer on our spiritual journeys is so important— to experience, grow, and be transformed by the PRESENCE of our Creator’s DIVINE LOVE~WISDOM~HEALING~PEACE~JOY~BEAUTY~CREATIVITY~ONENESS… in our hearts, among us, and within ALL of Ongoing co-CREATION in the SACRED PROCESS of our ETERNAL LOVING DIVERSE ONENESS….
🔥💜🌎🙏
In just being is our repose. We are human beings not human doings.
Barbara, One time I read aa book on meditation titled, DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, SIT THERE…
Practices do help me offer God a quiet heart–not rituals, though they can set the mood–but rather contemplative prayer, the welcoming prayer, prayers of lovingkindness and forgiveness. These all help me to open up and listen for what God intends me to be and to do. To surrender my own ego, wishes and desires brings me to repose.