Creation Spirituality: The Balanced Path
Through all my explorations and investigations in spirituality and world religions, perhaps the "Way" that has most resonated with me is the path of Creation Spirituality.
Why? One word: Balance.
Creation Spirituality, a term coined by priest and theologian Matthew Fox, is really a new way of catagorization of various traditions. It is indeed a Way of balance. The reason that I have struggled with certain "ways" in the past is because they have seemed incomplete and one-sided. (If you want to read a primer on Creation Spirituality... pick up "Original Blessing" by Fox)
Creation Spirituality is a way of looking at and living the spiritual life through FOUR PATHS. They are as follows:
VIA POSITIVA - Celebration, Joy, Wonder, Play, Gratitude, Curiosity, the Human Body, God in Creation, Ecstacy, Love...
VIA NEGATIVA - Meditation, Silence, Mysticsm, Letting Go, Emptying, Living through suffering, Centerdness, Solitude, Grief...
VIA CREATIVA - The Arts, Expression, Creativity, New Life, Beauty, Passion, Talents, being Co-Creators with God...
VIA TRANSFORMATIVA - Compassion, Justice, Healing, Peace, Service, Moral Outrage, Unity in Diversity, Ecology...
Indeed! Why can it ALL not be a part of the spiritual life? Can you not find Spirit in both emptying meditation AND in a playful dance? Is God not in both a beautiful painting and in the Void that is beyond all forms?
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3 comments:
The way (or ways) of Creation Spirituality resonate with me, also. I have a page about Creation Spirituality on my website, at http://wildfaith.homestead.com/creation.html
Thanks for having such a wonderful blog, Trev!
blessings,
Darrell
freelance panentheist
Trev, I would say definitely, one can "find Spirit in both emptying meditation AND in a playful dance." And that "... God (is) in both a beautiful painting and in the Void that is beyond all forms." And as I believe from what I read in this post, Fox maybe saying that God is in living through suffering, grief, and and moral outrage, etc. as well. Maybe the question is: "Is there a place or experience where God is not?"
Peace, my Friend,
M
All that you find agreeable teaches the ‘right way.’ What you find that is disagreeable teaches the ‘right way.’ In both minds, right way- wrong way- there is Truth.
“Somewhere beyond 'all wrong and all right’ there is a field. I’ll meet you there someday.” Rumi
Read all things you may, live by this way or that way, but ultimately one must put aside reading and living and Be.
Be- all ways... at one time by giving up the will to think of being.
I know of no other way but to say.....Namaste.
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