Late Night Chat with Jeff Wolverton: Vulnerability, July 2, 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!

Dear folks of Baba,

In this country and throughout the world, we prize self-sufficiency and confidence as two of the highest virtues in this life. But they are not always accompanied by the humility that opens us up to the universal love necessary for the spiritual life. One of Mehera’s favorite quotes of Baba was: “Seeds gerninate in soft soil. I plant My seed of love, not in your strengths, but your weaknesses.”

Being vulnerable is often considered a weakness, and we usually avoid it. To admit that we are wrong, to express that we are often afraid and lack confidence, to apologize to another for our unkindness, to admit that we often feel inadequte, that we have been hurt by someone—these are behaviors we often try to avoid. But as Rumi, the great Sufi mystic, said centuries ago, “The light comes in through the wound.” And Mani, who spent almost her entire life beside her brother, Baba, used to quote the line, “I prayed to you for strength to carry out Your work. You gave me weakness so I would depend on you."

What has been your experience of vulnerability in your life? Do you trust Baba enough to go out on a limb sometimes, to take risks even though it makes you look inadequate, to venture out into uncomfortable waters in a flimsy boat?

Are you inclined to play it safe rather than taking chances in life? I’m sure we all have sometimes experienced being too open and vulnerable to others and become an object of sarcasm and abuse, especially when opening up to someone who didn’t have our best interests in mind. On the other hand, have you experienced that in being too self-protective, you have withheld from others some of the more loving parts of yourself? In the various situations in life, how do you determine how far is safe to “place” your heart out before others? Have you found that trusting Baba and “going out on a limb” with others sometimes rewards you with the surprising joy of the give-and-take of love?

Are there times when you could have apologized for hurting someone’s heart, but were reluctant because it would make you seem weak?

Can you share an example of an uncomfortable risk you took that proved to be invaluable in your life

Have you hesitated to give certain things over to Baba for fear of the outcome? Say, for example, your attachment to a romantic situation that might be a bit rocky and you don't want to lose that person, or turning to Baba when you’re about to tell your boss how you honestly feel when it might jeopardize your job.

Does giving things to Baba, trusting Him and letting go of results, get any easier the longer you're with Him? Or does it get more complicated

I apologize for sending this email out late. My computer is still being repaired and I’m having a devil of a time figuring out how to send out communications. Without my computer, I realize I’m a bit lost and vulnerable, knowing that emails are piling up with no way to answer them.

In His love with help from dear friends, Jeff

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