Late Night Chat with Jeff Wolverton: Effort and Grace, May 29, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

We have some informal chat after every arti, the "post-arti party"! But once a week, Jeff Wolverton joins us for some serious mining of the spiritual depths. Join us for conversation, more readings, songs, quotes - you never know what treasures will be uncovered!

Topic: Discussing Effort and Grace

Dear folks of Baba,

This Sunday we will again explore Darwin Shaw’s book, Effort and Grace, which is an in-depth inquiry into the inner life with Baba. It describes one of the major approaches to Baba by one who was devoted to Him for over 70 years, which culminated in a glorious intimacy with Him. Darwin was always so encouraging and optimistic in what we can do to open up to Baba’s immediate loving presence. He asserts that many of the blocks to this intimacy can be removed by our efforts and by inviting Baba’s ongoing intervention and grace.

This Sunday we begin the chapter on Changing Our Focus on page 45 in which Darwin turns to the inner work that Baba encourages us to do on ourselves. Baba is ever ready to personally work with us from His side throughout the day. It’s not that He only visits our heart once in a while and then only when it has been purified to a certain degree. One of the chief obstacles to this inner work is our delusion that we are not worthy or deserving of His attention. We often project on to Baba the conditions that the world (our parents, teachers, employers and friends) expects of us for its approval, and in doing so, we are not fully open to Baba’s unconditional love for us. The work we do within in time awakens our companionship with Him, and this companionship, Darwin would always say, is the doorway to “the unlimited freedom and beauty and sweetness of God.”

Feel free to share examples of how you experience Baba’s work in you. What resistances and challenges do you find in yourself that get in the way of this inner work?

Each session evokes invaluable discussion that does not require having attended the previous sessions; each section stands alone and provides a window into the inner life of the lover/Beloved relationship and is virtually independent, like facets of one diamond—Baba.

For those who do not have a copy of the book, below is an attachment for following along:

https://issuu.com/ompoint/docs/shaw_effort_grace

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