Markael, this is a profound current culmination of your End of Separation series. I like that you address how “Earth is not a lesser realm. Matter is not inferior to spirit.” The entire paragraph that follows is incredibly on point, summarized in your lines “we are here to be here.” It took me a lot of my young adult life to move from the ideations that there was something lesser about matter. I think this is easy to do reading the literature coming down from various traditions - but these days I have concluded that perhaps the literal metaphors of life being dreamlike or even like an illusion, or other Buddhist metaphors of life being like a bubble on the surface of the water, and echo, or a rainbow in the sky - mean to point out that there are very specific conditions that are allowing this embodied experience to occur (ie the condensation of matter from consciousness), and when we understand our role as one of the conditions, as perceiver, consciousness, awareness etc - then greater and greater degrees of freedom are afforded to to us via our own understanding of the process and our central position.
I consistently enjoy the flow of your writing, your ability to articulate and synthesize your thoughts.
I think that perhaps at the time the Buddhist scriptures were written it was more difficult or perhaps even impossible to achieve the balance point, the yes-and. In a sense, humans could exist in separation, in the body, or they could, with a great deal of effort and focus, transcend that experience into a less-embodied "enlightenment" state, but perhaps they could not readily bring that enlightenment into full embodiment.
A lot of what my mother has shared and sensed over the years relates to the development of a "fusion" of spirit and matter on a global scale, a planetary shift that makes it possible - and much less effort-ful - to consciously embody our whole selves. The message now seems to be that in the next phase each of us will either choose to fully embody on Earth or we will choose to leave - remaining in separation will not be an option.
I usually don't share that message because no matter how much I trust the source it is still just a second-hand story, but the more my own experience and awakening unfolds the more real the story feels, the more it feels like "the end of separation" is part of my own thread to weave into the pattern.
Markael, Emma, I enjoyed very much what you have both said above. YES YES YES to bringing spirit and matter together.
I had a very wise Zen teacher who focused us on the 'both/and' so-called paradox, and emphasised that we didn't need to choose between transcendence and immanence. (This was the Network of Engaged Buddhists in the UK.)
From my nature-based spiritual practice (Druidry) I also glean that our challenge is not just to understand that, but to try to practice it as fully as possible.
Reading this post and its comments, I'm heartened that there might be more and more of us moving away from the old entrenched dualism of the Christian tradition (and in fact people like the ex-Benedictine monk Matthew Fox have written beautifully about such things ['Original Blessing'].)
For me, my focus now is on practising, talking and writing about what it means to live the truth of the other-than-human as our equal kin.
Thank you both for adding an uplift to my day (which you already had before, Markael).
Thank you again, Markael, for allowing me to float blissfully with your unfolding thoughts. You share such wisdom while giving freedom to carve one's own with the catalyst of your thoughts.
Ahh. You are always right on the pulse of what my heart is curious about… I collected so many quotes while reading there are too many to paste here!! I have been in deep winter contemplation of the relative and absolute, how spirit and matter are married and also sovereign. And how we are the consciousness, the alchemists, capable of transformation when we interact equally with both. And particularly for the very spiritual people like myself.. to remember always that this relative realm of matter IS the ground of being where we are able to create ripples that may have the fortune of contributing to more flourishing, in all the worlds. To never forget how much the way we walk here matters 💔🙏
Thank you Kate! It seems that my path has immersed me in both materialist and spiritual perspectives, different stories, different ways of knowing. And at the same time this essay - and the previous End of Separation back in October - took shape quickly, occupied my entire consciousness for a time, as if they were moving through me as much as created within me. I have learned to go with the flow...
Thank you Eden! I have been much appreciating your writing, and also your music. I think your insight that all of the traditions you explored converged on deeper truths helped me to pull this together.
I would be interested in being on your podcast sometime, if I would qualify :-). So far my writing has been fairly siloed from the rest of my life and my audience very gradually expanding without any real effort, but I feel like I might be ready to be more present as this part of myself.
Well, this is such a tricky subject and (IMO) so many people seem to avoid/ignore the topic. It's so pleasing to come across an intelligent and beautiful post about it!
Markael, this is a profound current culmination of your End of Separation series. I like that you address how “Earth is not a lesser realm. Matter is not inferior to spirit.” The entire paragraph that follows is incredibly on point, summarized in your lines “we are here to be here.” It took me a lot of my young adult life to move from the ideations that there was something lesser about matter. I think this is easy to do reading the literature coming down from various traditions - but these days I have concluded that perhaps the literal metaphors of life being dreamlike or even like an illusion, or other Buddhist metaphors of life being like a bubble on the surface of the water, and echo, or a rainbow in the sky - mean to point out that there are very specific conditions that are allowing this embodied experience to occur (ie the condensation of matter from consciousness), and when we understand our role as one of the conditions, as perceiver, consciousness, awareness etc - then greater and greater degrees of freedom are afforded to to us via our own understanding of the process and our central position.
I consistently enjoy the flow of your writing, your ability to articulate and synthesize your thoughts.
Imbolc Blessings 🌞
Thank you Emma!
I think that perhaps at the time the Buddhist scriptures were written it was more difficult or perhaps even impossible to achieve the balance point, the yes-and. In a sense, humans could exist in separation, in the body, or they could, with a great deal of effort and focus, transcend that experience into a less-embodied "enlightenment" state, but perhaps they could not readily bring that enlightenment into full embodiment.
A lot of what my mother has shared and sensed over the years relates to the development of a "fusion" of spirit and matter on a global scale, a planetary shift that makes it possible - and much less effort-ful - to consciously embody our whole selves. The message now seems to be that in the next phase each of us will either choose to fully embody on Earth or we will choose to leave - remaining in separation will not be an option.
I usually don't share that message because no matter how much I trust the source it is still just a second-hand story, but the more my own experience and awakening unfolds the more real the story feels, the more it feels like "the end of separation" is part of my own thread to weave into the pattern.
Imbolc Blessings to you!
Markael, Emma, I enjoyed very much what you have both said above. YES YES YES to bringing spirit and matter together.
I had a very wise Zen teacher who focused us on the 'both/and' so-called paradox, and emphasised that we didn't need to choose between transcendence and immanence. (This was the Network of Engaged Buddhists in the UK.)
From my nature-based spiritual practice (Druidry) I also glean that our challenge is not just to understand that, but to try to practice it as fully as possible.
Reading this post and its comments, I'm heartened that there might be more and more of us moving away from the old entrenched dualism of the Christian tradition (and in fact people like the ex-Benedictine monk Matthew Fox have written beautifully about such things ['Original Blessing'].)
For me, my focus now is on practising, talking and writing about what it means to live the truth of the other-than-human as our equal kin.
Thank you both for adding an uplift to my day (which you already had before, Markael).
Thank you again, Markael, for allowing me to float blissfully with your unfolding thoughts. You share such wisdom while giving freedom to carve one's own with the catalyst of your thoughts.
Thank you Jiluna!
Ahh. You are always right on the pulse of what my heart is curious about… I collected so many quotes while reading there are too many to paste here!! I have been in deep winter contemplation of the relative and absolute, how spirit and matter are married and also sovereign. And how we are the consciousness, the alchemists, capable of transformation when we interact equally with both. And particularly for the very spiritual people like myself.. to remember always that this relative realm of matter IS the ground of being where we are able to create ripples that may have the fortune of contributing to more flourishing, in all the worlds. To never forget how much the way we walk here matters 💔🙏
Thank you Kate! It seems that my path has immersed me in both materialist and spiritual perspectives, different stories, different ways of knowing. And at the same time this essay - and the previous End of Separation back in October - took shape quickly, occupied my entire consciousness for a time, as if they were moving through me as much as created within me. I have learned to go with the flow...
Beautiful.
Thank you Hannah!
This is resonant, Markael... and also beautiful.
And I am now looking into how to incorporate a "yes, AND" habit into some of my more unnecessarily contentious conversations... :) So, thank you!
Thanks Scotlyn!
There's enough wisdom here to pour over for lifetimes. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Eden! I have been much appreciating your writing, and also your music. I think your insight that all of the traditions you explored converged on deeper truths helped me to pull this together.
I would be interested in being on your podcast sometime, if I would qualify :-). So far my writing has been fairly siloed from the rest of my life and my audience very gradually expanding without any real effort, but I feel like I might be ready to be more present as this part of myself.
Thank you. Nicely put. Am with you on it.
Thanks Roselle! And now I have another Substack to explore :-).
Well, this is such a tricky subject and (IMO) so many people seem to avoid/ignore the topic. It's so pleasing to come across an intelligent and beautiful post about it!
Thank you Mark/ael.