What Is Your Dream? Introducing Ours...
One could make the argument that we are collectively approaching a new "dark age": a Planet seriously @risk, violence, racism, sexism, injustice, oppression, rampant greed, a disregard for honesty and truth, and all the machinations of too many folks in pursuit of privilege and power. But, it is just as reasonable (perhaps even more so!), to conclude that we are collectively on the cusp of a global transformation: the vision of "chalice" is actively confronting that of the dominator paradigm: the "blade". This choice will either cement power, or usher in a new era of spiritual democracy, like that envisioned by Saints Francis and Clare, Hildegard and Eckhart, Mohandas K. Gandhi and Dorothy Day. The insights of spiritual activists like Richard Rohr, Louis Vitale, Winona LaDuke, Matthew Fox, Alice Walker, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Ellen Grace O'Brian, Andrew Harvey, Vandana Shiva, Julia Butterfly Hill, Adam Bucko, and Starhawk may yet suddenly find themselves as practical guides for a truly new age. Intentional communities, like those of Findhorn-Scotland, and the Catholic Worker Movement have much to teach us about social organization and living the prophetic way: according to radical grace...
Victim: think victims. For many thousands of years now, while acknowledging incredible advances in science, medicine, technology, and communications: our theologies, politics, economics, and sexual relationships still lag, oh, let's just say a few thousand years behind: capable of little more than justifications and manipulations. Do you deserve better? Do the hundreds of millions of victims through un-told centuries of the powerful seeking more and more power, privilege, and profit? The now unremembered and faceless victims of the Dominator Paradigm deserve the remembrance of our affirmations: we will remember, and we will renew our commitment and our vision of the Beloved Community...
Heart Consciousness: We live in the inter-section of the Divine and the Human. Our purpose is found through loving service and a cultivated creativity. Our greatest good is to live the practical work of becoming "love without limits". The mystic-activist, while feeding her intellect, interests, and curiosity, recognizes that the highest level of mind exists or is centered in the transforming heart. Similarly, while the life of the body with all of her means of pleasure and delight are wholesome and good, the greatest wealth of the body is in the loving heart. For it is precisely in one's heart consciousness that the Universe exists in particular and is centered! Our heart, on the most basic level is tasked with serving the mind-body as a "pump": all the while maintaining an intimate dialogue with mind-body, and beyond, into the "fields" of Universal Consciousness (God). This "Divine Mutuality": God exploring Her / Him / It's Self through us: through our mind-body experiences / sensations / delights / sufferings which likewise for us become our explorations into God: in our awakening heart consciousness... ["We have been created by Love, for Love, to become Love." -- Simone Weil]
There are a number of ways in which That which "heart consciousness" denotes is identified, such as the "Divine Mother," "Christ Consciousness," "the New Creation," the "Garden of Eternal Delight," the "Tao," the "Name," and the "Holy Mystery". Heart consciousness is the awakening into "Beautiful are you" and "Welcome Home", two very simple phrases which capture the heart-realization of "No Separation", or the mystic practice of "Not two, not two". How different our theologies would be if we began with the conviction of what Matthew Fox has called "Original Blessing!" Would there have been room for the Just War Theory, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Witch Burnings (prefiguring the later Holocaust), the oppression of women, economic exploitation, slavery, racism, and all the layers of global greed?
(to be continued)
Iona House Catholic Worker: a small stepping out into possibilities: Heart Consciousness a way of practice for the student mystic-activist: and www.theburninghand.com a "love letter" to companion seekers of community: envisioning a farm-retreat center for disadvantaged youth, service, contemplation, nonviolent mystic-activism, and the co-creating of the Beloved Community... Use the "Contact" form for questions and beginning conversation...
