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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Week of
7/22-27/2024:
Sadness among our Youth &
Renewed Hope in the Face of
Momentous Current Events 07/28/2024 |
July 22, 2024: The Unhappiness of Young Adults World Over: A Scientific Study
A recent article shares with us disturbing news about the state of young people around the globe.* For many generations, the pattern was for young people to be among the happiest of human beings and for there to be a dip in that happiness level once they became middle-aged. Sadly, according to this study, that pattern has flipped. Our youth are now
profoundly unhappy and happiness tends to increase with age. These results are evident across cultures around the globe. Especially disturbing is this: In the United States, one in nine young women report “every day of their lives as being a bad mental health day.” The scientists do not know the cause but there is conjecture that cell phones play an important role. |
The Troubling Reality of American Teenagers’ Mental Health. Video by TODAY. July 23, 2024: Youth Despair and Biden’s Decision to Let Go
Yesterday we received the news that President Biden decided to step down from the presidential race. We praise him for the many accomplishments of his administration, including: forward strides to combat climate change, supporting infrastructure, increasing manufacturing jobs, taking on big pharma, helping relieve students from the burden of loan debt, and so much more. As he passes the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris, a much younger woman, the unspoken
message is that not all adults cling to power until their last breath. Some have learned to trust potential leaders emerging from the younger generations. July 24, 2024: About Sadness Among the Young & Uplift Around Kamala Harris
In the DM two days ago, a shocking study was shared about sadness among young people. Meanwhile, President Biden officially endorsed Kamala Harris as his replacement in the run for president of our nation. The political mood seems to have metamorphized from anxiety, fear, grief and anger,
to joy and even “exuberance,” as one pundit put it. Since then, more than 28,000 people have signed up to work on the campaign and around $280 million in donations and pledges have come in, of which 888,000 were from small-dollar donors. Is some hope returning for our species, for the planet we love, and for our democracy that’s so in need of fixing? |
'Brand new day for the Democrats’: MSNBC news analysts join Nicolle Wallace in discussing the complex responses to President Biden ending his re-election bid. |
July 25, 2024: Elder and Youth Interacting on Holiness and More
As we continue to reflect on a recent study noting profound levels of unhappiness in today’s youth, we look back on the story of a young man
who took to heart the meaning of “Original Blessing.” [FROM THE ARCHIVE: 5/23/20] Years ago, Matthew was speaking at a Sierra Club conference. During a break, a 27-year-old man came up to Matthew to tell him how much he appreciated his book Original Blessing. A year later, Matthew had an opportunity to talk further with Jaih Hunter-Hill about what moved him in Original Blessing. It was the concept of “holiness as Cosmic Hospitality.” Jaih has an engineering degree
from Stanford, but he also loves to cook. He really resonated with the idea that his passion could be a spiritual practice. July 26, 2024: Creating
Ceremony for Ritual among Homeless Youth
Continuing to reflect on how we can support our young people, we explore creating ritual together, which can be deeply healing on multiple levels. [FROM THE ARCHIVE: 11/7/20] Authentic ceremonies recharge us, heal us, energize us, and amaze us. Adam Bucko, co-author with Matthew of Occupy Spirituality, and his co-worker Taz Tagor created a retreat and
ritual for young adults who live on the streets of New York City. The goal, said Adam, was to teach youth how to cultivate compassion for their perpetrators and to step out of victimhood and into a more empowering mind. At the end of two days, Adam was in awe of what he witnessed. Their capacity for forgiveness was astounding—and they seemed to grasp the ways in which their suffering was also a blessing in their lives. |
Profile of one Reciprocity Foundation retreat for homeless youth at the Buddhist Center called Dharma Drum. reciprocityfdn. |
July 27, 2024: Another Striking Observation from Howard Thurman about Youth & Spiritual Leadership
Matthew and Adam Bucko were so moved by the following from Howard Thurman that
they included it in the introduction of their book Occupy Spirituality. [FROM THE ARCHIVE: 9/22/2019] Dr. Howard Thurman was an African American mystic and prophet who was in many ways the spiritual genius behind the civil rights movement. Present at the march on Washington DC that included Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, he offers this very original reflection. As thrilling as the whole day was, he said: What impressed me most was a small group of young people representing student
nonviolent groups, fresh from the jails and violences of the South, who time and time again caught the spiritual overtones of the speakers and led the critical applause which moved like a tidal wave over the vast audience. |
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Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation
Authors Adam Bucko and Matthew Fox encourage us to use our talents in service of compassion and justice and to move beyond our broken systems–economic,
political, educational, and religious–discovering a spirituality that not only helps us to get along, but also encourages us to reevaluate our traditions, transforming them and in the process building a more sacred and just world. Incorporating the words of young activist leaders culled from interviews and surveys, the book provides a framework that is deliberately interfaith and speaks to our profound yearning for a life with spiritual purpose and for a better world.
“Occupy Spirituality is a powerful, inspiring, and vital call to embodied awareness and enlightened actions.”
~~ Julia Butterfly Hill, environmental activist and author of The Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods |
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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 |
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The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian
paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth
wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe. |
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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 does it again, here for our young ones, who so need a positive, cosmic vision
to thrive, or even survive, in a sad time." - Father Richard Rohr, Author of The Universal Christ "Matthew Fox offers a resounding affirmation of what our souls have always suspected: we are made for joy." - Mirabai Starr, Author of God of Love and Wild Mercy |
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UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
MONTHLY: Join Matthew Fox, Mariko Middleton, and Skylar Wilson of the Order of the Sacred Earth in a free virtual meeting for connection and networking with other mystic warriors. Last Tuesday of every month, 4:00-5:00pm PT.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88665302478
Meeting ID: 886 6530 2478 Learn more at www.orderofthesacredearth.org |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book Order of the Sacred Earth: An Intergenerational Vision of Love and Action in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, August 15, 4:00-5:30 pm PT.
Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, September 19, 4:00-5:30 pm PT.
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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