His delivery and content were impeccable, proved by the fact that the presentation has stood the test of time and will continue to do so.
I'm not about to add another commentary to the words he spoke that day from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, to over 250,000 supporters. It's my intention to use that familiar presentation to make a point about a less familiar topic.
First, and you might think this isn't important, but bear with me and let's see: What Dr. King shared wasn't a dream, it was a vision. And, to digress, in my opinion it's the most powerful vision anyone of our time has ever shared.
By using the word "dream" instead of "vision" he made his vision otherworldly, since no one knows for sure where dreams come from or what prompts them. Visions, on the other hand, are equated with personal goals or even wishes. Hear the difference, "I have a dream..." "I have a vision..."
In the forty-seven years since he delivered the speech hundreds of millions of us have adopted it as our "dream." However, each of us has a slightly different, or in some cases, a totally different version of Dr. King's vision. In fact, to use the word comparison one more time, he had a vision, from his vision we formed a personal dream. Each of our millions of dreams have been filtered though our individual egos. Which brings me to my point.
The Divine Moment is a powerful piece of esoteric literature that has totally impacted every facet of my life. When It Absolutely Positively, is a commentary on the opening lines of the work. Now, I'll share the first point following the definition, and use Dr. King's vision to assist.
"Characteristics
of any kind or degree
of subtlety are of a kind
of "sticky" nature;
they cling to the flow
and drag attention
off center."
The subject of that paragraph is the moment - this moment - the only moment there is. We all understand what that is. We all know how to get there and, we all have problems staying there. That is the problem that is being addressed.
Our attention is dragged "off center" or out of the moment, not because we have an illness or physical defect, but because we add "subtle characteristics" to what we have experienced in the moment. For example, what do you think of when you hear or read Dr. King's words, "I am happy to join you today..." Hopefully not much. Those words shouldn't generate anything of a "sticky nature," that could snatch you out of the moment.
Now, what do you feel when you hear or read this line: "One Hundred years later, the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination."
Unless you have trained yourself to recognize and avoid "characteristics of any kind or degree of subtlety," you felt emotion and you probably felt it to the point that you were dragged off center and if not totally out of the moment, at least to its outer edge.
We are run by feelings and emotions that can be triggered by words, recollections, pictures, and actual events. Until we are aware of that and do something about it, we will forever flit in and out of the moment, never fully knowing or experiencing its infinite beauty, peace, and deep joy.
More on that topic is coming. Until then,
Remain steady in the Stillness.
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