26 - Almost Mass
Almost Mass!
The December holidays are nearly upon us, and the excitement in the air is nearly palpable. We want to take this oportunity to talk about the Mass, and remind each of you that you are invited to share the occasion with us.
Now it is oft said that the primary driver behind The Mass is a push away from materialism, and towards connection. Away from things, and towards people. Away from stores, towards community. Each of those *IS* true, in it's own way. But what I really like about the traditional approach to The Mass, is that it is a summation of each of the Five Keystones - a perfect melange that speaks to the tre spirit f Paraclism. When you hear each participant presents to the group, it is fairly easy to see how each of the Keystones are involked - and the whole thing is tied together when you take your turn. It all just flows. Let's touch on a couple!
The Fifth Keystone asks us to Seek and follow your calling in life. When each of us makes that decision, internally, to participate in a traditional instance of The Mass, this Keystone comes into play immediately. The first thought is "oh! What am I going to talk about?" Of course this could be anything - how to bake your favorite cake, or an update on the latest developments in toothpaste technology, or even just a brief trieatise on the socio-economic climate in another part of the world. The subject matter is not important, but rather what you bring to it - passion, force and verve. This is why it's best to pick something that you love, because then the whole thing will be a walk in the park. There will be no hemming and hawing over the topic, you'll be able to open up and wax poetic about your favorite boyband. The heart is what matters, and you following it.
The First Keystone suggests we Strive to be efficient, competent, and autonomous. Anyone who is giving a talk, even if only in front of friends and family, is clearly showing their ability to be autonomous. Picking a topic and putting together a deck only reinforces this, and shows a healthy dose of competence as well. Efficiency, well that one is less obviuos, but up to each presenter to prove! Although, on a festive occasion, flights of fancy may take a more prominent role than they normally would.
The Fourth Keystone is the obvious one here - Endeavor to learn new things and be educated by others. This entire instance of The Mass is a gathering seemingly centered around learning new things and being educated by others. Not only are you likely to learn about a new topic, you are also very likely to learn something new about your friend, family member or colleague. Countless times i recall hearing "wow, i didn't know she was such an expert on [topic]", or "who knew he loved Britney Spears so much". I hope you agree that those discoveries are worth the price of admission alone.
A reminder for those who want to participate in this year's mass, keep an eye on your contact email/phone, we will be sending details of how you too can join in. Happy learning! And be sure to keep things fun and entertaining on this most joyous of days.
