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As boats made their means alongside the Seine, loaded with athletes from world wide, dance of many variations was celebrated: Odd residents of many generations and ethnicities, younger and outdated, some slim, some very giant, all dancing. {And professional} dancers as nicely.
Musicians singing and taking part in grand pianos within the rain—I’ve by no means seen that earlier than—I hope the pianos survived unhurt. A rendition of “La Marseillaise” sung magnificently by a girl singer within the rain standing alone atop the Grand Palais with rain beating down on her uncovered chest. Gorgeous.
A runway constructed on a bridge with ladies and men strutting down the walkway in costumes of varied colours and tastes. Replicas of well-known work from the Louvre with sculptures rising from the river itself, some remembering well-known French ladies who had by no means been represented in sculpture earlier than. (80% of the statues in Paris being that of well-known males.)
It was an evening to keep in mind that underscored our widespread humanity in addition to our widespread genius as a species. It introduced us collectively—which is in spite of everything—as I perceive it—the aim of the Olympic Video games.
Otto Rank says that solely the unio mystica—which we expertise “in love and artwork” can heal what ails humanity.
bell hooks has declared that “the subsequent revolution” which can join humanity and what she calls the “black underclass” shall be “a revolution in aesthetics.” If she is true—and he or she often is—this breakthrough Olympic Opening Ceremony—is a harbinger of a wanted non-violent revolution.
I thank the French for his or her originality and charm and braveness to undertake a unio mystica in what was, at the least for me, a deeply memorable in-the-rain launch of the Olympic Video games.
Am I proper pondering that solely the French might have pulled this off so efficiently and elegantly? Au chapeau to all concerned!
NOTE: There are those that have taken umbrage in a supposed scene of the Final Supper that included drag queens. Such clutching of pearls by French bishops, the bulk head of congress and others is predicated on ignorance. The scene invoked shouldn’t be in regards to the Final Supper.
The central determine in that scene–which was not even proven on American TV—was an actor in blue physique paint representing Dionysus, the god of wine. The Olympics started in Greece in spite of everything, and that includes a Greek feast is becoming since wine is notably pricey to the French coronary heart (and financial system). The opposite actors weren’t disciples however maenads–contributors in Dionysian rites.
See Matthew Fox, “Psychotherapy and the ‘Unio Mystica’: Meister Eckhart Meets Otto Rank,” in Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Instances, pp. 139-156.
And Fox, Creativity: The place the Divine and the Human Meet.
And Fox, Authentic Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.
And Fox, The A.W.E. Undertaking: Reinventing Training, Reinventing the Human
Banner Picture: A mysterious masked man palms off the Olympic flame to famed French footballer Zinedine Zidane after parkouring by the famed sights of Paris. Photograph by Andy Miah on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Did you’re taking umbrage on the scene of the Greek Dionysian ceremony honoring the god of wine? I hope not—or for those who did, that you just now perceive what it was about–and never about. (One DM subscriber stated she was quitting the DM due to yesterday’s affirmation of the opening ceremony.)
Really useful Studying
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time
Whereas Matthew Fox acknowledges that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers all through historical past, he additionally desires to introduce Eckhart to as we speak’s activists addressing up to date crises. Towards that finish, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Wealthy, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and plenty of others.
“Matthew Fox is probably the best author on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has efficiently bridged a spot between Eckhart as a shamanistic character and Eckhart as a post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith motion, to disclose simply how cosmic Eckhart actually is, and the way remarkably related to as we speak’s non secular disaster! ” — Steven Herrmann, Writer of Religious Democracy: The Knowledge of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Ahead
Creativity: The place the Divine and Human Meet
As a result of creativity is the important thing to each our genius and wonder as a species but additionally to our capability for evil, we have to educate creativity and to show methods of steering this God-like energy in instructions that promote love of life (biophilia) and never love of dying (necrophilia). Pushing nicely past the bounds of typical Christian doctrine, Fox’s deal with creativity makes an attempt nothing lower than to form a brand new ethic.
“Matt Fox is a pilgrim who seeks a path into the church of tomorrow. Numerous numbers shall be completely satisfied to observe his lead.” –Bishop John Shelby Spong, creator, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Residing in Sin
Authentic Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a complete new route for Christianity—a route that’s actually very historical and really grounded in Jewish pondering (the truth that Jesus was a Jew is usually uncared for by Christian theology): the 4 Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an prolonged and deeply developed means.
“Authentic Blessing makes accessible to the Christian world and to the human neighborhood a radical treatment for all darkish and derogatory views of the pure world wherever these could have originated.” –Thomas Berry, creator, The Dream of the Earth; The Nice Work; co-author, The Universe Story
The A.W.E. Undertaking reminds us that awe is the suitable response to the unfathomable surprise that’s creation… A.W.E. can also be the acronym for Fox’s proposed fashion of studying – an strategy to stability the three R’s. This strategy to studying, eldering, and mentoring is clever sufficient to honor the teachings of the Ancestors, to nurture Knowledge in addition to imparting data, and to Educate by Fox’s 10 C’s. The ten C’s are the core of the A.W.E. philosophy and strategy of schooling, and embody: compassion, contemplation, and creativity. The A.W.E. Undertaking does for the huge topic of “studying” what Fox’s Reinvention of Work did for vocation and Authentic Blessing did for theology. Included within the guide is a dvd of the ten C’s put to 10 video raps created and carried out by Professor Pitt.
“An awe-based imaginative and prescient of academic renewal.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Follow.
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