This is a thought experiment. A documentation of an exploration. A map, drawn as each step is taken, destination unknown. Welcome.
The idea is simple, and radical.
What would the world be like if our starting point was that the Earth and all of Creation are sacred?
Sacred. Worthy of respect. Holy. Divine. Regarded with reverence. Secured and immune from violence and violation.
This is not a new idea. In fact, it is the oldest idea. And yet, we, as humanity, have generally lost this relationship in modern times. So the proposal is, to posit sacredness as central to our relationships again.
Principle. Fundamental. Primary. Value.
The foundation, guiding tenet, and central axis on which our behavior, decisions and policies be based, recognize the sacredness of all living things.
Beautiful rendition of the sacred cycles and dance of life, with neolithic influence. Artist unknown.
How to apply this?
But first, why?
It is unnecessary to detail all the ailments of our current situation, but just a quick check-in on context. Climate crisis. Global pandemic. Corporate capitalism. Rampant hunger and poverty. Concentration of wealth and power. Degradation of natural riches like soil, air and water.
This stems from a paradigm, a principle, of conquest, domination, competition and patriarchy.
Let us put it in the framework of the sacred principle. Respect. Reverence. Reciprocity.
If we honored and respected the earth and all of creation as sacred, we would never do the things we are permitting now: mining, deforestation, erosion, pollution, extraction.
If we honored and respected the earth and all of creation as sacred, we would think about how everything we do impacts the earth. We would be in relationship. We would understand we depend on nature, not dominate it. All of our systems would change.
The idea is simple, and radical.
It is based on the very essence of our principle as human beings. From the Paleolithic era to the present, we have evidence of reverence and worship of nature as a divine being from peoples connected to the land, in all parts of the world. Much of this sanctity has been lost in doctrine and dogma, consumerism and accumulation. But it is still pulsing inside us.
This is the first episode of exploring this sacred principle. In history, politics, art, poetry and religion. Gathering evidence and courage as we go. Making links. Documenting the journey. Articulating a paradigm shift with the potential to illuminate a new way forward.
This blog is first and foremost for my own process. Putting into words all the thoughts, readings, conversations, experiences and ideas that come through related to this process. If, as I go, others join me in the journey, I can only expect the process to be enriched.