We seem to live in an age of selective animism. Some things we consider to be alive and others we don’t. For example, I recently saw a video of some young men kicking a robot dog. The comment on the video was “WOW DUDE THIS #ROBOT ABUSE NEEDS TO #STOP BEFORE IT TOO LATE TBH!!! YAL THINK THIS IS OKAY OR NAH!
Tad… I’m so touched by this, it reminds me of something true. It also helps me understand more deeply the Islamic injunction against innovation. I believe it wasn’t saying don’t learn, because elsewhere it is said, “Search for knowledge even unto China” (in the context of people who travelled by foot, horse and camel in the land that is now known as Saudi Arabia). And, clearly, Islamic society made huge strides in medicine, in caring for people, and such.
Think it was speaking deeply to what you are have brought forth in this article. Don’t believe that we are creators. Don’t believe that we grant life to things. Don’t believe that you can be the source of something. We receive, we learn, we grow, and through it all, stay humble, listen with sincerity, and love.
Good thoughts. I appreciate the ceremony and care you and your group in wales put into crafting copper.
I’ve thought lately about doing ceremony for harvests, something often done by hunters and gardeners. But how about ceremony for dishonourable harvests, done on my behalf, with exported violence? A ceremony before getting on a plane, or before bringing home groceries. A pause for facing those harmed for my needs and wants, though they be distant and anonymous to me. A way of bringing the big wide world with its big supply chains into the intimate sensory space of ceremony. Curious about your thoughts on this.
When preparing for sweat lodge ceremony, each stone grandmother / grandfather is asked if they wish to participate. Prior to this, each one was asked if they wanted to leave their home to come and be near the lodge to await their opportunity to share in ceremony by bringing the spirit of fire into the lodge. Holding them in bare hands as this question is put to each one in turn, their individual ‘characters’ begin to show up. It only takes a little time and observation together with a willingness to truly ‘see’ before the truth of their being-ness becomes apparent.
Tad… I’m so touched by this, it reminds me of something true. It also helps me understand more deeply the Islamic injunction against innovation. I believe it wasn’t saying don’t learn, because elsewhere it is said, “Search for knowledge even unto China” (in the context of people who travelled by foot, horse and camel in the land that is now known as Saudi Arabia). And, clearly, Islamic society made huge strides in medicine, in caring for people, and such.
Think it was speaking deeply to what you are have brought forth in this article. Don’t believe that we are creators. Don’t believe that we grant life to things. Don’t believe that you can be the source of something. We receive, we learn, we grow, and through it all, stay humble, listen with sincerity, and love.
Good thoughts. I appreciate the ceremony and care you and your group in wales put into crafting copper.
I’ve thought lately about doing ceremony for harvests, something often done by hunters and gardeners. But how about ceremony for dishonourable harvests, done on my behalf, with exported violence? A ceremony before getting on a plane, or before bringing home groceries. A pause for facing those harmed for my needs and wants, though they be distant and anonymous to me. A way of bringing the big wide world with its big supply chains into the intimate sensory space of ceremony. Curious about your thoughts on this.
When preparing for sweat lodge ceremony, each stone grandmother / grandfather is asked if they wish to participate. Prior to this, each one was asked if they wanted to leave their home to come and be near the lodge to await their opportunity to share in ceremony by bringing the spirit of fire into the lodge. Holding them in bare hands as this question is put to each one in turn, their individual ‘characters’ begin to show up. It only takes a little time and observation together with a willingness to truly ‘see’ before the truth of their being-ness becomes apparent.