SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion that the world also has a soul? Can you share a personal experience where you felt the soul of the world, that it was a partner in your life? How do we practice being true to our own necessities?
A few years ago, our church was blessed with a pastor who very much revered the church grounds. Surrounded by nature and all the creatures in it, he was fruitful and multiplied it's goodness. He had the vision to create an outdoor sanctuary of varying sorts. Places/spaces for private and public meeting, reflection, celebration . . . he imagined and made it come to be.
This special Father is no longer physically here . . . BUT, through "Heaven and natures soul", he is very present. Just yesterday, there were 9 deer grazing about one of the sacred spaces he created. There is a "sitting stone" on which I sit if I want to be close to him in prayer. His rock sings (just as he did when he was here). His soul has touched many blades of grass. Yup, even the grass tells his story.
Thankful to walk on it.
Soul for me, is in, as and through All that IS. Often, when I'm outside, there is a presence that is me and everything. At these times, I know without thinking, feel with All there is. It's like poetry, not understanding and experiencing Oneness. It's not something, it's not anything. Just an All encompassing knowing for All Time and Space of an immutable presence. What ever I call it, God, Source, Spirit or Soul, would limit it in another's experience. It's like a cool breeze or the sound of the ocean or the experience of a long hug.
Nature has always shown me the beauty and mystery of the worlds soul. The trees, the water, the animals that live there - their only purpose is to be true to themselves, to share and express all the beauty they contain as a tree, a squirrel or a lake. And I feel that my purpose is to be authentic and true to myself. When i trust who I am as a wild and sacred part of the soul of the earth/universe then I find that the world reaches back to me and says Yes, yes. Fear will always send me into a constrained and small existence, forgetful of my place among all beings.
It's true that there is a sense of vulnerability to this reaching out to the world, a shakiness that calls up to our true warrior nature. I feel held in partnership with the soul of the world if i can remember that i don't just belong to the family of humans but all life. That really we all belong to the universe.
I am a bubble who is part of the Sea. All people, all creatures, the earth itself with all its variable, magnificent expressions, and the great vast sphere of divine presence everywhere washes over and through each experience. I am contained and included in life's infinite love -- circumference nowhere, center everywhere.
The world has Soul. Soul takes on form in every plant, animal, rock, and each of us. My personal experience is my coming to realize that each of us and the world are expressions of the same Soul, realize that we and the world are one, and realize that what we do to the world we do to ourselves. We don't own the world. We and the world are kin. We are to work with the world, not conquer and exploit it. In harming the world we harm ourselves, which is insane. We practice being true to our own necessities by learning what our necessities really are, and letting go of the unnecessities. We try to have so much that we don't need. Someone said we can never have enough of what we don't really need. Ten percent of people hogging ninety percent of resources isn't necessary. We can be compassionate, work together, and share. We can help one another and the world to have its necessities.
When we are in harmony with our gifts & talents and authentic self, the world also becomes in harmony with us; it becomes a two way street by which we can more easily share our gifts because the world provides opportunities for us to do so. As long as our eyes & hearts are open to seeing the possibilities in the world. I hope this makes sense. HUGS from my heart to yours and out into the world!