“Some day after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
How in touch are you with the cosmos? Do you feel it’s important to understand how the Universe works? What, if anything, does this have to do with your life?
Brian Swimme’s documentary Journey of the Universe is a powerful film. I recently watched it with a group of like-minded people who see themselves as part of All that is. What Swimme emphasized was that we need a new story about who we are and how we are part of the Universe. In fact, he pointed out that we are beginning to live in a way that is coherent with our actual knowledge of the Universe when we see ourselves as connected with all life.
The Universe and the Earth Are Aware
The Universe is aware and as we become more in touch with the earth and more concerned about its well-being, we tap into that awareness and connect with it. This is just another way of saying that we are all One.
Through the evolution of the Universe, humans came into being, and we are connected with every living thing through our genetics. When we see ourselves in this way, we understand that our lives depend on maintaining the earth. It is part of us. We also understand that just as the energy of the earth affects us, our energies affect the earth.
Industrial Society Has Ignored Earth’s Needs
To me, nature is a friend and has always seemed alive, something to be respected and taken care of. But our industrial society, for most of its existence, has seen nature only as something to be used to create things outside ourselves. This point of view sees nature’s value only in terms of how parts of it can be used to make money and has ignored the reality that it will all be gone someday unless we replenish what we take away.
In this process, we have overlooked the ways this destruction is harming all mankind. We have forgotten we are all one—you, me, Spirit or God, the Earth. And we have lost touch with the love at the center of all of this.
Love for Earth and Humanity Is the New Story
I am encouraged by the ecological movements that are bringing us back to responsible action toward the earth. Knowing it is a part of us and loving and respecting it also puts us in touch with Spirit. The most spiritual moments of my life are when I listen to the symphony of bird song or watch the squirrels flying from tree to tree. What I feel is love, a love that is greater than I am and that expands me.
What if, as de Chardin suggests, we focus on love, and create a new story where we are in flow with the reality of the Universe? How would our lives be different? Would that not be revolutionary?
Not only would this change the way we treat the earth and live day to day, it could bring peace to all the world. This concept of Oneness goes beyond culture, for our DNA with the earth as well as other humans is connected. Those creatures that live on the earth adapt and evolve as the need arrives, so are we willing to evolve, and let go of those cultural ideas that ignore nature’s needs and keep us each locked in separate worlds?
Love Includes Loving Those We Don’t Like
Of course we all prefer to be around people who think like us. We don’t all have to think alike to live peacefully, but we do have to learn to be respectful toward those who think differently. Even when we really dislike someone’s negative point of view, we need to try to understand why they feel that way or simply accept it.
I often discover that the ideas from others that I don’t like come from their unpleasant childhood experiences or a lack of self-worth. At those moments, I try to experience empathy for what the person is feeling. I don’t have to agree with them, but I do try to understand.
Awakening to the New Story of Love
Developing this empathy for each other allows us to connect on a deeper level than culture or politics. On the human level, we all have our joys and heartbreaks. We all want to be respected. So we must learn to let go of our need to have power over one another and respect that we are all part of the same world.
Love can take us beyond differences and expand our awareness. Let’s make our new story one of putting love at the center of our lives to transform humanity and the planet. If we can learn to do this, we will find the fire that can create a new and better world where we live harmoniously with All that is.
© 2015 Georganne Spruce ZQT4PQ5ZN7F5
Related Articles: Brian Swimme (video) The New Story, The Universe Story (Swimme & Thomas Berry)
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