The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
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Learning to Behold 05/30/2024 |
In yesterday’s DM, I cited Jesus who told us to “Behold the lilies of the field” and their beauty. I offered some examples of our learning to behold. |
How important is it to learn to behold? A lot of the Via Positiva is an exercise, a practice, in beholding. Behold a newborn baby. Behold our friend, parent, spouse, grandparent as they die and move on from this home we call Earth. Behold the stars in the sky from whence we derive and with whom we share so many common elements. Behold the images and stories pouring to us daily from the Webb Telescope. |
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Behold the
intricacies of a tiny flower. Behold the bee on the flower. Behold the honey the bees make. Behold each of the chakras of our body. |
“She Who Hears the Cries of the World” Music by Jennifer Berezen, poetry by Starhawk, recitation by Olympia Dukakis. Unanimous. | Behold the suffering of the world. Behold, behold, behold. There is a reverence to beholding, for beholding is the opposite of grabbing, seizing, owning, controlling, dominating. (Do fascists behold?) |
Beholding implies respect and awe and wonder. Great mystics know a lot about beholding. We all carry within us the power of beholding, for we are all (potentially at least) mystics—even if for a while we succumb to the cynicism of a patriarchal bubble that wraps us in its grasp or a capitalist neurosis built
on fear and greed and holding rather than beholding. We can all return to the mystic in us that treasures beholding and that is one reason to meditate with mystics who understand the power of beholding. Consider Jesus as above. |
Consider Rabbi Heschel who invites us to “stand still and behold!” That is why meditation and emptying our busy minds and focusing can be so useful (the Via Negativa serving the Via Positiva). “Be still and learn that I am God.” Heschel goes on: “Behold not only in order to explain, to
fit what we see into our |
“All Creatures Of Our God And King,” originally composed by St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), performed by Maranatha! Music. md1801 |
notions; behold in order to stand face to face with the beauty and grandeur of the universe.” He calls us not to take for granted the beauty of our cosmos, the miracle of our existence. If our existence is a miracle, wouldn’t we be fools to go through life and never practice
beholding? Does wisdom—as opposed to folly—require beholding? Jesus thought so. To be continued. |
Adapted from Matthew Fox, “The God of Awe, Wonder, Radical Amazement, and Justice,” in Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times, p. 5.
See also, Fox, Passion For Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart.
And Matthew Fox: Essential
Writings on Creation Spirituality, pp. 110f.
Banner Image: Field of wildflowers. Photo by JT Ray on Unsplash |
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Responses are welcomed. To add
your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Queries for Contemplation |
How do you practice Beholding? Do you find yourself standing face to face with the beauty and grandeur of the universe when you encounter everyday things whether small or large? |
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time
While Matthew Fox recognizes that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers throughout history, he also wants to introduce Eckhart to today’s activists addressing contemporary crises.
Toward that end, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and many others.
“Matthew Fox is perhaps the greatest writer on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has successfully bridged a gap between Eckhart as a shamanistic personality and Eckhart as a
post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith movement, to reveal just how cosmic Eckhart really is, and how remarkably relevant to today’s religious crisis! ” — Steven Herrmann, Author of
Spiritual Democracy: The Wisdom of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Forward
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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. |
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Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality
Selected with an Introduction by Charles Burack
To encapsulate the life and work
of Matthew Fox would be a daunting task for any save his colleague Dr. Charles Burack, who had the full cooperation of his subject. Fox has devoted 50 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality and in doing so has reinvented forms of education and worship. His more than 40 books, translated into 78 languages, are inclusive of today’s science and world spiritual traditions and have awakened millions to the much neglected earth-based mystical tradition of the West. Essential Writings begins by exploring the influences on Fox’s life and spirituality, then presents selections from all Fox’s major works in 10 sections.
“The critical insights, the creative connections, the centrality of Matthew Fox’s writings and teaching are second to none for the radical renewal of Christianity.” ~~ Richard Rohr, OFM. |
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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. "This delicious book for children of all ages celebrates joy as the essential truth of
reality." - Andrew Harvey, Author of The Hope and Radical Regeneration "I absolutely LOVED reading this beautiful, creative, stirring story—a charming, whimsical, powerful, parable." -
Robert Holden, Author of Happiness NOW! and Higher Purpose |
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UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
Join Matthew Fox in a new, live, 7-week video course hosted by the Shift Network, Cultivating Compassion in Spirituality: What Meister Eckhart & Other World Mystics Can Teach Us About Navigating Collective Turmoil. Tuesdays, May 7 – June 25, 5:00pm - 6:30pm PT. Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox and 11 other speakers for a 6-week course on Cosmic Water: The Radical Roots of Mystical Christianity hosted by Advaya.Life (Matthew speaks on June 18). Tuesdays, May 28 - Thursday, July 4, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm PDT Register HERE (for 10% discount use code FOX-WOW) Join keynote speakers Matthew Fox and Brian Swimme at the 2024 Creation Spirituality Communities Gathering on “Reimagining Our Story, Hope for Humanity,” live at Cape Cod, MA and by livestream. Friday, May 31 – Sunday, June 2. Learn more and register HERE. |
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Matthew Fox speaks on "Preserving Things in the Good" at the Unity of Walnut Creek Earth Day worship service held on April 21, 2024. |
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