SPIRIT OF THE AGE

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Created on Thursday, 17 May 2012 17:31
Written by Marian Moore

Marian @ Krysan

The Wellbeing Consultancy

Planting Golden Seeds in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, and Durham

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- live by choice, not by chance - make changes, not excuses -
be useful, not used - excel, not compete - self-esteem, not self-pity -


 Down my way, it's nature's way (3 of 3)

by

Marian Moore

 

♥ _________________________ JOURNAL ENTRY NO. (7 of 7)

Sunday, 20 May 2012

Dear MaryAnn ...

To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same.  WALT WHITMAN 

The Four Paths. 

What follows is a summary of Matthew Fox's 'Four Paths of Creation Spirituality' as set out in his book Original Blessings and clarified by Grace Blindell in Green Spirit.

The sole purpose of the four paths is to enable a new understanding about the nature of the universe in the hope that we can carry 'seeing differently' into all walks of our daily lives.  

By seeing differently, we do differently. 

1     The Via Positiva: 'Thou shalt fall in love at least three times a day'

The first of Matthew Fox's four paths, the Via Positiva, entails re-awakening awe, wonder, astonishment and delight.  It has to do with reverence and becoming again as little children. "Forfeit your sense of awe, and the universe becomes a market place for you." 

And, now ask yourself two questions.  'Is this not exactly what has happened?  Could we have ravaged and polluted the planet as we have done if we truly held it and the life it supports in awe?  Once we acknowledge just how dulled we have allowed our senses to become, it is a small step to begin to see again through eyes of wonder.  

We are each and every one of us born with an insatiable curiosity.  We must all be ever vigilent that our child-like ability to stand in awe  does not become buried under a deluge of words, numbers, measurements, and explanations.  

I would also ask that you consider the deadening effect of societal attitudes that teach our young early in the lives to 'take for granted' the moment by moment miracle of just 'being'.  The Via Positiva invites us all to live our lives open to wonder, to embrace again awe and reverence, to be consciously alive within the present moment ... the eternal 'now'.

2     The Via Negativa: Embracing the Dark.  Letting pain be pain.

In essence, the arguments are contained in the following,

"Every added protection against the natural world contributes its bit to the steadily building illusion of independence from Nature, so that in time the greatest of illusions is erected; the omnipotence of 'man'." 

Paradoxically, the Via Negativa and the Via Positiva are the Yin and the Yang, the necessary correlation of each other.  And, I would remind you that 'the extent of our willingness to embrace and engage with the darkness is in direct proportion to our openness to awe, wonder and delight'. 

Only by accepting all that we are (including what Carl Jung described as the 'Shadow') can we ever become whole. 

3     The Via Creativa: Expressing our own true selves

The third path calls us to connect again with that creative power which already dwells within us and yet, like so much else that was once spontaneous, has been numbed by a culture which imposes a narrow definition of what is and what is not creative.  Many of you will agree that, 'most people by the time they reach adulthood have lost touch with, as well as confidence in, their inner creative energy'.  This does not mean that we all should become painters, musicians or poets, but it does mean that we should learn again to trust our deepest feelings.  It will mean giving birth to ideas and imagination, play and surprise, boldness and intuition. 

Suppressing the natural creative energy that is within every person will result in it returning, thwarted, in a more destructive guise.  Ask yourself, 'Do you create, or do you destroy?'  We cannot be neutral.  As every leaf and every blade of grass is unique and unrepeatable, so are we.  Here's that lovely quotation by Nelson Mandela again.  It was used in his inaugural speak and is addressed to every member of the human race.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us."

4     The Via Transformativa: Embracing Compassion, Justice and Wisdom 

The fourth path brings the insights of compassion, justice and wisdom to bear upon our interpretation of the previous three paths, most particularly upon that of the Via Creativa.  Do we create or do we destroy?  Our creativity will need the compassionate direction of wisdom and justice, for we are not puppets.  We are a species with the power to choose. 

Our conditioning is deep, however, and we slip so easily back into old patterns of seeing.  Yet each small illumination, each seemingly slight shift of perception is another step along the way of 'our Cosmic unfolding'.  Grace Blindell lists the following as the 'five subtle transformations in perception that will mark our journey as the new vision of who we are dawns upon us'.

From consumer to partaker: 

As the new story penetrates our consciousness we see ourselves no longer as consumers, but as partakers.  A consumer is one who devours without thought or consideration ... the precious life-sustaining systems of our planet.  A partaker starts from a different viewpoint, sharing in the mutual interdependence and taking only what is fair and just.

From observer to participant:

We are not detached observers in an inanimate world whatever we may think.  The awareness of our total dependence upon our planet and our interconnectedness will transform us from detached observers to participants.  A participant, as with a partaker, comes from within, not without and (as a member of the Earth community) is active, responsible, compassionate and involved.

From tourists to pilgrims. 

A pilgrim is one who recognises and seeks the sacred.  The vision here is of Green Spirit, an organisation which views the whole of creation as sacred and thus worthy of reverence and awe.  (See USEFUL LINKS)  Within the attitude of the pilgrim there comes an enrichment, an enhancement of both parties.  (Try it and see).

From Masters to Co-Creators, and from Doers to Listeners. 

Both shifts acknowledge the reality that we, as humans, are not 'in control'.  Yet our role ... is far from a passive one; it calls us to embrace our cosmic destiny as active participants in the great unfolding ... using all our wisdom and compassion to work with, and not against, Nature.

"Nothing has changed, except the way I see things - and so everything has changed."

 
REFERENCE

MARIAN VAN EYK McCAIN, (ed.) (2010), Green Spirit: Path to a New Consciousness,pub. Winchester, UK., O Books.  For more information about this book, click on the Youtube link below:

GreenSpirit - Path to a New Consciousness

FOR KINDRED SPIRITS EVERYWHERE 

Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they simply move it from their faces to their hearts.

"Colors Of The Rainbow" with The GiggleBellies- Music video Preview

Many thanks to the two young ladies who are cheering up the world.  100,000,000 hits and still counting.   That's enterprise.

SPIRIT OF THE AGE.

People think angels fly because they have wings. Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.

ANONYMOUS

END

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