Ray’s Rays: Number 25
The Finger Matters
by
Radiance Angelina Petro
In certain circles, the phrase: “Don’t focus
on the finger. The moon is the goal.”
In other words, “enlightenment,” is a “goal,”
and only the goal matters. Don’t focus on the way,
and, in this case, on the pointers along the way,
and, to bring it closer to this phrase—don’t focus
on the finger. Why always this instance that the body
isn’t a way to its own kind of enlightenment? Why
this idea that the body is something to be shed
if one wants to reach some faraway, spiritual goal?
Go ahead—focus on the goddamn finger. Fingers are amazing!
Focus on the hand—how it can do a myriad of creative
(and destructive) things. By extension—focus
on the body. Focus on the pointers—the little (and big)
signs along the way. Moreover—fuck the idea that there is
a goal. In my own practice of spiritual anarchy,
I resist the idea that meditation, spiritual practice, or anything
of that nature and notion has to have a goal–
that it has to be a competition. Because, of course,
once someone says they’ve reached “enlightenment,”
they suddenly claim (conscious or unconsciously)
some sort of power—some one-up-man-ship over others,
and suddenly there’s a twisted colonization of spiritual ideas
and the “teacher,” takes over a little group of forced,
perhaps coerced territory of people, where there are consequences
for not doing things, “the right way,” or for questioning,
or for leaving for a different group or teaching. This may all
sound extreme. I’ve seen it happen over and over though. If you
haven’t—good. For this Ray—perhaps practice focusing
on the body and the pointers. Perhaps forgo the notion
that the goal is high-away-somewhere that you can’t reach
unless you give up the body. Instead, practice loving the body
as its own form of holiness and embodied-body of light.
And please, to the best of your ability, try not to let anyone
tell you your body isn’t beautiful, that it isn’t a radical
manifestation of pleasure, joy, and the ability to move
between ideas, weather, prayers, devotions, and dimensions.