In the lower worlds, “necessity is the mother of invention”. In the higher worlds, “innovation is the mother of invention.” There was no necessity that inspired the kabbalists of Tzfat to invent the Tu B’Shvat seder. It is cold in Tzfat in the winter. A good time to stay home, sit by the warmth of a fire and meditate. Unlike today, for those 16th century kabbalists, creating a seder required a good deal of persevering to preserve nuts or fruits. The only necessity was to be creative, to find ways to express their ideas through new rituals and intentions.
So we gather tonight to preserve an innovation and do a bit of innovating ourselves. Can you still preserve a spot?—yes and we will fill another table for you with delicious fruits, nuts, wine and hot soup.
In the spirit of innovation, I want to also extend an invitation to a special event, a presentation of music and meditation by Rabbi Andrew Hahn, the Kirtan Rabbi. He will come to our center next Thursday night (January 27th). We are delighted to co-sponsor him with Bnai Chavurah, Kohelet and Judaism Your Way.
Expect innovation. It is our necessity.
Comments 1
New rituals and intentions.
CREATION SPIRITUALITY
MATTHEW FOX
WHAT IS CREATION SPIRITUALITY?
Honoring all of creation as Original Blessing, Creation Spirituality integrates the wisdom of Eastern and Western spirituality and global indigenous cultures, with the emerging scientific understanding of the universe,and the passion of creativity. It is both a tradition and a movement, celebrated by mystics and agents of social change from every age and culture.It is also the tradition of the historical Jesus himself since it is the wisdom tradition of Israel.
–Matthew Fox
PRINCIPLES
1)The universe is fundamentally a blessing.
Our relationship with the Universe fills us with awe.
2) In Creation, God is both immanent and transcendent. This is panentheism which is not theism (God out there) and not atheism (no God anywhere).
We experience that the Divine is in all things & all things are in the Divine.
3) God is as much Mother as Father, as much Child as Parent, as much God in mystery as the God in history, as much beyond all words and images as in all forms and beings.
We are liberated from the need to cling to God in one form or one literal name.
4) In our lives, it is through the work of spiritual practice that we find our deep and true selves.
Through the arts of meditation and silence we cultivate a clarity of mind and move beyond fear into compassion and community.
5) Our inner work can be understood as a four-fold journey involving:
– awe, delight, amazement (known as the Via Positiva)
– uncertainty, darkness, suffering, letting go (Via Negativa)
– birthing, creativity, passion (Via Creativa)
– justice, healing, celebration (Via Transformativa)
We weave through these paths like a spiral danced, not a ladder climbed.
6) Every one of us is a mystic.
We can enter the mystical as much through beauty (Via Positiva) as through contemplation and suffering (Via Negativa). We are born full of wonder and can recover it at any age.
7) Every one of us is an artist.
Whatever the expression of our creativity, it is our prayer and praise (Via Creativa).
8) Every one of us is a prophet.
Our prophetic work is to interfere with all forms of injustice and that which interrupts authentic life (Via Transformativa).
9) Diversity is the nature of the Universe.
We rejoice in and courageously honor the rich diversity within the Cosmos and expressed among individuals and across multiple cultures, religions and ancestral traditions.
10) The basic work of God is compassion and we, who are all original blessings and sons and daughters of the Divine, are called to compassion.
We acknowledge our shared interdependence; we rejoice at one another’s joys and grieve at one another’s sorrows and labor to heal the causes of those sorrows.
11) There are many wells of faith and knowledge drawing from one underground river of Divine wisdom. The practice of honoring, learning and celebrating the wisdom collected from these wells is Deep Ecumenism.
We respect and embrace the wisdom and oneness that arises from the diverse wells of all the sacred traditions of the world.
12) Ecological justice is essential for the sustainability of life on Earth.
Ecology is the local expression of cosmology and so we commit to live in light of this value: to pass on the beauty and health of Creation to future generations.