To avoid being cryptic, I am referring to the etiological meaning of hallow as creating a place in fertile ground for a seed to grow safely.
It is used in what we call the Lord’s Prayer to refer to creating a place in the heart for the presence (Name) of God to germinate and grow to cultivation.
Indeed, Wendell and Joanne are among the most conscious people of our time. And I believe we will see more. That is the trajectory of consciousness.
My faith in this is the overall development of consciousness. For billions of years the world, universe, creation was moving toward consciousness. As consciousness has slowly emerged to the point of manifesting in humans (and I believe in other living and inorganic forms as well), it has been moving toward higher and higher forms of consciousness.
The developmentalists who followed Darwin (Piaget, Erickson, Kholberg, etc) included Jean Gebser, who developed a detailed theory on the development of consciousness, and who first mapped out stages of development. In more recent times, this theory has been elaborated by Ken Wilbur.
The observable trajectory (collectively and individually) has been from archaic consciousness (pre-consciousness), to ego-centric consciousness, to tribal consciousness (ethno-centric), to pluralistic consciousness (anthropocentric), to world or eco-centric consciousness. In general the trajectory moves to higher levels of consciousness, each of which transcends but includes the previous stages, integrating them into more complex states and stages, including psychic, cosmic, Christ (Buddha, etc), God. At each stage, we identify with higher levels of consciousness — ourselves, our tribes, our shared humanity, our planet. We recognize our shared life and responsibility for greater and greater realities.
This is not the creation of a hierarchy, but of more and more inclusive, connected, and compassionate consciousness.
We are not in lock-step development, but we are moving forward. Some individuals have spiked ahead of others. (Aristotle said, “I am neither Greek nor Athenian. I am a citizen of the world.” Spiritual teachers teach higher consciousness. Wendell and Joanna are examples who have grown into eco-consciousness. They are leaders. Trump and his followers are examples of the backlash the egoic and tribal levels of consciousness fighting to maintain their status.
Overall, the development and advancing complexity of consciousness continues forward over the centuries and ages. I believe that people like Wendell and Joanna are just leading the way for the rest of us. There are things we can do, like what you are doing, to help us all move forward on the journey, but it also has to happen organically, and maybe through prayer. I am hopeful because the mega trajectory is for all of us to eventually move into eco-consciousness and beyond.
Well, the process of integrating and all things is beyond our time. The worst case scenario is the death of human life, or maybe the death of all organic life. But even in this worst case scenario, the planet will heal. It will recover from our self-destructive decisions.
This has happened to civilizations before. But the cycle is not circular, it is a spiral. We continue along the trajectory. A variation of Martin Luther King is that “the arc of moral history is long, but it bends toward integrated consciousness and oneness with all things.”
The corollary of the trajectory is transformation, because oneness is a transformative journey, collectively and individually. It’s not over until all things are reconciled and integrated, and all things includes all things. Eventually we have to get on board and do this together.
Can I add that this developmental theory of consciousness is very compatible with the core teaching of the Christian religion for about a thousand years. The teaching is that the teleology (destiny) of creation is apokatastis — the universal restoration of all things. And the corollary is that the journey to restoration and oneness is divinization (theosis). The journey to higher consciousness (metanoia) is transformative (metamorphosis).
This might all sound a little new-agey, but it is all part of the history of Christian thought. So what we are suggesting in this conversation has total alignment with early Christianity, which was simply reaching back to the perennial wisdom that emerged in several forms during the Axial Period of history (800 BC— 200 BC), per Karl Jaspers) — in China, India, Persia, and the Levant, shifting humanity from traditional to more reflective thought and spiritual/philosophical traditions.
Bruce this conversation feels like a returning to something primal, not an exit but an uncovering of the root that was always there but forgotten. Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge of Christian history and how it confirms what I sense in my own soul.
Earth, our holy home,
essence beats embedded here.
Heart, our ‘kind-led’ hearth?
...
Hail, hallowed hollows...
forests, oysters, cocoons, caves.
Templum, temenos.
...
In resonance: https://marisolmunozkiehne.substack.com/p/holy-humus-holding-hands
Thank you. I need to sit with that for a while.
You must know the meaning of the word “hallowed.”
Love it.
Hallowed be here, h/Eart/h,
where soul soil spring sprouts spread, grow.
Ready sings prayer bowl.
To avoid being cryptic, I am referring to the etiological meaning of hallow as creating a place in fertile ground for a seed to grow safely.
It is used in what we call the Lord’s Prayer to refer to creating a place in the heart for the presence (Name) of God to germinate and grow to cultivation.
That’s what your poem so meaningful for me.
I in interested in your proposal. I just hope I can commit the time to participate fully.
I will add you to the list.
Indeed, Wendell and Joanne are among the most conscious people of our time. And I believe we will see more. That is the trajectory of consciousness.
My faith in this is the overall development of consciousness. For billions of years the world, universe, creation was moving toward consciousness. As consciousness has slowly emerged to the point of manifesting in humans (and I believe in other living and inorganic forms as well), it has been moving toward higher and higher forms of consciousness.
The developmentalists who followed Darwin (Piaget, Erickson, Kholberg, etc) included Jean Gebser, who developed a detailed theory on the development of consciousness, and who first mapped out stages of development. In more recent times, this theory has been elaborated by Ken Wilbur.
The observable trajectory (collectively and individually) has been from archaic consciousness (pre-consciousness), to ego-centric consciousness, to tribal consciousness (ethno-centric), to pluralistic consciousness (anthropocentric), to world or eco-centric consciousness. In general the trajectory moves to higher levels of consciousness, each of which transcends but includes the previous stages, integrating them into more complex states and stages, including psychic, cosmic, Christ (Buddha, etc), God. At each stage, we identify with higher levels of consciousness — ourselves, our tribes, our shared humanity, our planet. We recognize our shared life and responsibility for greater and greater realities.
This is not the creation of a hierarchy, but of more and more inclusive, connected, and compassionate consciousness.
We are not in lock-step development, but we are moving forward. Some individuals have spiked ahead of others. (Aristotle said, “I am neither Greek nor Athenian. I am a citizen of the world.” Spiritual teachers teach higher consciousness. Wendell and Joanna are examples who have grown into eco-consciousness. They are leaders. Trump and his followers are examples of the backlash the egoic and tribal levels of consciousness fighting to maintain their status.
Overall, the development and advancing complexity of consciousness continues forward over the centuries and ages. I believe that people like Wendell and Joanna are just leading the way for the rest of us. There are things we can do, like what you are doing, to help us all move forward on the journey, but it also has to happen organically, and maybe through prayer. I am hopeful because the mega trajectory is for all of us to eventually move into eco-consciousness and beyond.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I love having you as a conversation partner on this journey.
I just hope we get there before it is too late!
Well, the process of integrating and all things is beyond our time. The worst case scenario is the death of human life, or maybe the death of all organic life. But even in this worst case scenario, the planet will heal. It will recover from our self-destructive decisions.
This has happened to civilizations before. But the cycle is not circular, it is a spiral. We continue along the trajectory. A variation of Martin Luther King is that “the arc of moral history is long, but it bends toward integrated consciousness and oneness with all things.”
The corollary of the trajectory is transformation, because oneness is a transformative journey, collectively and individually. It’s not over until all things are reconciled and integrated, and all things includes all things. Eventually we have to get on board and do this together.
Can I add that this developmental theory of consciousness is very compatible with the core teaching of the Christian religion for about a thousand years. The teaching is that the teleology (destiny) of creation is apokatastis — the universal restoration of all things. And the corollary is that the journey to restoration and oneness is divinization (theosis). The journey to higher consciousness (metanoia) is transformative (metamorphosis).
This might all sound a little new-agey, but it is all part of the history of Christian thought. So what we are suggesting in this conversation has total alignment with early Christianity, which was simply reaching back to the perennial wisdom that emerged in several forms during the Axial Period of history (800 BC— 200 BC), per Karl Jaspers) — in China, India, Persia, and the Levant, shifting humanity from traditional to more reflective thought and spiritual/philosophical traditions.
Spelling correction:
Apokatastisis
or
Apocatastisis
Bruce this conversation feels like a returning to something primal, not an exit but an uncovering of the root that was always there but forgotten. Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge of Christian history and how it confirms what I sense in my own soul.
I'm looking forward to reading Church in the Wild with you! :) Ruth