Inspired by Integral messages and Nature's Glory

I'm not sure what it is that draws me so deeply and with conviction to Ken Wilbur's insights on Integral life and ,Thomas Keating's words on contemplative spirituality but these two have my undivided attention, inspiration and enthusiasm. I receive the newsletter Holon-news.com by email weekly (or monthly) and I don't often take time to look at it carefully...just skim the surface now and then. Today, I scrolled through and found two Youtube video's...one on "the third politics" featuring Wilbur and another on why the church and religion are important for today featuring Thomas Keating and David Steindlrast. This latter video had an impact on me. My kids are always asking why church is necessary today. They don't see or understand the value. I know I've experienced the value of being raised with faith through institutional attendance at church, but I haven't been able to express to my kids the depth of why it is important as this video does.

Two things inspired me today...the beauty of nature in full summer colours with its many shades of green as I walked the circuit of bridges here in Saskatoon, and listening to Keating and Steindlrast give a reasonable and fair account of why church continues to be relevant today. I'm compelled to give joyful thanks for such a day.

Landscape of Spirit

Plunge me deep
into the river's flow
then draw me out to see,
clearly,
the space in front of me
where your quiet breath
eases into mine and I'm drawn
to walk lightly,
float gently forward.

Your body vast and pure
is everywhere - before, around above and beneath me -
inside of me.

See my veins,
red water rivers gushing thru valleys
curving round hills, mountains
of my landscape
flooding me with life.

Earth, water, fire and air
I am made of these
and stardust too
embedded in the color of mye eyes,
where light and darkness meet as one.

I know your rhythm
sing harmony to your melody
of life through death
alive for more and more
of your ravishing beauty.
Lead me - I'm yours.

Mid-Winter's Tale

The beginning of February comes in like a lamb. After a week long deep freeze of minus 40-50 degrees celcius, we're back into a decent, balmy kind of winter...more of -20 or so. It feels great to walk outside into air that isn't so tight and thick it might suffocate, or ground and every outdoor thing so rock hard it feels it might simply crack and disintegrate.

Our little world here in Saskatchewan did feel it might 'crack and disintegrate' on hearing the news about two little cherub-faced girls who died in the cold during our deep freeze. Their story broke our hearts and inflamed our indignation...but mostly, it broke our hearts.

Last night though, on CBC news, there was an interview with the grand-mother Pearl from Quill Lake, Sk. After days of hearing from reserve councillors and others who were saying the government needed to do something, and that this was the effects of white man's ways, she said something to the effect that this tragedy "...is our problem and our responsibility". Not a popular stance, and coming from the most unlikely place. This is a courageous grandmother. Her few words spark a new flame of hope and puts a balm on a cold, broken crack in the hearts of Saskatchewan and even Canadian residents. Blessings to her and her family as they recover and heal from the after-effects of this tragedy. With her backbone and clarity of mind, there is plenty of hope for a better future for all.