The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
Watch for Matthew Fox's video meditation -- now appearing every Monday!
Be sure to catch
Matthew's newest social media channel on Instagram! |
Otto Rank on Curing a
Weakening Democracy 11/15/2024 |
As the results of the election ripple out, learn the deeper stakes involved. Get your copy of Trump & the MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election today! Choose your format in the book block below. |
There will be post-mortems emerging on the recent election surely. But one concern is this: 87 million Americans eligible to vote chose not to—the greatest number of non-voters in American history. |
Millions more Americans chose to turn their back on today’s version of democracy than did those who voted for the apparent winner. It seems that in turning the country’s keys over to the winner, and his ambitions to displace democracy with |
Nicole Mathew, associate professor at Oakland University, joined CBS Detroit to break down the 2024 election results. |
autocracy and the fascist program of Project 2025, the majority of Americans voted to give up on democracy. Clearly democracy has to reinvent itself today. Provided it is not too late. It is not just in America that democracy is undergoing deep rupture—Europe too is beset with
breakdowns. And they can no longer look to America for some hope. Ten years ago the American version suffered a near fatal blow when Chief Justice John Roberts’ court declared in Citizens United that corporations are people and that flooding elections with dark and unchecked billions of dollars
is of no consequence. Yet 75% of Americans—including 66% of Republicans—support a constitutional amendment to throw Citizens United out; 88% want to reduce large donations.* |
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner discusses the reasons for Judge Juan Merchan’s one-week delay in sentencing the former White House tenant for 34 felony crimes. | This season, in its infinite wisdom, the unsupreme court decided that for the first time in history and contrary to the intentions of the founders of this nation, presidents cannot be held liable for any crimes committed while in office. (Hold onto your seats!) |
The majority of Americans, by apparently voting for the man who appointed the majority of that court, also voted to kill all checks and balances on presidential overreach this November. Why? Because they felt ignored and the price of things was too high. And a demagogue promised “only I can
fix it.” And here we are. Psychologist Otto Rank, a great thinker and soul of the 20th century who died in 1939 and is finally receiving recognition as the father of humanistic psychology, pronounced on an ailing democracy in a very insightful way. In the conclusion to his ground-breaking book, Beyond Psychology, he writes: Rationalistic psychology was only an outgrowth of the mentality of our age which is, or rather, was up to recently so highly rationalized that the irrational had only the neurotic form of expression. But to attempt to cure this result of rationalism by more
rationality is just as contradictory as a war to end wars, or an effort to strengthen a weakening democracy by more democracy. |
What is the answer to strengthening a neurotic and overly rational form of psychology along with a weakening democracy? Rank says: The only remedy is an acceptance of the fundamental irrationality of the human being and life in general. Contrary to “typical intellectuals,” we
need “a real allowance” for the irrational and “its dynamic functioning in human behavior, which would not be lifelike without it.” The irrational includes the mystical and the arts and |
“Mythmaker Stomping Out Artist’s Sense of Reality.” Stone lithograph by Navajo artist David Paladin, 1975. Published with permission. |
what religion brings to the table, the arts of silence and praise as well as grief and meaning, admittance of suffering and responsibility and art and creativity and play and chant and forgiveness and confession. And humility, an admission of what we do not know. The limits of our knowledge. As Rank says
elsewhere, religion has its place because it admits the Unknown, indeed recognizes it as the chief factor instead of pretending an omniscience that we do not possess. Academia—especially that which purposefully leaves out values by ignoring the intuitive brain and focusing only on the rational brain—is part of the problem. Rank warns about the price that is paid in a society or an educational system that is bent exclusively on the rational. When such a constructive and dynamic expression of the irrational together with the rational life is not permitted it breaks through in violent distortions which manifest themselves individually as neurosis and culturally as various forms of revolutionary movements which succeed because they are irrational and not in spite of
it.** How much of the attraction of MAGA is the irrationality that is honored there? To be continued. |
*
Ashley Balcerzak, “Study: Most Americans want to kill ‘Citizens United’ with constitutional amendment,” Center for Public Integrity, 2018.
**Otto Rank, Beyond Psychology (NY: Dover Publications, 1958), p, 289.
See Matthew Fox, “Psychotherapy and the ‘Unio Mystica’: Meister Eckhart Meets Otto Rank,” in Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times, pp.139-156.
And Fox, “Otto Rank on the Artistic Journey as a Spiritual Journey, the Spiritual Journey as an Artistic Journey,” in Fox, Wrestling with the Prophets: Essays on Creation Spirituality and Everyday Life, pp. 199-214.
And Fox, The A.W.E. Project: Reinventing Education, Reinventing the Human.
And Fox, Trump & the MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election.
Banner Image: “Democracy Puzzle.” Photo by Ravenhart on Flickr. |
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 apply Rank’s insight about ‘not curing democracy with more democracy’ to the current situation with democracy in America and elsewhere? |
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 |
|
Wrestling with the Prophets: Essays on Creation Spirituality and Everyday Life
In one of his foundational works, Fox engages with some of history’s greatest mystics, philosophers, and prophets in
profound and hard-hitting essays on such varied topics as Eco-Spirituality, AIDS, homosexuality, spiritual feminism, environmental revolution, Native American spirituality, Christian mysticism, Art and Spirituality, Art as Meditation, Interfaith or Deep Ecumenism and more. |
|
The A.W.E. Project: Reinventing Education, Reinventing the Human
The A.W.E. Project reminds us that awe is the appropriate response to the unfathomable wonder that is creation… A.W.E. is also the acronym for Fox’s proposed style of
learning – an approach to balance the three R’s. This approach to learning, eldering, and mentoring is intelligent enough to honor the teachings of the Ancestors, to nurture Wisdom in addition to imparting knowledge, and to Educate through Fox’s 10 C’s. The 10 C’s are the core of the A.W.E. philosophy and process of education, and include: compassion, contemplation, and creativity. The A.W.E. Project does for the vast subject of “learning” what Fox’s Reinvention of Work did for vocation
and Original Blessing did for theology. Included in the book is a dvd of the 10 C’s put to 10 video raps created and performed by Professor Pitt.
“An awe-based vision of educational renewal.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice. |
|
Trump & The MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election Matthew Fox tells us that he had always shied away from using the
term “Anti-Christ” because it was so often used to spread control and fear. However, given today’s rise of authoritarianism and forces of democracide, ecocide, and christofascism, he turns the tables in this book employing the archetype for the cause of justice, democracy, and a renewed Earth and humanity. For immediate access to Trump
& The MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election, order the e-book with 10 full-color prints from Amazon HERE. To get a print-on-demand paperback copy with black & white images, order from Amazon HERE or IUniverse HERE. To receive a limited-edition, full-color paperback copy, order from MatthewFox.org HERE. Order the audiobook HERE for immediate download. |
|
The Return of Father Sky: A Cosmic Mystery for Kids of All Ages
The second book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series, The Return of Father Sky helps boys and girls to celebrate a new relationship with the masculine by way of Father
Sky, whose return excites joy and wonder and possibility that enlarge the soul to welcome others and all creation. Written in a rhyming Dr. Seuss-like style, this full-color, beautifully illustrated book, written by world- renowned theologian Matthew Fox weaves together modern science and classic spirituality in a whimsical, entertaining format to illustrate important truths to readers aged 4 and up. 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. |
|
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 and Brian Swimme in a free online event hosted by The Shift Network: “Access the Creational Energy of the Universe: Explore the 4 Paths of Creation Spirituality to Revitalize Your Work, Wellbeing & Evolution” Thursday, November 14, 5:30pm
PT. Register HERE. |
|
Join Matthew Fox, Rev. Nóirín Ní Riain, and celebrated Irish performers Owen Ó Súilleabháin, and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin in an Interfaith Advent celebration of Irish sacred music and storytelling to honor the varied Festivals of Light and explore the mysteries they reveal. Saturday,
December 7, 9:00am – 11:00am PT.
Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his two children’s books, Father Fox's Fantastical
Fables – In the Beginning There was Joy and The Return of Father Sky in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, online. December 19, 4:00pm-5:30pm PT Register HERE. |
|
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Adam Bucko and Kaira Jewel Lingo
host a Christian Buddhist Gathering and Talk by special guest Matthew Fox on his book Trump & the MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election. |
|
|
|
|
Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
|
|
|
