What would the story be without the storyteller? What would the dancer be without the dance? Praising, playing, singing, unpredictable and spontaneous the troubadour is faithful to the presence of God in all beings.

Private or public; free or imprisoned; possessor of worldly power or disenfranchised, the troubadour is an artist of praise, an ambassador of peace, a pilgrim wayfarer crossing borders of mind, heart, wealth, culture and belief.

A Troubadour of God is a holy fool. He or she has no game plan. If I am a fool for God the “isms” of the world do not control me, do not own me. The projections fall away. I breathe the same breath that Jesus breathed on the day he was born and the day he died.

A holy fool says, “I am one with no title. I am one with no name.” A holy fool says, “I am one with ten thousand names.” The holy fool is not innocent nor naive for such a one has been given a share of suffering. Out of a single point of nothing, the fool arises out of the nakedness of God. A fool cannot hide anything. Naked with God the divine image is complete.

When we live humbly as clowns of God a miracle happens. Our lives comfort, confound, confront. We sing in union with those who cannot sing and in the rests between the notes the silence sings.

Prayer

May I honor myself, as a child of the unseen source. May I walk in deep peace and know all creation, as my deepest relations. May I honor all creation, as the manifestation of the unseen source. May I live in loving kindness and simplicity. May I live in holy freedom, responsibility and obedience to that seed and hidden source. Great silence, may I hear you this day. Great humming sound, may I feel you this day. Great seed and hidden source illuminate my heart and way today.

The primary calling of companions of the Fourth Order is presence. Presence springs out of the great silence. If we do not spend our time in the timeless great silence we have no presence to bring.

We do our own homework. We make the violent pilgrimage into our own broken heart. We are present to what is outcast or pariah, broken, frail, great, joyful, limited or limitless within ourselves. We do not bring judgment. We bring mercy and compassion. We are not violent with our frailties or boastful of strengths. What is there that is not gift? We acknowledge our addictions and our freedom, illusions, delusions and inspirations, the ten thousand voices in the inner chambers and the silence of the innermost sanctuary. We are companions of what is rich and poor, acceptable and outcast within us. In that fierce embrace the false ego is crushed and something very new and very beautiful is born.

As companions we are present to self and others in very humble ways. We do not justify ourselves by doing `good deeds' on other people. We avoid at all costs perpetrating the delusions of victimhood or power and control. We avoid any service to others that gives the false impression that there is some place to go, somebody to become. Our spirituality is one of simplicity. We do not add. We subtract. We must be aware of this particularly with regard to subtle ideas of spiritual advancement. We practice the presence of silence and the awareness so as to avoid this delusion. For this reason the guidelines for Fourth Order gatherings have rotating flexible facilitation. The Spirit of Wisdom guides us, not the intellect or charisma of a leader. Of course there are leadership roles within the body of companions. These alternate to avoid this very human predicament.

Most importantly companions are not afraid to laugh and sing, play and be foolish, cry, weep, seek justice and compassion, be creative. We are present as outcast to outcast, openly frail and broken by our own crimes and/ or the crimes of others; drug addict to drug addict; PTSD veteran to PTSD veteran, etc., etc., the whole mix of it all. Into this mix a companion brings the quality of time spent with the timeless silence and the humor and quality of self-compassion and compassion for others gained by being fully present to the self. No separation. No judgment.

Companions are present at interfaith and intercultural crossroads praying with all; refusing to reject or condemn the other, or to give the one true faith answer in our own houses of worship. We also maintain practice in our own traditions. By our unwavering presence as a multifaith community may we be a sign of mutuality and the sound of the great hum of unity that in reality sings throughout the diverse world. May our presence confront the illusion of division. May we remember always the fierce embrace.

Companions are present at the table of the poor and the table of the rich and powerful. We make no distinction. We refuse to reject the `other'. In political, social, legal situations we serve Holy Wisdom in solidarity with the earth and creation. We do not react but act through presence in a manner that opens possibility. How is this possible but through the grace of the eternal silence and a life lived in its presence. We acknowledge the blessedness of this `condition of being', although this is not always easy.

As companions we are people of the precious present, the blessed here and now. We are people of the fierce embrace. Our presence as children of God defies the easy answer and the rigid code of the law. It releases the untold blessings of Holy Wisdom. It is through presence we become the blessing of God, not though our `ideals' or perceived `good' actions or intent. Those latter things are simply ego. Our discipline is to know nothing but this ruthless practice of presence.