With “Footprints” wrapped up, a few closing reflections.
From a Christian New Church/ Swedenborgian perspective, we as human beings were created as part of creation not apart from creation. At one time we did live as placed creatures within creation. That meant we could see God everywhere in creation – the two being inseparable.
Humanity however chose a different path – to place ourselves outside of creation. So we held God with one hand and creation with the other. With ourselves encamped in the middle so to speak, we now can “dominate” creation and yes even “dominate” God. We can push both to the edges of our lives.
What does it mean to have pushed creation to that edge? What does it mean to have God pushed to that edge? As I understand NewChurch theology, when we become the sole and only reference point, our lives in a sense collapse in on themselves. True happiness is when we bring God and creation back to the center.
Emanuel Swedenborg wrote extensively about that connection. Want to know about the course of our life? Look at a tree. Want to know how heaven is organized? Look at the human body.
When we put ourselves on the circumferance, we can then look with awe, wonder, and curriousity into the center. Ironically, we will then find ourselves not “lessened” but “strengthened” as we act in more integrity with the great notes of the Universe.
So that is where we choose. Shada Sullivan offered moving reflections at the close of Footprints to that effect. Yes, we can avoid leadership. If we are honest with ourselves, as she said, that avoidance often stems from a desire to avoid responsibility. Stepping up is challenging. And we need to step up. We need to really figure out our place in creation. We need to candidly look at areas in our lives which are driven by greed and envy and obey God’s command – “Thou Shalt Not Covet.” We need to take seriously the Sabbath – 1/7 of our lives dedicated to the active rest the Sabbath calls us to. We can do all this with a smile on our face -with grace and elegance – with joy in our heart. Those changes – a part of the Jesus’ 3rd way – in the end may actually be a part of returning home.
Tags: Emanuel Swedenborg, Environment