THE POWER OF CONNECTION

     I'm standing in our backyard, bathing in the early morning sunshine, with the sheer beauty of nature blossoming all around, and the grounding energy of Easter/Passover flowing through me. Once again, I'm experiencing the sensation I wrote about in the following poem while hiking through the Ozark Mountains many years ago:

 

The cold clear creek

mumbles an ancient song

as it tumbles headlong through the mountains

 

I try to sing along, but my tiny human voice is swept aside

by the strong breeze stirring through the trees

by the sheer size of this majestic forest, stretching far past the horizon

by the strident cries of a zealous blue jay

guarding his wooded domain

 

There is nothing to do but remain silent

in the face of such a display of royalty

kneel on the spongy, green woodland floor

and swear a personal oath of loyalty, spilling up and out of me:

"I pledge allegiance to Mother Earth

and to all Beings which walk, fly, swim or stand

One Strand, indivisible,

With love and compassion for All"

 

THE POWER OF PLACE

     At the time, the feelings which this creek fostered and the solemn oath which it imprinted on my soul seemed unique to that particular "power spot" and its breathtaking vista. Since then, however, I've had similar experiences in a variety of locations: from the top of the Rockies to the bottom of the Grand Canyon; from the heart of the Yucatan jungle to the edge of the Bavarian Black Forest; floating on the Dead Sea, and wading in the river that flows through our neighborhood -- and right now, just standing in the back yard. Each is a sacred space in its own way, engendering a sense of awe and wonder. Each one forced me to release my tenuous grasp on the top rung of the "food chain" for a while, and remember that every creature is my relative, every spot is Holy Ground, and that our Oneness is not just a good idea, it is the very ground of our being. 

      As the global debate over climate change, like the climate itself, becomes ever more heated, it's vital that we find ways to release our old roles as dominators and manipulators of the Earth, and embrace new roles as her stewards instead. Such a shift in consciousness requires a massive change in orientation and acculturation occurring one person, one day, one decision at a time.

 

THE POWER OF CHOICE

     It is precisely this kind of incremental, individual shift in perspective that we seek to nurture and support in the Celebration Circle. Week after week, we meet to affirm our willingness to learn new ways of being and seeing. To free ourselves from the grip of our fears and become more compassionate with ourselves, each other and the Earth herself.

 THE POWER OF GATHERING

     That's why I'm so excited that the Circle is co-sponsoring the first-ever Cosmic Mass in San Antonio next Sunday night, April 28th! This upbeat, deeply experiential worship process combines elements of ecstatic dance, guided meditation and sacred ritual. Conceived and presented by noted theologian, Matthew Fox, the Cosmic Mass fosters a deeply spiritual encounter with the Four Directions and contains an urgent call for re-examining our personal and communal relationships to the Earth in the face of global climate change. I really hope you can join us for this important event -- as well as our Sunday Morning Circle earlier that day, where Dr. Fox will be our guest speaker, sharing his vision of the "Order of the Sacred Earth."

     In any case, let's keep meeting, meditating, praying, singing and ritualizing together as we share our strengths, heal our weaknesses, and feed our deep awareness of our connection to the "One Strand, indivisible - with love and compassion for all." 

With gratitude and blessings,

     Rudi Harst

THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.