Summer Spirit, Winter Spirit

This post is inspired by a sermon of the same title. It was originally presented by Rev. Christine Robinson of the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and revisited at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Springfield, MO

Regardless of what you believe, or don’t. Do you feel you are a summer or winter spirit?

Are you fiery in you convictions. Do you feel you are in direct contact with divinity? “Praise God”, “Bless you”, “Everything is wonderful”.

Or

Are you more reflective? Perhaps you sense the divine in everything, but somehow feel apart from it.

 

Many of us come from a Christian background, which in every breath promotes the idea that Summer Spirituality is the only “real spirituality”. That if you’re not in direct contact with God, you’re not doing something right.

I call this type of religion revelation experience, instead of common. While I do believe there are those who are “connected”, I think they are far fewer than the church would have one believe. It seems to go back to dogma; Keeping the members down on themselves ensures their return.

 

Martin Marty says that: “These spiritual styles are modes of being whatever you are: Christian, Buddhist, etc…. They are completely independent of theology.”

Pshchologist William James put it this way: “each person has an innate psychological type that tends toward a wintery or summery style.”

He believed in “once borns” and “twice borns.” Once borns were people who are naturally in touch with God, while twice borns are those who don’t naturally feel God’s presence in their lives but sometimes have fleeting mystical experiences that can change their lives.

 

I tend more toward the Wintery type. In truth I feel very confused about spirituality most days. To me everything is so interconnected. From taking care of the planet to how we communicate, to what we value. How can we separate the mundane from the sacred? If we don’t separate them, do we risk devaluing them or making ourselves hypersensitive?

If I were forced to pigeonhole my beliefs, I’d have say my spirituality is pagan. I feel most spiritual (ecstatic) and “connected” when I am in nature. I don’t get to spend near enough time there and so it takes me more time to reconnect when I am, but when I do!!!.  I haven’t done a lot of solitary work but I can tell the connection is there even if I’m just sitting and contemplating. When I am in an environment like Witchcamp.. that’s when I can feel the energy and everything comes alive..

Theologically I’d say Unitarian Universalism comes closest to my beliefs. While I realize that the principals aren’t unique to UU, it feels more real to me. It seems there is an openness for congregation participation and input that I’ve never found in a church. I feel this is very important because without it we’re just nodding our head to someone else's ideas, not really thinking, not defining our experience, learning or expanding our ideas. All of which, I feel are important things if we plan to improve how we interact.

I have had my moments of inspiration, which is what keeps me on the path. Those moments are awesome. But one must not get too caught up in the adrenline rush, waiting for the next “fix”. It is the mundane that keeps us grounded. Doing the mundane work is like eating dinner, it keeps us nourished so we can continue. Moments of inspiration are like dessert, everyone wants more but if we over-indulge we risk filling up, leaving no room for “dinner”. We all need balance; It’s our endeavor to find what works for us.

Fall Garden

It’s been hot here lately. Really hot for quite some time. The kind of hot where, if you don’t get done before daylight, you aren’t gonna get started.

So, while I ain’t enjoying the heat, I am enjoying getting the garden ready for fall planting. Just thinking about the winter brightens my day.

I picked up a load of mulch from the yard waste recycling center on Wednesday and will pick up composted horse manure in the AM.

Just a matter of spreading it, tilling it in and watering it. Then plant in a few days. Yeeha!!

Besides that, I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. Mostly about farming/community/ecology. Very interesting stuff.

I’m intrigued by cover crops/green manure/compost. don’t have it all figured out of course but it seems interesting and doable.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled muggle day!!

Legislate This!

Is it just me or has the whole political system suddenly went absolutely batshit? I know it’s wacked anyway, but it seems more so as of late.

The government (and thus us) have a huge problem with debt (to say nothing about our reliance on foreign goods and resources). No one is going to back down, and for the first time in history the US is going to be in default of it’s debt.

It’s obvious who this is going to impact the most isn’t it? It’s certainly not the upper class. If the current numbers are right (the top 5% makes/owns/controls more than the other 95% combined) then this should give one some inkling.

Indeed doom and gloom but no other way that I see. This could turn out to be a good thing (in the long run). It could be just the push we need to reinvent ourselves as a nation. Maybe we’ll make some different (ie better) decisions this time.. one can only hope.

Then we have the whole debate about Obesity. Holy shit let’s face it folks, you just can’t legislate everything. I heard on the news this evening that the government is wanting to tax “junk food” like they do alcohol, cigarettes, etc. Well what’s junk food? What are people who don’t have the time/money to buy “healthy foods” suppose to eat ?  A family can eat a meal at McDonalds for $3/person. What kind of healthy meal can you put together at the store for that? It makes no sense. If you want to regulate something then regulate food prices or the labor market.. they’re doing it ass backward if you ask me.

While all my values say that helping others is the right thing to do, you must be sure your taking care of your shit first. Foreign aid is great, but not while people are starving  and homeless in your own backyard.

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm by Mars Dorian

Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” is a great line from Emerson. If there’s no enthusiasm in what

you do, it won’t be remarkable and certainly won’t connect with people on an emotional basis. But, if you put that

magic energy into all of your work, you can create something that touches people on a deeper level.


Hmm to true. If you're not excited about what you do.. well likely it won't get done, or will get put off till it's to

late.It certainly won't be your "Best" work.

So how can one bring more enthusiasm into one's work? What does one have to think or believe about one's work to be

totally excited about it?

To me everything is so overwhelming. The environment, poverty, war.. where does one even start? without being overcome

by the feeling that "I'm only one person" how can my small action even matter? I struggle with this always.

I guess different people have different ways of coping with this. I've yet to find something that works for me. Though

working for causes with a group is as close as I've found to a solution.

I hear others say that they focus on one thing, be it changing some facet of the system, writing to our

representatives, or being involved in direct action.

While all these things do ring a bell, and certainly feel good while we're doing them. How do we continue that feeling

and enthusiasm in our "Muggle" daily lives?

It's great to go to a protest and show your support. Or donate to a cause, or a million other things. But to me there

needs to be something more. Else we risk becoming "Sunday Christians" you know the folks who proclaim values and

beliefs but live totally opposite to those values the rest of the week.

So how do we incorporate "Walking your talk" into your daily life?

While it's true that not everyday can be a solidarity march, or march on washington,etc. We can use our spiritual

beliefs or values to promote our visions. And this need not be screaming anything. You'd be suprised how many actions

people accept without thinking about it, but the minute you name it, it all turns to shit. For instance, have you ever

helped someone get something off the shelf in the store, or helped someone across the street? These seem to be special

things today, but in the past this was common, even expected action. It is human helping human. Compassion. But if

someone gives it a name.. say "social services" it becomes something distrusted, or something that shouldn't be "on the

dole" comes to mind as a phrase some might use for such services.

My point is who cares what we call it or don't call it really? The point is to do it. These actions may not seem like

much, may become second nature if you work at it. And while it seems like a small thing to you, it might be a huge help

to someone else. It will also show others that you live what you say your values are. And that can be a very large

catalyst to start a change.

So to answer the question, I'd have to say that to be excited about the work I do , I need to do the work that is

important to my values. I don't need confirmation of these values, but I do need to feel I am "walking my talk".A smile

or kind word from those I help let me know I'm on the right path.

You must find what works for you and stay true to your values. You can not hope to help someone else until your house

is in order. This is where you will find solace, joy, and wisdom

One Strong Belief

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

Hmm so many things really. I'll say that everything is connected. We do not exist in a universe of our own. The decisions we make and our action/inaction effects the whole, from the microscopic to the cosmic.
If we intend to survive then we need to stop thinking in terms of dollars and start thinking in terms of community, sustainability, healing.

We need to stop thinking in terms of us and them. We need to stop worrying about what others believe and trying to convert them to our way of thinking and just get down to the work that needs to be done.

I could go on...

What inspires these beliefs? I've always had a reverence for nature but never really had a name for it. I thought I was the odd ball. Then I discovered wicca/paganism. I took a science course in environmental science and could see the web of life in everything, and how we were adversely effecting it with our greed. I decided that I didn't feel right about what was happening. That I wanted to do my part to help heal the earth.

We've done organic gardening, as well as some other artisan projects. The idea being that if we can learn these skills, we can cut our reliance on the systems that are exploiting resources.
Perhaps we can make a sustainable amount to continue expanding so we can support a CSA or at least provide for those who are in need.

I've been deeply seclusive for the past decade or so. Trusting very few people and cynically believing that everyone is unconcerned about anything but themselves and money, with a bent toward being crooks.

I am trying to overcome this feeling. I've started to meet other pagans and like minded individuals and see that not everyone is out to get me. Most people are good at heart, doing the best they can with what they've got.

Though a lot of our beliefs may differ, we have the human condition in common and often that is enough.

I also have to thank the people that make up our week long community at Vermont Witch camp. This community was really the first exposure I had to community, and earth based spirituality. It has renewed my hope for humanity and changed my outlook on everything. It is with much excitement that I look forward to reuniting this August!!

Time's up

“We are afraid of truth, afraid of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other. Our age yields no great and perfect persons. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

You just discovered you have fifteen minutes to live. Write the story that has to be written..

Life is too short!!

In our society we worry ourselves about money (or lack there of), what we own, what we wear. We feel we need the latest gadget, the new fad diet, etc. Just to be "in" and thin. Life is to short!!

We fret over black and white, gay or straight, Christian or Pagan. Life is to Short!!

We're concern ourselves with our self-centered desires, to the detriment of our brothers and sisters, our home planet. Never once considering future generations. Life is too short!!

if we have any hope of saving humanity, we've got to get past our fears and prejudice and work together. In the end all that makes a difference is we are all human, we are all in this together, and only together can we get the job done.

Stop listening to the propaganda that big business is disseminating through the media. Get involved in humanitarian work, activism, or whatever you feel most strongly about.

Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like no one is watching. Life is too short!!

Subscribe in a reader

I know I know

Haven't posted in a Looong time. Sorry to disappoint but nothing today. I'll try and get something going in the next few days.

In the mean time Enjoy the Summer Solstice!!

Blessed Be