Alchemy of the heart

A poem by RS Thomas about infinite overflowing

The Gift

     Some ask for the world 
     and are diminished 
     in the receiving
     of it. You gave me
     only this small pool
     that the more I drink 
     from, the more overflows
     me with sourceless light

This poem by Welsh poet RS Thomas draws our attention to the miracle of abundance in our contemplative lives. As I draw in to the pool of the poem I feel released from all my need to ‘ask for the world’. When I ask for the world I am looking in completely the wrong direction. This is a poem about what the alchemists call multiplicatio, ie that tendency of spirit to utterly outdo itself when the heart opens and we start to look in the right place. I think it is what Christians are getting at with the loaves and fishes story, and similarly what Buddhists are working with through poverty practices. When we step away from the world, and turn towards our ‘small pool’ in the heart, this opening, this multiplicatio, this fountain of sourceless light, might just be encountered.

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This is the imaginal way of seeing things. It is not imaginary - it is real - but it is the secret, inner, creative source of things. Alchemically, this is the gold, or at least it is a quality of the gold, it is something that opens up to you as you approach the gold. In wellness culture there can be an emphasis on ‘abundance’ which on the face of it is absolutely great - spot on - but I think what we are looking at here is the lesson of being careful what you wish for. If we seek the abundance of worldly things (‘oh God won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?’) we might get it! but at what cost? Diminishment perhaps.

I think the key to this piece of spiritual wisdom is that the heart is the pathway to the overflowing of sourceless light. If this poem is new to you I hope it can act as a touchstone for you on your path as much as it has been so for me over the years.