Happy Valentine's Day

I Opened My Heart, by Rob Ryan
Via Emma Hill

Celebrate the day by opening your heart. What better way to center yourself in harmony with the world?

Postmodern Hymn: Brother Sun Sister Moon

Let's continue on with medieval Christianity, shall we? (Seeing as my last post was on Hildegarde.)

"Brother Sun Sister Moon" isn't really a postmodern hymn, because it was written by Saint Francis back in the day. What makes it postmodern is Donovan's singing of it, and the layer of 60s earthiness that Zeffirelli added to the film. I think this is appropriation and reinterpretation at its best.

This song comes from the movie of the same name, and Brother Sun Sister Moon is one of my favorite movies ever. You must watch it if you haven't already!

The Cosmic Egg of Creation

Cosmos, by Hildegarde von Bingen

Above is Hildegarde's vision of the universe: "round and shadowy . . . pointed at the top, like an egg . . . its outermost layer of a bright fire."

What I love about Hildegarde's religion was how filled with viriditas (fertility, fecundity) it was. She was a knowledgeable herbalist and healer, and she used her music to heal and uplift listeners. I think many of her ideas would be seen as novel today; just imagine a woman chanting in an infirmary in this modern world.

If  you're at all interested in her life, I would recommend the movie Vision. It is visually beautiful and gives, what seemed to me, an honest account of her intellectual, spiritual, and social life.

The Way of the Bodhisattva

"Bathers," by Georges Barbier?
via Orbs of Zenith, via mpt. 1607

"When you look at others think
That it will be through them
That you will come to Buddhahood.
So look on them with frank and loving hearts."
    —The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva

There must be thousands of opportunities to do this in a single day; maybe I can choose to do this just once!

Sacred Space: St. Stephen's Church

Let's travel up to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, to visit St. Stephen's Church.

St. Stephen's Church, in Arapahoe, Wyoming

Writing about these kinds of places can never be easy. The forced conversion of native peoples, the banning of their religious rituals, and the general taking of their land is reprehensible. In spite of these facts, though, my first reaction when I saw St. Stephen's Church was one of joy. How wonderful that the artist, Raphael Norse, used his cultural background to transform the church. I really appreciate these allowed forms of diversity, and I wish there was more of it.

Having inherited religious traditions that I'm not so sure I agree with, buildings like this give me hope that there is some room for creative reinterpretation. (Don't be pessimistic and tell me these reinterpretations are just window dressings . . . )

How would you paint your place of worship? 

A Short Mantra

The Tale of the Golden Toad, by Madeline Von Foerster 

May I bring . . .

good out of evil, hope from hopelessness, meaning from absurdity, and save what appeared to be lost.

(via the Enneagram website)

Catch the Moon

Lassoed! by Laurent Laveder

Sometimes you want to just reach into the sky and bring the magic down to earth. 

And it is that very gesture that creates magic.