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Meditations with Matthew Fox
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Advent and the Coming of the Godhead |
In yesterday’s DM we considered how Advent, night and repose can be seen as feminine according to Thomas Merton. |
The tradition of God as Mother and Jesus as Mother, a tradition that Julian of Norwich enriches so wonderfully is called to mind in this season of Advent. So too is the archetype of the Black Madonna. We will consider these stories soon. | |
But let us pause to consider the naming of the Divine as the Godhead. This dimension to divinity
does not get the attention it deserves and Advent time is a good season to pay it more attention. The Godhead is also feminine and in many ways, darkness and repose accompany the Godhead in a special way. But often Westerners are very
oblivious and unknowing about the Godhead as distinct from God. This is because the Godhead is feminine and patriarchy rules our languages and our religions and our philosophies and very often our seminaries, sad to say. So let us explore the Godhead more deeply. |
| Meister Eckhart has written most about the Godhead and contrasts it to God in the following ways: Meister Eckhart distinguishes “God” from “Godhead” and says they are as different and far apart as the earth from the heavens. In Eckhart’s
two languages, God is masculine (“Gott” in German; “Deus” in Latin) and Godhead is feminine (“Gottheit” in German and “Deitas” in Latin).
God is about action—Creator, Liberator, Redeemer, History and the rest; but the Godhead is about Mystery more than history; about Being more than doing; about Silence more than action. |
The Godhead is utterly ineffable and there is no talking, no words in the Godhead. “Everything within the Godhead is
unity, and we cannot speak about it.” But when we leave the Godhead on being born, when we “flow out from there,” all the creatures of the world stand up and shout: “God!” |
He writes about a “nameless God” that he associates with rest and tenderness of the night.
The image I get of divinity as Godhead is a great big Cosmic Mama in whose lap all of creation rests. | |
We are invited to rest in her lap, to find repose there. And love. And joy. |
| To view today's video, please click the image. You will be taken to today's post on the Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox website, where you can see the meditation in a larger version and also view and post your Comments. In the sharing that follows, a kind of community is developing around the DM.
If you can't reach Matthew's video on the website, try his Vimeo channel HERE. |
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Naming the Unnameable: 89 Wonderful and Useful Names for God….Including the Unnameable God, # 51. And from Matthew Fox, Passion For Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, pp. 77-82. Banner image: Silent night, holy night. Photo by Vadim Babenko on Unsplash |
Queries for Contemplation Have you experienced the Godhead as well as God? What difference does that make? What difference might it make to our culture? |
Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, please click HERE
to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Naming the Unnameable: 89 Wonderful and Useful Names for God …Including the Unnameable God Too often, notions of God have been used as a means to control and to promote a narrow worldview. In Naming the Unnameable, renowned theologian and author Matthew Fox ignites our imaginations by offering a colorful range of Divine Names gathered from scientists and poets and mystics past and present, inviting us to always begin where true spirituality begins: from experience.
"This book is
timely, important and admirably brief; it is also open ended—there are always more names to come, and none can exhaust God’s nature.” -Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, author of Science Set Free and The Presence of the Past | |
Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring
Spirituality of Meister Eckhart Matthew Fox’s comprehensive translation of Meister Eckhart’s sermons is a meeting of true prophets across centuries, resulting in a spirituality for the new millennium. The holiness of creation, the divine life in
each person and the divine power of our creativity, our call to do justice and practice compassion–these are among Eckhart’s themes, brilliantly interpreted and explained for today’s reader.
“The most important book on mysticism in 500 years.” — Madonna Kolbenschlag, author of Kissing Sleeping Beauty Goodbye. | |
A Way to God: Thomas
Merton's Creation Spirituality Journey In A Way to God, Fox explores Merton’s pioneering work in interfaith, his essential
teachings on mixing contemplation and action, and how the vision of Meister Eckhart profoundly influenced Merton in what Fox calls his Creation Spirituality journey. "This wise and marvelous book will profoundly inspire all those who love Merton
and want to know him more deeply.” — Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism | |
See Matthew Fox's full calendar HERE |
Join Matthew Fox for the monthly Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, discussing Christian Mystics:
365 Readings and Meditations. Thursday, December 15, 4:00pm-6:00pm PT Register HERE. Join Robert Holden and Matthew Fox for A WINTER OF IMAGINATION – a mystical journey in three 75-minute webinars that reveal the spiritual invitation and deeper meaning of Advent,
the Solstice, and Christmas time. Thursdays 12/15 ("Advent for Mystics"), 12/19 ("A Solstice Meditation"), and 12/22 ("Soul of Christmas"), 12 pm PT/3 pm ET/8 pm UK. Register HERE. Creation Spirituality Conversations |
In a podcast episode with the Earth and Spirit Center, Matthew Fox reflects on how creation-centered spirituality, and the marriage of the divine feminine and sacred masculine, can help us respond with hope
to the troubles of our apocalyptic times. Listen HERE. | |
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