***BEAUTIFUL WORLDVIEWS***
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Anomalia Latin = Anomaly
Anomaly can in science theory is seen as a fact contrary to the paradigm, that is, contrary to a widely accepted theory or worldview. To modify the theory to remove an anomaly that does not fit is not always possible without leading to new anomalies occur.
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*LODE* Head Accessory - Spiderwort Flower [white_silver moon]
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The Chapter Four
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sakupose::yearn for women
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Desde el pueblo de Ceguera observamos la cara del indio acostado o Wichuj en Piaroa. Relacionado con la espiritualidad y con su cosmovisión ( Huottüja) gente de conocimiento. Sobre el rio Autana decidí conectarme con esta imagen petrea...F.O.G.
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From the village of Ceguera, we observed the face of the reclining Indian, or Wichuj in Piaroa. Associated with spirituality and their worldview (Huottüja), a people of knowledge. On the Autana River, I decided to connect with this stone image... F.O.G.
Colaboración de la compañera Yasmin.
Es ist eine Frage der Perspektive, ob uns großes klein erscheint, oder kleines groß.
An ant's worldview is not like ours. The way she sees it is right for her. It doesn't need more.
photo rights reserved by B℮n
The Sanctuary of Truth is a magnificent temple in Pattaya, Thailand, that stands as a tribute to traditional Thai architecture and craftsmanship. The temple is entirely made of wood, with intricate carvings depicting various Hindu and Buddhist deities, as well as ancient Thai mythological figures. The construction of the Sanctuary of Truth began in 1981 and is still ongoing. The temple covers an area of over two hectares and is over 100 meters tall. It was designed by a local businessman named Lek Viriyaphant. The Sanctuary of Truth is not affiliated with any specific religion, but rather serves as a symbol of the unity of all religions and beliefs. It is a peaceful and tranquil place where visitors can reflect and appreciate the beauty of Thai culture and tradition. The Sanctuary of Truth also serves as a cultural and educational center. It hosts various workshops and events throughout the year, aimed at promoting traditional Thai arts and crafts. The left hall in the Sanctuary of Truth is an impressive wooden structure that resembles a cathedral. While the temple was not specifically designed to honor the sun, the sun does play an important role in the building's symbolism. The wooden sculptures contain many images of the sun, as well as other celestial bodies and astrological symbols. These images are used to symbolize the role of the cosmos and nature in the Thai worldview.
The left hall in the Sanctuary of Truth has an imposing height of about 30 meters and is decorated with numerous statues and sculptures depicting Thai mythology and history. With high arches, vaults and elaborate carvings, it is reminiscent of Gothic architecture. Built using traditional woodworking techniques, the hall has over 100 beautiful carvings and sculptures depicting various aspects of Buddhism, Hindu mythology, and Thai culture. It represents the birth of life and humanity. It contains statues and sculptures depicting the creation of humanity, the earth and the cosmos. It is a fascinating place to visit for anyone interested in Thai culture and history, and who appreciate the beauty of traditional woodworking and architecture. There are images of gods and goddesses, Buddhist teachings and symbols of life and nature.
The Sanctuary of Truth is een prachtige tempel in Pattaya, Thailand, die een eerbetoon is aan de traditionele Thaise architectuur en vakmanschap. De tempel is volledig gemaakt van hout, met ingewikkeld houtsnijwerk dat verschillende hindoeïstische en boeddhistische godheden uitbeeldt, evenals oude Thaise mythologische figuren. De bouw van het Sanctuary of Truth begon in 1981 en is nog steeds aan de gang. De tempel heeft een oppervlakte van ruim twee hectare en is meer dan 100 meter hoog. Het is ontworpen door een lokale zakenman genaamd Lek Viriyaphant. The Sanctuary of Truth is niet gelieerd aan een specifieke religie, maar dient eerder als een symbool van de eenheid van alle religies en overtuigingen. Het is een vredige en rustige plek waar bezoekers de schoonheid van de Thaise cultuur en traditie kunnen overdenken en waarderen. De linker hal in de Sanctuary of Truth is een indrukwekkende houten structuur die lijkt op een kathedraal. De hal heeft een imposante hoogte van ongeveer 30 meter en is versierd met talrijke beelden en sculpturen die de Thaise mythologie en geschiedenis weergeven. Met hoge bogen, gewelven en uitgebreide houtsnijwerk versieringen doet dit denken aan gotische architectuur. De hal is gebouwd met behulp van traditionele houtbewerkingstechnieken en het heeft meer dan 100 prachtige houtsnijwerken en sculpturen die verschillende aspecten van het boeddhisme, de hindoeïstische mythologie en de Thaise cultuur weergeven. Het vertegenwoordigt de geboorte van het leven en de mensheid. Het bevat beelden en sculpturen die de schepping van de mensheid, de aarde en de kosmos weergeven. Het is een fascinerende plek om te bezoeken voor iedereen die geïnteresseerd is in de Thaise cultuur en geschiedenis, en die de schoonheid van traditionele houtbewerking en architectuur waarderen. Er zijn afbeeldingen van goden en godinnen, boeddhistische leerstellingen en symbolen van het leven en de natuur. Hoewel de tempel niet specifiek is ontworpen om de zon te eren, speelt de zon wel een belangrijke rol in de symboliek van het gebouw. De houten sculpturen bevatten veel afbeeldingen van de zon, evenals andere hemellichamen en astrologische symbolen. Deze afbeeldingen worden gebruikt om de rol van de kosmos en de natuur in het Thaise wereldbeeld te symboliseren.
Drune Whitechapel
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Wikipedia:
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a philosophical novel by Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. Wilde then expanded that text into a novel published as a book in April 1891.
The story revolves around a portrait of Dorian Gray by Basil Hallward, an artist impressed and infatuated by Dorian's beauty. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, and he soon is enthralled by the aristocrat's hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfilment are the only things worth pursuing in life. Newly understanding that his beauty will fade, Dorian expresses the desire to sell his soul, to ensure that the picture, rather than he, will age and fade. The wish is granted, and Dorian pursues a libertine life of varied amoral experiences while staying young and beautiful; all the while, his portrait ages and records every one of Dorian's sins.
This is a candid unposed shot caught at just the right time. Boy standing by patriotic mural
new edit as at July 2021
Sometimes I am protective of him. You see, he has not grown up. He is still a captive to the religious worldview of 2000 years ago. And even then, he ignored the progress made by the ancient scholars and philosophers. In many ways, he remained a child. He can't take care of me. But it is my job of caring for him. He needs me. And I like the conversations we are having. Leica M8, Elmar 50/2.8.
It might just be that the twisted, most unusual, aspects of created life are sometimes our best viewfinders for discovering spiritual things.
-BEAUTY AWAKENING BELIEF How the medieval worldview inspires faith today, Jon M. Sweeney
It is indeed more than a quarter of a century ago that I had contacted a shaman in Seoul/Korea. Shamanism is a potent religious layer you would find here underneath of Buddhism and Christianity. The shaman, a blind lady living in an expensive villa, had no problems in finding out what my deepest desires were: a woman to love and a bit more financial prowess. We then got into an honest discussion because these "desires" were quite obviously a bit less than specific. It turned out that the shaman made a guess about what the client wanted to hear. Then I asked what she wanted to hear from me (she knew that I was a professor of theology). Her two daughters would study in the UK and she wanted to know whether their virginity was "safe" in the British academic and social context. Well, that is something no western shaman can be sure about and I told her that. Whether her daughters in the end went to Britain or not, I do not know. I am still thinking about her advice relating to my desires. I found that woman to love and, financially, we can manage. The issues now are different, however. Life brings a lot of changes, illness, mortality and oblivion are among those. We need no shaman to tell us that. A good shaman would probably tell us something else. What would it be?
Fuji X-Pro1 plus Helios 44M-7 wide-open.
Bolts were hitting on both sides of the road!
When I first scouted for my new spot to shoot from I thought I'd try the parking lot of Worldview Enterprises/ since it was fairly big and if it did start to downpour I'd be on asphalt instead of a muddy field. If you look on the map you'll see that Worldview is right off a road called Aerospace Parkway which is definitely not a main road so I figured it would be quiet, especially on a Tuesday night at 9:30 in the evening. Boy was I wrong!
Evidently this road is used a lot by Boy Racers to do their thing on. especially since it isn't a main road. There was plenty of traffic going by so I decided to find another spot where I'd be a bit more hidden from the road and wouldn't have to worry about any security folks coming by and asking questions.
Cerro Tomolasta (2,018–2,120 m) and Cerro Sololosta (1,795 m) are prominent peaks associated with the Michilingüe people. Their names, likely of Michilingüe or Comechingón origin, are interpreted as "high and sacred hill" and "sacred summit," respectively, reflecting the spiritual and ceremonial function of these peaks in the worldview of the indigenous peoples.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Carolina_(San_Luis)
Behind this worldview one can sense a slight glimmer of the Renaissance, which was arising in the West at that time. While medieval thought was defined by a dualism of above and below, by a vertical hierarchy in which there was only a descent—from God to the lowest level of matter—now, coming out of classical traditions, there arose the awareness of the raising up of that which was below: the individual. Being is no longer felt as vertical, like a process in which the infinite flows into the finite, but rather like a cycle: the infinite, the spirit that flows from above to below into matter, flows upward again. The ascent follows upon the descent. That humans are “the end and the pinnacle of all sensate creatures, through whom the remanation of things into God takes place” is something that Nicholas of Cusa53 (1401–64), whose writing Abravanel can hardly have known, also teaches.
-In This Hour Heschel’s Writings in Nazi Germany and London Exile Abraham Joshua Heschel Foreword by Susannah Heschel (Essay On Don Yitzhak Abravanel)
We live in a new day; we have electric light and modern medicine; we are post-Copernicus, post-Darwin, the poster children of the postmodern world. To this we must reply: No; we live within a revived (and no doubt modified) form of ancient Epicureanism, conditioning us to think in terms of a split world in which the gods have nothing to do with us, nor we with them. The only ‘modern’ thing about this is that it is so widespread; the worldview itself is no more ‘modern’ than that of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
-History and Eschatology Jesus and the Promise of Natural Theology, N. T. Wright
The next time you stand inside a cathedral, look around at the walls and ceiling and imagine, as they once did, that you are glimpsing the entire created universe with Christ’s altar at the centre. In the sanctuary, a word that literally means ‘holy place’, they created a place of safety and asylum for all who enter. This has been true of churches since the end of the Roman Empire, and it is essential to the spirit of a cathedral: it is for the people. The living stones (lapides vivi) of the verse from 1 Peter that heads this chapter were understood to be a holy house, or sanctuary, where the Church universal is undivided. In fact, the earliest understanding of the meaning of Church is that it is all people, whether they know it or not. All human beings are one organism striving for a way to find their way home.
-BEAUTY AWAKENING BELIEF How the medieval worldview inspires faith today, Jon M. Sweeney
Teilhard adds to the classical transcendentals (being, unity, goodness, truth, and beauty) the additional mark of futurity. In his worldview the universe has always been greeted silently by the coming of the future. That is why it has evolved. In response to the invisible dawning of the Absolute Future—as theologian Karl Rahner names the God of Abraham—the universe has taken on the posture of anticipation. When mind arrived full-blown in terrestrial and human evolution, a strain of anticipation had already graced the cosmos, bestowing on it the quality of being a drama of awakening. The world has always been leaning on the future as the ultimate source of its being and becoming. Each human mind, therefore, instantiates in a concentrated form the entire universe’s unrelenting anticipation of an indestructible future that empowers our capacity to raise questions.
--THE COSMIC VISION OF
TEILHARD DE CHARDIN John F. Haught
He who experiences the unity of life sees his own self in all beings, and all beings in his own self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.
--Buddha
(Our politicians, on both sides of the wall, ought to read that quote and apply it to their jobs . . .)
Something a little different, reflecting my mindset/worldview as of late. Thanks for Viewing.
River Monnow, Monmouth ▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️"Mae'r ffordd y bu'r wasg yn adrodd ar y cysylltiadau rhwng Jeffrey Epstein a Trump tra bôn nhw'n anwybyddu'r hyn sy'n fwy arwyddocaol, sef y cysylltiadau rhwng Epstein a chuddwybodaeth Israel, yn enghraifft gwbl berffaith o'r modd y bydd cyfryngau'r Gorllewin yn anwybyddu unhyw beth nad yw'n cyd-fynd ag edrych ar y byd o safbwynt y ddwy blaid. Os nad oes rhyw agwedd bleidiol y gall y Democratiaid ei defnyddio i ymosod ar y Gweriniaethwyr, neu y gall y Gweriniaethwyr ei defnyddio i ymosod ar y Democratiaid, mae'r hanes yn tueddu i gael ei anwybyddu, mewn ffordd amlwg iawn." - Caitlin Johnstone▪️"The way the press have been covering Jeffrey Epstein's ties to Trump while completely ignoring far more significant revelations of Epstein’s ties to Israeli intelligence is such a perfect example of how western media ignore anything that doesn’t fit neatly into the two-party worldview. If there’s not some kind of partisan angle to it that Democrats can use to attack Republicans or Republicans can use to attack Democrats, it tends to get conspicuously overlooked." - Caitlin Johnstone
Julian of Norwich once said that the soul is at all times experiencing itself intimately wrapped up in God, whether we are conscious of it or not. Our souls, as the centre of where we communicate with God, may be clouded and not actually see the light most of the time; but imagine what is possible when we are conscious and the senses of the body meet the reality of the soul!
-BEAUTY AWAKENING BELIEF How the medieval worldview inspires faith today, Jon M. Sweeney
The 60-ton construction shows a house of cards made of nine concrete play cards and has a scale of thirty five feet high and nineteen and a half feet wide. The construction is literally as big as a house.
The traditional images on the cards are replaced by a selection of historical figures, world leaders and dictators. The selected images and the shape of the cards are being presented as a metaphor for the fragile construction of different political, philosophical and religious views on mankind and worldviews. The used materials and the “concrete walls” then refer to the historical and current political use of walls to ‘shield the indigenous population’ and to protect them for ‘foreign influences’. With these forms, the selected images and the material used, the artwork remind us of the great human suffering that arises from dogma and dictatorship and highlights the need for global cooperation and reconciliation.
During one quiet moment in Chartres Cathedral, I slipped off my shoes to feel the stones underfoot. Medieval people used their senses to taste, see, listen, smell and touch the Divine. They expected to experience God in some small measures, directly. I don’t mean that they experienced God sensually in credulous ways; there have always been methods for testing truth (there were friars who doubted St Francis of Assisi’s stigmata wounds during his own lifetime). The point is: the medieval imagination never doubted an experience of God simply on the grounds that it was sensual. And that morning, I used my toes to trace the outline of the stones under my chair and imagined who might have stood or walked or knelt in that place centuries ago. Just as I was beginning to feel sheepish about doing something so foolish, I looked across the aisle at a woman doing just the same thing who had at that moment looked up and taken solace that she was not alone, either.
-BEAUTY AWAKENING BELIEF How the medieval worldview inspires faith today, Jon M. Sweeney
It’s difficult to put oneself in the mindset of a previous imagination, but those were the days before human hands had built anything taller than the Gothic cathedral, and it was no accident that the tallest buildings were the religious ones. I wouldn’t have asked my companions, ‘Why is it so tall?’ Instead, I probably would have fallen on my knees, recognizing that I was in a place made holy by God’s presence. That’s what human hands created – a place with the power to instil those sorts of feelings in human beings.
-BEAUTY AWAKENING BELIEF How the medieval worldview inspires faith today, Jon M. Sweeney
Gothic is less a method of construction, than it is a mental attitude, the visualizing of a spiritual impulse. (Ralph Adams Cram)
Another shot from the storm that blew through on July 11th.
When I first scouted for my new spot to shoot from I thought I'd try the parking lot of Worldview Enterprises since it was fairly big and if it did start to downpour I'd be on asphalt instead of a muddy field. If you look on the map you'll see that Worldview is right off a road called Aerospace Parkway which is definitely not a main road so I figured it would be quiet, especially on a Tuesday night at 9:30 in the evening. Boy was I wrong!
Evidently this road is used a lot by Boy Racers to do their thing on. especially since it isn't a main road. There was plenty of traffic going by so I decided to find another spot where I'd be a bit more hidden from the road and wouldn't have to worry about any security folks coming by and asking questions.
This was 35 seconds in BULB mode. Not sure why but it seems that I was catching 3 bolts with each shot, maybe it was my timing?
[W]hat we have said of the cathedral church of Paris has to be said of all the churches of medieval Christendom. Everything is of a piece in this logical, well-proportioned art, which originated in itself. To measure the toe is to measure the giant.
-Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame of Paris
We may fault our medieval forebears for believing that the church building should be the centre of their universe. It’s scarcely imaginable today. There was little beauty apart from order, and that order began inside the building. What happened inside was central to the meaning of life, more than what happened on the outside. Imagine this for a moment. Our medieval fathers and mothers believed that the literal centre of the universe was the altar on which the body of Christ is broken for us. Beyond the altar is the chancel, or sanctuary, and beyond the sanctuary is the nave where the people witness this miraculous act.
.. But why make these sanctuaries so beautiful, sometimes, extravagantly so? The beauty seems to contradict their usefulness..
-BEAUTY AWAKENING BELIEF How the medieval worldview inspires faith today, Jon M. Sweeney
When I look at this scene, with that glorious cross of golden light projected by the rising sun, I cannot avoid a sense of awe, and the adventure of post-processing could only confirm and deepen that feeling. One could think that I could express some pride for such a work, but it would be inappropriate. Nature is the author of this wonder, and I am only an humble means to tidy it up a bit and offer its beauty to everyone would take the time to have a look. And it makes me wonder about how God sometimes reveals Himself in special moments - and we are sometimes lucky enough to be able to capture them with a camera.
At last I realized that I had this lesson by a great mentor, and I decided to tell it to those who, intrigued by the Latin title of the photo, will decide to continue reading.
"Soli Deo Gloria" is a Lutheran Latin motto meaning "Glory to God alone". Johann Sebastian Bach was a very proud man when dealing with wordly powers, but he used to put this motto at the end of his works, humbing himself in front of God. One day someone asked him how could he produce such an awful lot of great music - a provocative question, since Bach's work was on the old-fashioned side of the music of the time, to which Bach provocatively answered: "By working a lot". So he was stubborn and proud, but he was also aware that all his genius and hard work was not for his own glorification, but rather a way to induce people to perceive God, to sincerely glorifying Him. Bach made it all crystal clear in the Musical Offering BWV 1079 (1747), one of his last works and one of his very few published ones. The Musical Offering is definitely not a sacred music work, nonetheless it is a treatise about the real status of the supposed worldly glory of Man. It is formally dedicated to Frederick II the Great and is, basically, the devastating response to a humiliation that Bach had suffered at the hands of Frederick some months before. It was not simply a challenge between two quite different musical worlds, but a clash of two mutually incompatible worldviews. The Musical Offering is full of provocations and ironic remarks to the king - who, at our knowledge, was fully unresponsive to the challenge. The typical procedure is as this: while apparently celebrating the glory and greatness of the king through Latin mottoes like "Ascendenteque Modulatione ascendat Gloria Regis" (as the modulation rises, so may the King's glory), the actual music tells a vastly different story (the rising modulation, through subtle artifices, is actually perceived as descending). So, even if Frederick did not care a bit of Bach's powerful response (maybe he did not even open the luxury dedicatory copy Bach sent to him), we are left with a deep reflection about the glory and power of this world. A lesson still to be learned by the posterity.
I have obtained this picture by blending an exposure bracketing [-1.3/0/+1.3 EV] by luminosity masks in the Gimp (EXIF data, as usual, refer to the "normal" exposure shot), then I added some final touches with Nik Color Efex Pro 4. RAW files processed with Darktable 3
In the Norse worldview, humans were thought to possess several aspects of the soul. One of the most intriguing was the hamr – an outer form or shape that could leave the body. Through hamr-travel (hamreise), seers, völvas, or specially trained men and women could send their inner self outside the body, often taking on the form of an animal such as a bear, wolf, or bird.
This journey was not considered a mere dream or vision but a real experience: the soul traveled into other realms, spying on enemies, seeking knowledge, or fighting spiritual battles. Sometimes the hamr could even attack others, leaving wounds or marks that appeared on the victim’s body.
Hamr-travel was closely connected to seiðr and other spiritual practices, reflecting how Vikings perceived the boundaries between body, soul, and world as far more fluid than we do today.
Photo from 2007 worked on in PS and finished in ChatGPT
Thor is usually associated with strength, thunder, and protection, but seen in the light of shamanism he can also be understood as a spiritual mediator between humans and the forces of nature. In Norse mythology, Odin is more directly linked to shamanic practices—such as seiðr, trance, and communication with the spirit world—yet Thor represents the more earthly and collective dimension of the same worldview. His thunder and lightning can be seen as expressions of ecstatic natural forces, a kind of “cosmic drumbeat” reminiscent of the drumming in shamanic rituals. Thor also travels in his sky chariot drawn by the goats Tanngnjóstr and Tanngrisnir, a motif that recalls the shaman’s journey between worlds with the aid of a totem animal. In addition, his hammer, Mjölnir, functions as a ritual tool: it consecrated, protected, and sanctified, much like the shaman’s drum or staff. Thor can therefore be viewed as a link between the practical, down-to-earth cult—where people sacrificed to him for protection and fertility—and the more spiritual ideas of power and communication with the spirits of nature. In this way, he stands at the meeting point between the shaman’s world and the farmer’s reality.
Yashka: - Dad and I have the same worldview!
Thank you all for visits, favs and comments, it's greatly appreciated!
Hi there, this is another photo unearthed from the Rosolina archive (see the album Rosolina sunrise), dating from June 2016. It was one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen - a couple of hours after a long, raging thunderstorm had ended; you can see the remains of the turmoil in the sky, and distant flocks of clouds wandering just over the horizon. The photos in the album cited above tell many detail about the place and the situation.
I picked this photo up because the earth and the heavens looked so deeply intertwined. I am thoroughly sensitive to this fascinating concept. In the past, before the Scientific revolution, people believed that the Earth and the heavens were utterly distinct - even made of fundamentally different substances. The Earth was fraught with imperfection, decay, death. Sin. The heavens, on the other distant side, were eternal and perfect - actually, made of a fundamentally different substance, the quintessence. This worldview derived from the cosmological system of Ptolemy, which derived from Aristotle’s physics, which derived from… Well, what really matters here is that in the Medieval period this cosmological system was further developed by many theologicians and the Ptolemaic system became the official worldview of the Catholic church. The parable starting with Kepler, Copernicus and Galileo up to Newton turned everything around. The crowning achievement was Newton’s universal gravitation law, which demonstrably applied in heaven and on earth. Our world were no more a place of penitence, set apart from God’s perfection: we were an integral part of the universe - although, sadly, we were not in a better condition than before but, rather, the rest of the universe was “downgraded” to our own status. I often think about how deeply shocking this breakthrough would have been: one of the most incredible revolutionary concepts, maybe the single most important one: realising that we are in a fundamental way part of the texture of the whole universe. After all, the cells of our body are made of the remains of ancient dead stars...
Well, as I was saying, this picture conveyed to me the feeling of a deep unity of the whole universe - from the most fleeting subatomic particle which just now is passing (unnoticed) through my body up to galaxies and galaxy clusters and... So I thought that this bracketing, although being sadly flawed in its exposure (some highlights were blown up even in the underexposed shot), might be worthy a try. Luckily the magic of Darktable and the blending of luminosity masks allowed me to get a decent result.
I have obtained this picture by blending an exposure bracketing [-1.7/0/+1.7 EV] by luminosity masks in the Gimp (EXIF data, as usual, refer to the "normal exposure" shot), then I added some final touches with Nik Color Efex Pro 4. RAW files processed with Darktable.
No Orton or similar effects; just the inverted RGB blue channel technique described by Boris Hajdukovic as a final contribution to the processing of some parts of the photo. While this technique (which, its imposing name notwithstanding, is pretty simple to implement) often holds interesting results in full daylight landscapes, its effects on a low-light capture (e.g. a sunrise) are utterly unpredictable, so at the end of my workflow I often give it a try to ascertain its possibilities.
Among these intellectual themes, Merton’s conceptual dialogue with Buddhism was deeply embedded in his spiritual theology. He was “one of the great theologians of the twentieth century, partly for his gift [of communicating] the Christian faith so vividly to others.” 111 As a theologian for the people, his primary concern was not “seeking after doctrinal precision so much as exploring the terrain of deep religious experience,” looking deeply into the mysteries of God and seeking ways of expressing Christian contemplative experience to his contemporaries. 112 Regarding theological dialogue, he was one of the first contemplative monks to be able to speak of the self and God in terms recognizable to Buddhists. In the mid-1950s, his emerging theological interests in contemplation needed different words, and Zen began to influence his new vision of contemplation. The more he delved into the contemplative life to attain union with God, the more he became interested in Buddhist concepts of religious experience and the Eastern worldview. Indeed, the language of Zen provided him with a way to express his own religious experience beyond the concepts of Greek philosophy and Western thought.
--Thomas Merton’s encounter with Buddhism and beyond: his interreligious dialogue, inter-monastic exchanges, and their legacy / Jaechan Anselmo Park, OSB.
The paintings you see here are the same as in the previous photograph, so no need to reproduce them in colour again. The black and white is designed to throw the art show viewers into relief. Andy Warhol once said that everyone has their 15 minutes of fame. In the social media world that might now be reduced to 15 seconds. But everyone has a face and is therefore a potential portrait. So I couldn’t resist adding the face of that young lady in the lower right. Every viewer seems to be in a world of their own, except the two young women engaged in conversation.
This is one of the powers of art: The ability to make people who open themselves up to these things more sensitive of a new and different way to see the world. The meaning of a work of art (and as I’ve said before this most definitely includes photography) is in taking the viewer below the surface of the paint, canvas and image and into the life-world of ideas that shaped the work itself. A modern work of art is not what it often purports to represent. There can be a whole constellation of ideas that the artist brings to their work. And then of course this is met by the worldview of the viewers themselves. If there is to be anything resembling a definitive meaning for a work of art it lies in the synthesis of these two (sometimes radically diverging) points of view. Once an artist completes a work, it gains a life of its own.
It is the noble task of a maturing mind to actively reflect on our experiences and worldview, to intentionally seek out new relationships in unfamiliar contexts, and to commit ourselves to the exciting and sometimes exhausting work of unlearning.
-Unlearning Is the New Learning: A Neuroscientific and Theological Case for How and Why to See the World Differently
by Nancy Michael and Ben Wilson
churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/unlearning-is-the-new-l...
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The Sanctuary of Truth is a magnificent temple in Pattaya, Thailand, that stands as a tribute to traditional Thai architecture and craftsmanship. The temple is entirely made of wood, with intricate carvings depicting various Hindu and Buddhist deities, as well as ancient Thai mythological figures. The construction of the Sanctuary of Truth began in 1981 and is still ongoing. The temple covers an area of over two hectares and is over 100 meters tall. It was designed by a local businessman named Lek Viriyaphant. The Sanctuary of Truth is not affiliated with any specific religion, but rather serves as a symbol of the unity of all religions and beliefs. It is a peaceful and tranquil place where visitors can reflect and appreciate the beauty of Thai culture and tradition. The Sanctuary of Truth also serves as a cultural and educational center. It hosts various workshops and events throughout the year, aimed at promoting traditional Thai arts and crafts. The left hall in the Sanctuary of Truth is an impressive wooden structure that resembles a cathedral. While the temple was not specifically designed to honor the sun, the sun does play an important role in the building's symbolism. The wooden sculptures contain many images of the sun, as well as other celestial bodies and astrological symbols. These images are used to symbolize the role of the cosmos and nature in the Thai worldview.
The left hall in the Sanctuary of Truth has an imposing height of about 30 meters and is decorated with numerous statues and sculptures depicting Thai mythology and history. With high arches, vaults and elaborate carvings, it is reminiscent of Gothic architecture. Built using traditional woodworking techniques, the hall has over 100 beautiful carvings and sculptures depicting various aspects of Buddhism, Hindu mythology, and Thai culture. Prithvi is the goddess of the Earth in Hindu mythology and is often depicted as a female deity who carries the natural elements such as mountains, forests, oceans, and rivers. These elements symbolize her power and connection to the Earth, which is considered sacred in Hindu culture. The other ladies next to Prithvi are holding their hand in front of their chest. This is a traditional gesture in Asian culture known as "Wai" or "Namaste" and often used as a sign of respect, gratitude, greeting, or farewell. Prithvi is worshiped as a goddess who sustains and protects life on Earth. Her name means "the broad one" or "the vast one", which refers to the vastness of the Earth and its connection to everything that lives on it.
The Sanctuary of Truth is een prachtige tempel in Pattaya, Thailand, die een eerbetoon is aan de traditionele Thaise architectuur en vakmanschap. De tempel is volledig gemaakt van hout, met ingewikkeld houtsnijwerk dat verschillende hindoeïstische en boeddhistische godheden uitbeeldt, evenals oude Thaise mythologische figuren. De bouw van het Sanctuary of Truth begon in 1981 en is nog steeds aan de gang. De tempel heeft een oppervlakte van ruim twee hectare en is meer dan 100 meter hoog. Het is ontworpen door een lokale zakenman genaamd Lek Viriyaphant. The Sanctuary of Truth is niet gelieerd aan een specifieke religie, maar dient eerder als een symbool van de eenheid van alle religies en overtuigingen. Het is een vredige en rustige plek waar bezoekers de schoonheid van de Thaise cultuur en traditie kunnen overdenken en waarderen. De linker hal in de Sanctuary of Truth is een indrukwekkende houten structuur die lijkt op een kathedraal. De hal heeft een imposante hoogte van ongeveer 30 meter en is versierd met talrijke beelden en sculpturen die de Thaise mythologie en geschiedenis weergeven. Met hoge bogen, gewelven en uitgebreide houtsnijwerk versieringen doet dit denken aan gotische architectuur. De hal is gebouwd met behulp van traditionele houtbewerkingstechnieken en het heeft meer dan 100 prachtige houtsnijwerken en sculpturen die verschillende aspecten van het boeddhisme, de hindoeïstische mythologie en de Thaise cultuur weergeven. Prithvi is de godin van de aarde in de hindoeïstische mythologie en wordt vaak afgebeeld als een vrouwelijke godheid die de natuurlijke elementen zoals bergen, bossen, oceanen en rivieren draagt. Deze elementen symboliseren haar kracht en verbinding met de aarde, die in de hindoeïstische cultuur als heilig wordt beschouwd. De andere dames naast Prithvi houden hun hand voor hun borst. Dit is een traditioneel gebaar in de Aziatische cultuur dat bekend staat als "Wai" of "Namaste" en vaak wordt gebruikt als een teken van respect, dankbaarheid, begroeting of afscheid. Prithvi wordt aanbeden als een godin die het leven op aarde ondersteunt en beschermt. Haar naam betekent "de brede" of "de uitgestrekte", wat verwijst naar de uitgestrektheid van de aarde en haar verbinding met alles wat erop leeft.
Papantla , Mexico
The ritual ceremony of the Voladores (‘flying men’) is a fertility dance performed by several ethnic groups in Mexico and Central America, especially the Totonac people in the eastern state of Veracruz, to express respect for and harmony with the natural and spiritual worlds.
During the ceremony, four young men climb a wooden pole eighteen to forty metres high, freshly cut from the forest with the forgiveness of the mountain god. A fifth man, the Caporal, stands on a platform atop the pole, takes up his flute and small drum and plays songs dedicated to the sun, the four winds and each of the cardinal directions.
After this invocation, the others fling themselves off the platform ‘into the void’. Tied to the platform with long ropes, they hang from it as it spins, twirling to mimic the motions of flight and gradually lowering themselves to the ground.
Every variant of the dance brings to life the myth of the birth of the universe, so that the ritual ceremony of the Voladores expresses the worldview and values of the community, facilitates communication with the gods and invites prosperity. For the dancers themselves and the many others who participate in the spirituality of the ritual as observers, it encourages pride in and respect for one’s cultural heritage and identity.
The ceremony was named an Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in order to help the ritual survive and thrive in the modern world.
Thor is usually associated with strength, thunder, and protection, but seen in the light of shamanism he can also be understood as a spiritual mediator between humans and the forces of nature. In Norse mythology, Odin is more directly linked to shamanic practices—such as seiðr, trance, and communication with the spirit world—yet Thor represents the more earthly and collective dimension of the same worldview. His thunder and lightning can be seen as expressions of ecstatic natural forces, a kind of “cosmic drumbeat” reminiscent of the drumming in shamanic rituals. Thor also travels in his sky chariot drawn by the goats Tanngnjóstr and Tanngrisnir, a motif that recalls the shaman’s journey between worlds with the aid of a totem animal. In addition, his hammer, Mjölnir, functions as a ritual tool: it consecrated, protected, and sanctified, much like the shaman’s drum or staff. Thor can therefore be viewed as a link between the practical, down-to-earth cult—where people sacrificed to him for protection and fertility—and the more spiritual ideas of power and communication with the spirits of nature. In this way, he stands at the meeting point between the shaman’s world and the farmer’s reality.
“Look around you...Feel the wind, smell the air. Listen to the birds and watch the sky. Tell me what's happening in the wide world.”
― Nancy Farmer
"There is no dark side on the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark. The only thing...which makes it look light...is the sun."
(Gerry O'Driscoll - Abbey Road doorman, interviewed during the making of Pink Floyd's masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon).
Pink Floyd fans will recognise the first part of this quote, but somehow I prefer Gerry's full reply...it seems to offer a more optimistic worldview , about taking control of your own destiny when a bad outcome seems inevitable. Or something like that.
Traveling around the World in tropical regions the last few months it was once again brought home to me what terrible havoc was wreaked by Europeans on Native populations, say in Indonesia, or in New Zealand, The Samoa's, The Cook Islands, you name it. Often in the name of civilisation, of religion, of 'first-claimant' rights...
We arrived here at the Iguaçu Waterfalls and I recalled that 'The Mission' (1986, starring among others Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons) was filmed here. That film pits eighteenth century ideas of conquest against each other. The memory jolted my mind back to some reading I did back then on the role of religion and civilisation in de worldview of Conquistadores. One of these men was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (ca.1490-ca.1558). Among his many exploits after extensive travels in Indian territory of southen North America, during his governance of greater Argentina was an amazing trek from the island of Santa Catarina (Brazil) inland to Asunción, Paraguay. 1600 kms of forest hitherto unexplored by Europeans. Cabeza de Vaca and his companions took four months (November 2, 1541-March 11, 1542) to accomplish this feat. On the way, they were the first Europeans to set eyes on these Sublime Waterfalls, named after the Virgin by Cabeza.
In Paraguay Cabeza set to social reforms along christian lines. He forbade slavery, exploitation of Native peoples by each other and by Spaniards and so on. He met with fierce resistance from his compatriots, was arrested and remanded back to Spain, condemned as a danger to the state, freed and his life ended in obscurity. But as far as we know he never doubted his calling, a kind of amazing grace:
Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come.
't Was grace that brought us safe thus far
And grace will lead us home,
And grace will lead us home.
Here's part of those waterfalls called 'The Devil's Throat'. The weather was far less than sunny...
Incidentally, there's a recent translation into English of Cabeza's book about his North American experiences. As far as I know, the so-called Comentarios about his 'Argentine' experiences - and his sighting of these Falls - are available only in Spanish.
Excerpt from the plaque:
Held-Colour Stories from the Land (Silk Scarves) by Melanie Monique Rose
Melanie Monique Rose is a Metis/Ukrainian visual artist from Regina, Saskatchewan Treaty 4 Territory, a citizen of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan, and a long-time contributing member of Sakewewak Artists’ Collective Inc and a new addition to the board. Rose’s work centres on kinship and relationships between the land, ourselves and each other. Through plants and flowers Rose invites transmissions of ancestral knowledge and teachings while also imagining and creating a de-colonial future through the lens of Metis worldviews.
Guided by the seasons – Rose’s art practice is informed by the rhythms and the gifts of the cycles. In the winter – her work is slow and mediative – it is a time for stories, listening with a blanket on one’s lap slowly poke poke poking the wool fibres into the substrate below. The process is medicine. When the blanket of snow comes off and summer wakes she moves outside for inspiration. Engaging with plant kin – Rose creates – colour stories from the land. This work holds plant color onto cloth through the process of eco-printing & bundle dyeing. Rose describes these colour stories as memory maps that bring her back to a time and a place, it connects to the land, her young daughter and her ancestors.