Inspiration

UU thoughts, sermons, music

A Meditation on the Ecological Catastrophe & What to Do About It, Even if it is Too Late

LdeG

In my view the critical work of religion is fostering the quest for meaning in the face of our fragile lives caught up in forces greater than any of us. This world we live in is filled with hurt and violence and every imaginable cruelty. It breaks the heart. And. This world is also so astonishingly beautiful and precious and run through with the mysteries of love and compassion, that it can take our breath away. This strange mix is what we actually encounter in the world. The work of religion is squaring that circle, finding our place in the great mess. And it is unspeakably important.

Another fine sermon from James Ishmael Ford

MISTAKES WERE MADE A Meditation on the Ecological Catastrophe & What to Do About It, Even if it is Too Late

The “Trinsics”: Where are You Coming From?

LdeG

Arriving at “truth” merely means you’ve given up the search. Science is open-ended; philosophy is open-ended; all the fine arts are open-ended—this is what creativity is, when every new thing is new. As in art and science and philosophy, stopping the search in religious thinking means you’ve given up any hope of renewal, or creativity.

Religious thinking—thinking about the ultimate meaning and purpose of human life on this planet—must involve both the chance to continuously evolve with time and must offer some hope for the human condition—our condition—itself.

The “Trinsics”: Where are You Coming From? http://www.patheos.com/blogs/uucollective/2015/11/the-trinsics-where-are-you-coming-from/

Butterflies and Spring

CZ

Today is Good Friday. For our Christian friends this is a day of remembrance, meditation, and focusing on the dark times. Holy Week is in many ways the spiritual embodiment of the turn from Winter into Spring.  It is about how the darkness is necessary to bring the light.

This theme of coming through the darkness and into the light as a better version of one’s self is a theme through many religions. The winter is often dark and brooding. We suffer through the cold and dark, not realizing what it does to us. We don’t always see the work that we do within our spirit during that time, whether it is the actual season or a dark time in our lives. When Spring returns we rejoice and dance. We often do not see the transformation in ourselves. For those who are in a dark time, the picture below helped me a lot and I hope it helps you as well. Spring is just around the corner.

butterfly

 

Spring and Easter are often billed as for the children. I think it is because they get a lot of joy out of the season. I found a page that has 25 butterfly crafts and one that has 15 indoor/outdoor activities for spring. Yes, they are designed for children, but they are also designed for parents or grandparents to do with the children. Sometimes doing crafts can be a very meditative process. For those that prefer coloring here is a butterfly mandala to color. I hope that these simple things will bring you joy. Perhaps they can help you find the light in your dark time. Perhaps they can help you realize the growth you have made. Perhaps they will just bring you joy and that is all I wish for anyone.

Namaste,
Cricket