The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers |
Worthwhile Thoughts on the Original Blessing of the Cosmos |
Nineteenth-century
French poet and translator, Gerard de Nerval, had this to say about the modern consciousness that so readily left out the universe: |
Free thinker, do you think you are the only thinker on this earth in which life blazes inside all things? Your liberty does what it wishes with the powers it controls, but when you gather to plan, the universe is not there. This strikes me as a rich parallel to Pope Francis’ | Hawaiian sugar plantation: Lahaina, once the lush and sacred royal/spiritual center of Maui, was drained to drylands by sugar cane estates. Wikimedia Commons. |
complaint that humanity has often succumbed to being a “narcissistic” species. It hints of human anthropocentrism that has had so much to do with the travails Mother Earth and all her species (homo sapiens included) are suffering through today. It applies to
education and religion, politics and economics, media and even art—“when we gather to plan, the universe is not there.” We think we can be a-cosmic. Whereas the cosmos birthed us all. And
continues to do so, with Mother Earth as its instrument. Earth and Cosmos are partners after all, “ecology is functional cosmology” as Thomas Berry reminds us. |
Primal cosmic connections: “Venus of Laussel,” a red-ochre painted paleolithic statue of a woman holding a notched horn, said to represent lunar or menstrual
cycles. Wikimedia Commons. | In contrast, Frederick Turner reminds us of the wisdom of indigenous consciousness when he instructs us that from coast to coast, desert to woodland, the Native peoples perceive themselves to be an integral part of the Creation. Native languages talk of the
Creation in family terms, such as “Mother Earth,” “Grandmother Moon,” “the Grandfather winds.” All are our relations. But when we elevate the human at the expense of the rest of nature, tragedy
results. |
Every added protection against the natural world contributes its bit to the steadily building illusion of independence from nature, so that in time, that greatest of illusions is erected: the
omnipotence of man. The arrogance and supposed “omnipotence” of humanity takes over. Arrogance reigns. Patriarchy preens. Rightly he calls it
“that greatest of illusions.” |
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality, p. 66. Also see Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society Banner Image: People’s Climate March 2017 in Washington DC. Ordained members of the Earth Holder Sangha wearing
brown robes carry banner and practice mindful walking, on sidewalk near Senate Park. Photo by Dcpeopleandeventsof2017 on Wikimedia Commons . |
Queries for Contemplation Do you recognize that the universe (and earth) are too often left out of our planning regarding education, religion, politics and the rest? How can we remedy that? Does Liturgy and ritual and the very meaning of “The Cosmic Mass” assist with that? |
Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, please click HERE
to go to our
website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation
Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew is often neglected by Christian theology): the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an extended and deeply developed way.
“Original Blessing makes available to the Christian world and to the human community a radical cure for all dark and derogatory views of the natural world wherever these may have originated.” –Thomas Berry, author, The Dream of the Earth; The Great Work; co-author, The Universe Story | |
Sins of
the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox
allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics | |
See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
Join Matthew Fox and a speaker’s panel for brief Creation Spirituality presentations, music, songs, prayer, and refreshments in a free online and on-site Celebration of Matthew Fox's donation of papers
to the University of Colorado, Boulder. University of Colorado Boulder Libraries – Center for British & Irish Studies – 5th Floor Thursday, September 21, 4:00pm-6:00pm PT RSVP HERE for on-site attendance only. Virtual attendance link will be forthcoming. |
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Aaron Perry hosts Matthew Fox on the Y On Earth podcast, on “Hildegard von Bingen & Her “Viriditas,” sharing profound wisdom and deep insights about
the essential importance of our relationship with Mother Earth, our celebration of the Divine Feminine, and our connection with Creation Spirituality, drawing upon centuries of knowledge and wisdom from indigenous and mystical traditions world-wide… particularly from the Rhineland Mystic Movement of the medieval European Renaissance, and a most extraordinary woman at its helm: Hildegard von Bingen. | |
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