Response to Spirit of the Depths
There is no doubt that the current upheaval in the world is vast and
deep. Somehow, I remember the Boxing Day disaster more specifically from
the destructive tsunami that hit Thailand. It seemed to be the primary
disaster covered by the news media, but this event was just one part of the
catastrophic destruction that occurred over a significant area of the world. I
did not know how vast and destructive it was until I read Paco’s description of
what occurred both above and below the Earth’s surface that day. The news
media did not fully cover the incredible force of what came up from the depths
of the Earth that resulted in the subsequent earthquake and tsunamis.
For some time now, since the 1980’s, I have been watching the natural
disasters that have been occurring around the world, as well as the changing
climate conditions that have led to these events. I have considered these
events, as well as other natural disasters that are increasing and intensifying
around the world, as a sign of the toxicity that is on and in the planet due to
the exploitative and neglectful nature of our relationship with the Earth and
life itself. These occurrences indicate how the natural world is reflecting the
collective psyche and particularly its shadow side.
Russ, you state that the dream you had in response to Paco’s
metaphorical perspective of the Boxing Day disaster indicated that what was
at issue was that it “called attention to some aspect of reality that we are not
tending to.” You say that there is a problem with how we are relating to reality.
This set me off to thinking about the nature of reality and how we experience
it in general. In Buddhist philosophy, reality is seen in two ways: Ultimate
Reality and Relative Reality. Ultimate Reality is the true reality that underlies
all other realities, that is, Relative Reality. As time has gone on we have
essentially split ourselves off from Ultimate Reality, the source of our being,
thinking that we can know and therefore control the natural world we live in
and thus created realities that reflect our ego desire to gain power over it. So
instead of taking care of the natural world, we have neglected and exploited it
in pursuit of resources that enable us to live in ways that are predominantly
commodified rather than natural and sustainable. Of course, it is not only the
natural world that is subject to these ego desires.
When you say that we are not tending reality in some way, I “see” the
garden of our home (Earth) not being nurtured in a way that promotes
generative growth that is sustainable. (This goes back to the etymological root
of the word “coalesce” that you refer to in the words “synchronic coalescence,”
which means “to grow, to nourish”.) Part of the process of tending the garden
also includes tending the dream world in order to connect with the SOTD and
receive guidance on how to relate to the “living energy.” It is an important
relationship to tend in order to maintain the vitality of life itself.
The garden as metaphor, as well as symbol for the unconscious, is one
that provides a context within which to cultivate a mindset along with
attitudes that allow engagement with the “living energy” in a positive and
generative way. With all the destruction around us in the world at this time, it
is a daunting task to take on. The transformation of the darkness and
suffering that is occurring now is an enormous undertaking that requires
developing the ability to cherish all life and caring for it in a loving way, while
confronting the shadow. The garden as a microcosm of life provides an
example of the interrelated connections that sustain it as a whole. The
question now, I believe, is can we and how do we open ourselves up to the
necessary task at hand in a heartfelt way that restores our connection to life.
Without this basic connection, humanity as a species is doomed and the Earth
is in peril. Even though there are many who are aware of the gravity of what is
occurring and are working to turn the tide around, as you and Paco say, it may
well be too late.
NOTE: Russ, I have been mentally and emotionally grappling with the
question you have posed for the last two weeks. It has led to several intense
conversations in our household about the nature of what is occurring in the
world today. I am sure that my brain synapses are all tangled up as a result of
all this reflection and conversation.
When I first read the SOTD, there were some aspects that struck me as
first impressions. As I began to write about these impressions, the words
came together as thoughts trying to respond in an organized and coherent
manner. But then something happened when I began to “see” into the
question. I saw the garden image and that led the words in a different
direction. After writing about the garden image, what I wrote seemed too
simplistic a notion for addressing the dark complexity of what is occurring in
the world now. Yet, the metaphor seemed to plant itself in me, so I followed
up with some preliminary research.
I began by reading a couple of articles in a Parabola issue that is
focussed on the garden theme. One article was about alchemy and the garden,
while another is focussed on the imaginal world and the garden. There are
several more articles to read with varied perspectives on the garden in
spiritual traditions. I also found some information on the Internet regarding
books on the garden and soul, and the garden and individuation, on the L.A.
Jung Institute site. It seems that the garden is connected to the great
archetype of life. So there is great potency in this image on various levels.
I had been working on a response to your post on “synchronic
coalescence” when I received the SOTD writing. Because of its strong impact
on me, I decided to respond to it first. So I will be back tracking to the first
post and most likely connecting it to what I have written here.
Estela