Contemplify Nonrequired Reading List Email for February 28, 2017
Contemplify Nonrequired Reading List Email for February 28, 2017
The February NonRequired Reading List
Dear Contemplatives/Backporch Philosophers/Late-night Lake Swimmers,
Our lives are a mere nanosecond on the evolutionary clock. And each nanosecond is an opportunity to nudge love forward. I take heart in the image of my life as a nanosecond on this ticking clock. My personal reflections of late have been on the deep time (multibillion year perspective) of this unfolding universe. Rather than avoiding the woes of the planet and all of my fellow nanosecond participants, deep time invites me to participate with a more generous perspective on how this universe unfolds as we enfold into it. It interrupts my knee jerk, jackassy reactions, and releases me from banking on the wish that my efforts will succeed by my ‘right’ results. Deep time is the field where a more honest and humble engagement can take place one nanosecond at a time. I offer a few reading materials that have shaped that sense of deep time.
The Heart of Centering Prayer: Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice by Cynthia Bourgeault (Book)
The reclaiming of the contemplative tradition within the Christian West was quietly set in motion by the popularization of Thomas Merton’s writings in the mid-20th century. Today, Cynthia Bourgeault is one of the wisdom teachers leading this reclamation through a profound grasp on the neuroscience, interspiritual dialogue and a deep mining and interpretation of the Christian contemplative tradition for the 21st Century. This book takes a hallowed place among those reclaiming the contemplative tradition within Christianity. Bourgeault highlights the phenomenology of consciousness that has been hiding in plain sight in classic Christian texts and bolsters the practice of Centering Prayer as a whole different pathway of perception. The implications of these texts are often overlooked through a scholastic bias, and Bourgeault is perfectly suited to bring their deeper flavor to life. The Heart of Centering Prayer will call to those with the skillful means to see the mind-in-heart as the exemplar of a more embodied Christianity.
Trump and a Post-Truth World by Ken Wilber (Essay)
This essay by philosopher Ken Wilber explains and ties up recent U.S. political friction nicely...which is a red flag for me. Yet taking this flag into consideration, I am still warmed by his piece (before jumping in whole hog with this article, it would be wise to read a primer on Wilber’s levels of consciousness). The idea he puts forth is that the leading edge of consciousness has not been up to the task of encouraging others (in Wilber terms - lower levels) on their own growth of consciousness appears extremely relevant. Wilber argues that Trump was able to unify sectors of people in specific ‘lower levels’ of consciousness by taking an anti-stance to ‘higher levels’ of consciousness.
The liberal elite (true and often projected elitism) have continually snubbed the idea of any hierarchy at play, leveled the playing field of victimhood to an extreme level, all while while casting down shadows on those at a perceived 'lower level'. I find the idea of supporting a hierarchy of growth (think wise elders) rather than a dominator hierarchy (think caste system) a hopeful one. I know for me personally, it has taken wisdom elders who are much farther down the path than I to broaden my horizons and drop some knowledge on me.
This essay left me thinking alongside Wilber - How can the leading edge do it's job to steady (or speed up the process) of evolution in consciousness? Or do we need to rely on wisdom elders to show up in higher numbers? How do I become that same sort of person who grows and evolves, not just for my sake, but for the sake of the whole? How does our culture actually help people grow into true adulthood (for more on this check out Contemplify Episode #18 with psychoanalyst James Hollis)? It strikes me that the path ahead will be lead by those wise elders who have done their inner work and embody a humble, compassionate posture. Their fulfillment of holding this post will be more important than ever for the continued evolution of our planet (I also recommend that you check out Cynthia Bourgeault's "cliff notes" and comments to Wilber's essay here).
Seeking Mr. Right in Rural Alaska by Laureli Ivanoff (Alaska Dispatch News)
"You literally live $1,000 away” is my favorite line from this short article. ‘Mr. Right’ in this article is the same man who inspired the voicemail episodes of Contemplify (hear a voicemail example). I won’t spoil the pure delight of this article, but the thrust of it is how two people leading very intentional lives found one another in rural Alaska and forged a bond while slurping moose soup, hunting caribou, camping and eating hand-whipped akutaq. I couldn’t be happier for these two.
Contemplify Update
The two most recent episodes of Contemplify…
Next on Contemplify…
024: The Contemplative Hint: Seeking to Say the Unsayable within Christianity with Rev. Dr. Peter Traben Haas
Rev. Dr. Peter Traben Haas is the author of several books, including Centering Prayers: A One Year Daily Companion for Going Deeper into the Love of God. Peter runs the website contemplativechristians.com and the Facebook group Contemplative Christianity. Peter is steeped in the Christian contemplative tradition, passionate about bringing the contemplative mind into church communities and the sheer number of books mentioned in this episode could chart the course for your next year (or two) of reading.
This is the next episode that will be available from Contemplify through these fine outlets: iTunes, Stitcher, Podbean, Overcast or Google Play
Listen well + read often,
Paul
Contemplify.com
Kindling the Examined Life
P.S. If you are enjoying the podcast, the best way to support it is to rate and review it in iTunes. Thanks to all who have already done so!