Seeds of the Spirit

Today in the northern hemisphere is the first day of Fall. This is the wonderful time of year when one can enjoy crisp weather, beautiful fall colours and all the bounty of harvest time. Fruit, nuts, grains and vegetables have all ripened and are ready to release their seeds for the following year. These seeds are spread far and wide by wind, birds and animals. Then they are embraced by mother Earth, to be protected over the dark days of winter from bitter cold and harsh storms. In early spring, the days start to grow longer, and the rays of the sun warm the earth, encouraging the seeds to send out first roots, then tender green shoots. Gentle rains follow, and between the 3 elements of earth, sun and water these shoots slowly grow into plants. The 4th element, also an essential part of the process, is the wind, for without the wind to move the clouds, there would be no rain.
One can also ask the question, where does rain come from? This is the mysterious cycle of evaporation and condensation which again requires the 3 elements of water, sun and earth working in harmony, facilitated by the 4th element, wind. Clouds form over vast expanses of water, then are moved by the wind towards land. As the clouds get closer to land, the water vapour becomes heavier and heavier, until, reaching high ground, the water is released. It then journeys on and through the earth until it reaches a lake or ocean, and the process is repeated. There is a book beautifully written by Dr. Emoto on the journey of water. It's worth looking for and reading if you have the chance.

On atmosphere during the service

This thought has been going through my mind for a few years now but just in the last two days I realized I have thought enough about it to tell or ask other people as well. I would actually love to hear from others how they perceive the so called "intangible" aspects (in terms of the five senses) of our Services whether they are sitting in the Congregation, celebrating the Act of Consecration of Man or serving at the Alter on either side. For myself I do not "see" something other than what is before me every time but sometimes I do very strongly. It could be an elaborative dwelling of thoughts on something mentioned in the Sermon or in the reading of the Gospel or it could be a general perception of a different kind of "light". Before I ever served a few years ago I would sometimes see different forms of "light atmosphere" off and on (no, I am not talking just about how the wisps of smoke from the Censor waft around the Chapel space!) but now while I do try to serve at least once a month I sense this light quite often. It does not even have to be sunny out but if the combination of mood of the day, the floral arrangements and pre-service conversations with other people is good I am often perceptive enough. Then, while serving, the reflections of the candles off of the Chalice and Censor can really heighten the effect. Plus by the time Christmas rolls around and it happens to be one of the late night services, look out, I am prone to get goose bumps! I have heard others talk about how they have sensed a strong Presence, sometimes in connection with a friend or a loved one who has crossed the Threshold. Also, just yesterday, one of my co-workers mentioned how she was sure a certain person I was close to in my family was present during our conversation and even if this person was not strongly connected to our group in Vancouver there was bound to be a higher connection in the current revealing of space and time. She definitely mentioned the feeling of light and mood during the Services in the way it comes to her. So if one of you has more to share on this topic it would be a great way to connect before or after our Celebrations and especially if we happen to have Potluck on that day too!

Movement

The picture above is of a cloud formation called a chinook arch. Note the stunningly beautiful colours, which occur at sunrise and sunset. A chinook is a special wind experienced particularly in southern Alberta, but can be felt as far north as Fort St. John, and as far south as New Mexico. It's warm air coming in from the Pacific Ocean, dumping precipitation on the west side of mountain ranges, and resulting in warm dry air on the east side. A rapid change in temperature results, as much as 100 degrees difference (-50 to +50, recorded in the Black Hills of South Dakota), with winds gusting up to 106 mph. One of the reasons my brother loved Calgary was that they enjoy 30 days of chinook on average over the winter months. They know that unlike the east coast, they do not have to resign themselves to 6 to 8 months of cold weather. Sooner or later, there will be a chinook, melting snow and bringing a feeling of spring if only temporarily. I used to tease him, though, that on the other hand they can also experience a dump of snow pretty much any month of the year, including high summer. In other words, they live in an environment of constant change. In Alberta, the joke goes, if you don't like the weather, just wait a moment.

This is an extreme example of constant movement, involving the 3 elements of wind, earth, water.

Here's a wonderful quotation (from a tango website) I found recently with regard to movement:

Movement is life. Stillness is only a perception. Movement is everything, sound is movement, light is movement, love is movement. To move is leaving a state in order to seek another. It is believing that there is no end, following a path, forever. If we move, our horizon moves, reaching distances we could have never even imagined. In all of us, something always moves. Movement is the essence of being alive, the deep manifestation of living. Where there is movement, there is life.

Through meditation and contemplation, we create stillness, which in turn creates an opportunity for movement.

I am looking forward to Thomas Meyers' lecture tomorrow on meditation and the call of Michael.

Sparky