February 6, 2023. Gentle, Science, and Shifting past Dualism
We’re meditating on the sunshine that floods our universe. Nobel Prize–winner Ilya Prigogine, tells us: For each particle of matter there are 1 billion particles of sunshine. Matter is only a minor pollutant in a universe made of sunshine. To place a poetic spin on it, Rilke says: All this universe, to the furthest stars/And past them, is our flesh, your fruit. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a big distinction between matter and lightweight. Slightly, Scientist David Brohm informs us: Matter is frozen gentle. It follows that there actually is not any duality between matter and spirit.
February 7, 2023. Gentle, Matter, Spirit, and Bushes
Yesterday we explored the idea that matter is gentle. At present we take a look at the connection between gentle and timber. Fred Hageneder in his essential guide, The Spirit of Bushes: Science, Symbiosis, and Inspiration, tells us: The physique of a tree is usually stuffed with daylight. Gentle programs by means of its construction, navigating very important processes and maintains the stability and well being of the entire organism….The tree produces a steady gentle present from its very cells. And timber will not be solely related with daylight, they’re related with stars. Particularly, scientists finding out an 807-year-old juniper tree in Tajikstan discovered that the tree’s annual rings confirmed a particular slowing down of tree development with every recognized date of three supernova explosions. It seems that each star that dies in our galaxy is perceived by timber.
February 8, 2023. Saving Rainforests: Chico Mendes, Sister Dorothy, and Different Heroes
As a result of timber are so sacred and crucial to the well being of our planet, it’s essential to acknowledge all of the many individuals who misplaced their lives defending the Amazon rainforest. Heriberto Araujo, writer of Masters of the Misplaced Land: The Untold Story of the Amazon and the Violent Combat for the World’s Final Frontier, tells us that 2000 environmental activists and land defenders have been murdered worldwide within the 21st century—lots of whom have been Brazilians defending the Amazon area. Our pal, Sister Dorothy Stang, was one among them.
February 9, 2023. Standing Up for the Rainforest and its Peoples, continued
On this meditation, we hear the phrases of Sister Dorothy Stang’s brother, David. He stated, Sister Dorothy… at all times instructed me, “I like Brazil, the folks of Brazil and God’s Nice Creation, the Amazon.” Evil males who’re pushed by greed kill those that get in the way in which, together with Sister Dorothy. David stated that After Dorothy was murdered, a Brazilian priest slept on high of her grave for weeks to ensure her physique was not dug up and thrown into the woods. Lastly, troops have been despatched into the world to guard the poor. Most of the poor troopers hugged me and had their image taken with the brother of Dorothy Stang. Typically they’d tears of their eyes.
Bless the defenders of the Amazon.
February 10, 2023. Sacred Gentle among the many Celts and within the Hindu Scriptures
Irish poet John O’Donohue tells us that “the Celtic thoughts adored the sunshine…. In the end gentle is the mom of life…. Gentle is the key presence of the divine. It retains life awake.” He additionally stated, “The solar brings forth the erotic cost of the curved earth; it awakens her wild sensuousness.” In the meantime, within the Vedas we learn: The cosmic waters glow. I’m Gentle! The sunshine glows. I’m Brahman! And: There’s a Gentle that shines above this heaven, above all worlds, above every little thing that exists within the highest world past which there aren’t any larger—that is the Gentle that shines inside people.
Feburary 11, 2023. Divinity is “Wrapped in a Gown of Gentle” per the Scriptures
In Genesis, on the primary day God created Gentle. In a creation story older than the one in Genesis, Psalm 104 declares: Bless the Lord, my soul: O Lord God, thou are nice certainly, clothed in majesty and splendor, and wrapped in a gown of sunshine. Matthew poses the next questions: If Divinity comes wrapped in a gown of sunshine, then is penetrating gentle a technique to penetrating Divinity? Is photosynthesis a particular creation that carries on the light-working properties of the universe and of its maker? Once we eat and drink the solar that’s seized in fruit and greens, espresso and orange juice, are we imbibing Divinity? Is all meals a holy Eucharist—and consuming of the flesh of the Divine One? The Meals of the Beloved?
Banner picture: Aerial view of the Amazon Rainforest, close to Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Photograph by Neil Palmer (CIAT). Wikimedia
Really helpful Studying
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Remodeling Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling writer Matthew Fox affords a brand new theology of evil that essentially modifications the standard notion of excellent and evil and factors the way in which to a extra enlightened therapy of ourselves, each other, and all of nature. In evaluating the Japanese custom of the 7 chakras to the Western custom of the 7 capital sins, Fox permits us to suppose creatively about our capability for private and institutional evil and what we are able to do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a greater imaginative and prescient and depth of notion far past the grasp of anybody single science. A breath-taking evaluation.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, writer of Quantum Theology: Non secular Implications of the brand new Physics
Order of the Sacred Earth: An Intergenerational Imaginative and prescient of Love and Motion
By Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, and Jen Listug Within the midst of worldwide hearth, earthquake and flod – as species are going extinct day-after-day and nationwide and world economies totter – the planet doesn’t want one other church or faith. What it wants is a brand new Order, grounded within the Knowledge traditions of each East and West, together with science and indigenous. An Order of the Sacred Earth united in a single sacred vow: “I promise to be the perfect lover and defender of the Earth that I will be.” Co-authored by Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, and Jennifer Listug, with a ahead by David Korten, this assortment of essays by 21 religious visionaries marks the founding of the various and inclusive Order of the Sacred Earth, a neighborhood now evolving around the globe.
“The Order of the Sacred Earth not solely calls us residence to our true nature as Earth, but in addition affords us invaluable steering and firm on the way in which.” ~~ Joanna Macy, environmental activist and writer of Lively Hope.
Matthew Fox calls on all of the world traditions for his or her knowledge and their inspiration in a piece that’s excess of a listing of theological place papers however a brand new technique to pray—to meditate in a worldwide religious context on the knowledge all our traditions share. Fox chooses 18 themes which might be foundational to any spirituality and demonstrates how all of the world religious traditions provide knowledge about every.
“Studying One River, Many Wells is like coming into the wealthy silence of a masterfully directed retreat. As you learn this textual content, you replicate, you pray, you embrace Divinity. Actually no phrases can totally categorical my respect and awe for this magnificent contribution to up to date spirituality.” –Caroline Myss, writer of Anatomy of the Spirit
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