It’s said when asked about the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus responded, “it’s spread upon the earth yet men do not see it”. This truth, hidden in plain sight, is also explored in unexpected places, like on the golf course. For example, in Michael Murphy’s “Golf in the Kingdom” the character Shiva Irons, a mystical, Scottish golf pro serves as a guide for both golf and the deeper mysteries of life. (Shiva is a Hindu deity that creates, transforms and protects the universe.) Now I’ve never been a big fan of golf, likely due to lack of exposure and understanding but “the Kingdom” is another matter. Let me explain.
Jesus and Shiva (Irons) came to mind recently when, after a bike ride I stopped at a bench in a local park to rest in the shade of a tree. A short distance away there was a twosome practicing golf. At first I believed I was watching a boyfriend teaching his girlfriend how to play. I didn’t notice the apparent difference in age between the two - as he was considerably older. Caps have a surprising way of concealing identity. As I watched, I realized that, much like Shiva Irons this older man, a coach not a boyfriend was guiding the young woman toward something deeper perhaps - a connection to the present moment in the game of golf. After ten minutes or so of watching them, as he gave instruction and she tried to apply his teaching, he departed, lesson over, and she was left alone.
Alone, she began to practice a proper stance, her swing and she hit a few balls. The learning had begun, both her’s and mine. Mine? In that moment, as I sat in the shade and observed the quiet persistence of learning I saw the value of holding initial beliefs and impressions lightly as “what’s true” can emerge when we’re given adequate time, space and freedom from thinking. I understood: the truth, like Jesus’s heaven, is indeed spread upon the earth, waiting for us to see it. Today, I took a mulligan - thank you very much.
