The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox Be sure not to miss Matthew Fox's weekly video reflection every Monday! |
Week 1/8-13/2024: Hildegard & Grey, Creativity, Divine Eyes, Black Madonna 01/14/2024 |
January 8, 2024: Alex Grey and Hildegard of Bingen on the Divine Eye(s)
We have been celebrating and comparing the creative works of Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century Christian mystic, and Alex Grey, a Jewish/Buddhist artist. Alex’s new painting, “Greening Power,” incorporates hundreds of green hands with eyes in the palm of each. Hildegard’s painting, “The Six Days of Creation,” includes a divine eye, and in her painting “All Beings Celebrate Creation,” Hildegard paints an army of angels which is “full of eyes and wings, and in each
eye a mirror appeared, and in the mirror the face of a person.” Hildegard talks about “the living eye” while calling the Holy Spirit “a fire that penetrates everything” and God the Creator “a brightness that shines” and Christ, the “flashing forth that radiates” divine fire. |
“All Beings Celebrate Creation,” from Hildegard of Bingen, Scivias |
January 9, 2024: Grey & Hildegard: Angel Wings, Human Works, “Singing Justice”
Hildegard of Bingen, a mystic who painted many of her visions, talks about angels, saying “With amazing voices they were
glorifying God magnificently for those miracles which God performs in blessed souls.” In her painting called “Emptying: The True Spirit of Poverty,” Hildegard presents many eyes. One figure full of eyes is without a face and represents the fear of the Lord—“viewing the Kingdom of God with humility in the presence of God.” Cirlot, a Spanish poet, mythologist and musician, informs us that an image of heterotopic eyes (eyes on different parts of the body) is “the spiritual equivalent of sight,
that is, of clairvoyance.” Or, perhaps we could say insight. How parallel are Hildegard’s and Alex Grey’s paintings! East meeting West. Buddhism meeting Christianity. Twelfth century meeting the 21st century. January 10, 2024: Greening Power, Peace, Creativity, Angels
As we have been meditating on Alex Gray’s painting, “Greening Power,” we reflect on peacemaking as an act of greening power, including hands, hearts and eyes that see
differently and reach out to build structures of justice that make peace possible. We have also been reflecting on multiple eyes, called heterotopic eyes, which are visible in several of Hildegard’s paintings and Alex’s current painting. British scientist Rupert Sheldrake and Matthew chose another of Alex’s paintings for the cover of their most recent edition of Physics of Angels. Aquinas says angels are experts at intuition, thus they assist us when our intuitive or mystical brains are activated. |
January 11, 2024: Hildegard on Greening Power, Spirit, Nature & Creativity
“Greening power” was an extremely important concept to Hildegard of Bingen, who lived in the
Rhinelands in an area of lush fertility. She talks about the Holy Spirit as being a green “sap” inside all of us. We are like trees, she says, and the Holy Spirit is the capacity for juiciness, greenness, and moistness within us. Hildegard teaches that the only sin in life is drying up. She boldly wrote bishops and abbots, telling them they were drying up. She urges us to be verdant, fruitful, and juicy. January 12, 2024: Hildegard on Humans as Co-Creators Whose Vocation is to Create
Hildegard sees creativity at the core of our vocation as
human beings. She also recognizes “two aspects to humanity: the singing of praise to God and the doing of good works"---the via positiva, creativa and transformativa. She knows that creation can be used in a destructive way—in wars, weapons of war, and eco-wars. She advocates for the kind of juicy, green creativity that bears fruit. She tells us When a tree does not blossom, it cannot bear fruit. Likewise, a person cannot be fruitful without the greening power of
faith. January 13, 2024: The Black Madonna: A Resource for Our Troubled Times
Matthew recently taught at a workshop about the Black Madonna, together with Alessandra Belloni, author of a book Matthew calls "excellent:" Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna: Chants, Music, and Sacred Practices of the Great
Goddess. Matthew also has great respect for Christena Cleveland, PhD, theologian and author of God Is a Black Woman. While Alessandra has had personal experiences with the Black Madonna and is knowledgeable particularly about the Black Madonna tradition in Italy, Christena is more familiar with the Black Madonna of France. When, as a professor at Duke Divinity School, she first learned about the Black Madonna, she decided to embark on a 400-mile-long pilgrimage, visiting 18 different shrines, most over 1000 years old. |
Banner image: The Eye of Horus is an ancient symbol thought to be equated with well-being, healing, and protection. Horus is associated with the great Isis myth, Isis being another example of a “dark goddess.” Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain. |
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Hildegard of Bingen’s Book of Divine Works: With Letters and Songs
Today there are many websites and Hildegard groups that celebrate and honor Hildegard’s teachings, philosophy, art, and music. Author Matthew Fox
writes in Hildegard of Bingen about this amazing woman and what we can learn from her. In an era when women were marginalized, Hildegard was an outspoken, controversial figure. Yet so visionary was her insight that she was sought out by kings, popes, abbots, and bishops for advice. A sixteenth century follower of Martin Luther called her “the first Protestant” because of her appeals to reform the church. As a writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, healer, artist,
feminist, and student of science, Hildegard was a pioneer in many fields in her day. |
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The Physics of Angels: Exploring the Realm Where Science & Spirit Meet
By Matthew Fox and Rupert
Sheldrake When was the last time a scientist and a theologian discussed angels together? What are angels? Many people believe in angels, but few can define these enigmatic spirits. Now visionary theologian Matthew Fox and acclaimed biologist Rupert Sheldrake—pioneers in modern religious thinking and scientific
theory—launch a groundbreaking exploration into the ancient concept of the angel and restore dignity, meaning, and joy to our time-honored belief in these heavenly beings. |
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In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical, cosmic picture! With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book
expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our planet.
"Matthew Fox has created a narrative, for every parent and grandparent, both spiritual and scientific, that is a gift for all elders who recognize their responsibility in initiating the young ones into the
grandeur of existence." Cosmologist Brian Swimme, author of Cosmogenesis and The Universe Story "Matthew Fox has given all of us, children included, a wondrous and enchanting view of creation and all that humanity should aspire to." - Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit and A Time for
Grace Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at checkout. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
SPECIAL EVENT: 5-DAY WORKSHOP IN AQUINAS’ HOMETOWN OF ORVIETO, ITALY
WITH MATTHEW FOX, MESHI CHAVEZ, AND CLAUDIA PICARDI
JUNE 9-14, 2024
LEARN MORE HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “Confessions: The Making of a Post-Denominational Priest ” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat.Thursday, January 18, 4:00-6:00 pm PT. Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he lectures on “What the Mystics Tell Us About Dying “ at the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, “Emerging Spiritualities: Death and Bereavement Across the Spiritual Spectrum,” Saturday, January 20, 9:00am – 5:00pm PT. Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “The Lotus & The Rose” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat. Thursday, February 15, 4:00-6:00 pm PT. Register HERE. |
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Creation Spirituality Conversations |
In the midst of increased violence between Israel and Palestine, Ilia Delio and theologian Matthew Fox discuss the state of the world today and how to have courage in Part 1 of their conversation. Ilia and Matt discuss his mentor, Marie Dominique Chenu, the influence of liberation theology on social justice in
the church today, and what can still be learned.
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