Pantheism
An old friend of many years and I recently
started walking on weekends up in the foothills south of our town.
It's a break from our busy schedules, a chance to catch up with each
other and to relax in the natural splendor of northwestern Wyoming's
rugged Rocky Mountains.
In the foothills you can see nearly the whole valley below, from
the gently rounded Big Horn Mountains on the east to the raw rugged
peaks of the Absaroka Mountains on the west. Between the two ranges
is a vast, almost empty expanse, populated mostly by wild creatures
and just a few humans.
The Big Horns are resplendent in their sparkling coat of nearly
year-round snow. The rugged Absarokas radiate that special power and
glory you find only in the high places.
The mountains often glow with a golden-amber light I've rarely
seen in other places. In summer the fragrant silvery sage on the
foothill slopes shares its heady aroma with all creatures great and
small. In winter the valley light at sunset is otherworldly in the
golden glow of the sun's final rays.
The whole place glows with light and life. When I'm here I know
all is well. It's truly a magical place. A place where you feel
close to God, where you feel at one with yourself and all that is. I
can barely remember the last time I was in a church. But I can
remember I never felt close to God in any church. It's not like that
here.
As my friend and I were walking and talking, she turned to me and
asked "What’s pantheism?" It was a term she'd seen in a
book she was reading that week.
I had to think back many years to my Jesuit college philosophy
courses. I didn't have a clear recollection, but I told her I
thought it was the belief God exists in all that is, that God is
all that is.
When I got home I researched pantheism. I found this definition
from Dictionary.com:
". . . any religious belief or philosophical doctrine that
identifies God with the universe."
I also found the website of an organization called The
World Pantheist Movement. I was fascinated by their
philosophy. I didn't agree with all of it. For example, they don't
accept the reality of spirit guides like Chief Joseph. But I loved
their view that all spiritual beliefs, or the lack of them, are
valid. And their belief God, whoever he or she is, exists in nature,
in the power of the universe.
The site quoted two great leaders and teachers whose names are
virtually household words, Mikhail Gorbachev and Henry David
Thoreau.
First, Gorbachev:
"I believe in the cosmos. All of us are linked to the
cosmos. So nature is my god. To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my
temples and forests are my cathedrals."
Second, Thoreau:
"We are enabled to apprehend at all what is sublime and
noble only by the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality
that surrounds us. We can never have enough of nature."
And third, Chief Joseph.
Chief Joseph
We often say God is All That Is. That is literally true --
everything that exists has a divine nature. You humans, other living
beings, the natural world around you -- these are all God.
We realize you as a human race have needed to anthropomorphize
God -- to give him or her a personality, to see God as a separate
entity. Separate from you and all else that exists.
While we understand that perceived need, we also say it has led
to many problems among humans. This narrow view of God has led to
the forming of religions, creeds, cults. Most of it divides you. It
does not unite you as humans and as fellow residents with the
natural world of your planet.
The time has come for you to unite. Much of the global chaos
you're witnessing is rising up and confronting you because you need
to heal. You need to acknowledge this truly is a new age -- a new
age of new energy where the old patterns and paradigms no longer
work.
Many humans are choosing to leave rather than face the
challenges. They're overwhelmed by it all, and feel they can no
longer go on as before.
Despite appearances, this global chaos is a good thing. It's
helping you remember who you are. It's helping you remember you
are God.
Many of you feel alienated from God and from each other, even
from yourselves. Your cities are teeming with unrest, violence,
intense chaotic energy.
You're all aware of everything we've just said. But what can you
do about it?
Friends, one of the most powerfully effective things you can do
is to get out into nature more often. While that may be difficult
for you living in cities, there are always resources available. New
York City, for example, has its beautiful Central Park.
Get out into the natural world as often as you can. Marvel at the
animals, the birds, the insects. All these creatures are totally
aligned with their world, and with God. They know they are God.
Rejoice in the beauty of the trees and plants, the hills and
mountains, the lakes and oceans. They too know they are God.
Being out among the inhabitants of your natural world will bring
you peace and harmony, love and joy, even healing -- for the
feelings of connection you have out there are glimpses of who you
truly are.
The natural world knows it is God. It can help you remember you
are too.
When you immerse yourselves in the joy of simply be-ing,
as the animals do, you will then solve all your personal problems
and all the world's problems.
Nature is a powerful healing force in your lives. Immerse
yourselves in it. Then you will know once again the joy of be-ing
God.
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This
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News Updates
1) Tuning In,
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movie featuring some of today's prominent channels and their spirit
guides, including Chief Joseph and me, has been released.
It's now available to the
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(short video preview) here.
2) We're now doing regular
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