Creation's Paths

Join Charlie and Brian as they dive deep into the Druid craft concept of the Law of the Returning Tide, distinguishing it from commonly misunderstood spiritual principles like karma. They explore how our actions and intentions influence the energy that comes back to us, emphasizing the importance of mindful contributions to the universe. Learn about the balance of faith, action, and intention in shaping our realities and the limits of our influence over the unfolding tides of life. Discover practical exercises to experience the returning tide in daily life and understand the broader impacts of our energetic and material contributions.

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Law of the Returning Tide

01:05 Meet the Hosts: Charlie and Brian

01:23 Understanding the Returning Tide vs. Karma

02:22 Misconceptions and Cultural Appropriation

03:53 The Returning Tide Analogy

08:09 Magic, Prayer, and Influence

13:54 Practical Exercises for Compassionate Acts

15:00 The Ripple Effect of Joy

15:45 The Power of Returning Tide

16:15 The Illusion of Control

17:02 Surrounding Yourself with Positive Energy

18:45 Faith and Action: A Necessary Combination

21:46 Miracles and Effort

24:26 The Reality of Good and Bad Events

26:20 Conclusion and Call to Action

Join Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer, and their husband Brian as they delve into the importance of celebrating our works in life. Misconceptions about humility and the significance of commemorating achievements are discussed, alongside insights on spirituality, interconnectedness, and resisting negative forces. This thoughtful discussion revolves around themes of co-creation, gratitude, and finding joy in small victories, ultimately advocating for a balanced approach to life's endeavors.

Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

Become a patron of the arts patreon.com/cedorsett

For Educational Resource: Wisdoms Cry https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

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Transcript:

Charlie: [00:00:00] The apostle James reminds us that faith without works is dead. But works without celebration are a dull monotony that will bring us to our knees and cause us to stop doing whatever it is we were doing. So let's have a little chat about celebrating our works and what that actually means.

Charlie: Hello everyone. My name is Charlie. I am a non-binary scifi fantasy writer, and I am joined by my wonderful husband Brian.

And today we're going to be talking about celebrating our works. Because this is something we do not do. And it's I think rooted in a very understandable and common [00:01:00] misunderstanding of humility. Where we think humility is not talking, it's keeping your head down. We have confused the concept of humility. We have confused the concept of humility with obedience or subservience. That is not what this word means. That is something that the Imperial church and the patriarchal powers that be want humility to mean. That's not what it means. Humility means everything in its proper place. So something doesn't take up more space than it ought. Now that is also a fraught definition because we can add onto that all kinds of misogynistic homophobic and racist terms about how much space something ought to take up. What that really comes down to is not centering ourselves anywhere really, because we are not the main character of the [00:02:00] story.

It's about taking up the space, deserved the space that is required for the thing to have. If you've done something and you want to celebrate it, celebrate. That is not an in humble act. If every time you have a conversation with somebody you were bragging about a thing. Then it is taking up an excess space.

Brian: An easy exercise. Entertaining exercise to do. And everybody's daily life. Is when you're in a conversation with somebody or actually when there's a group of people. Having a conversation. And it's your time to. Not be involved with the conversation, just observe and watch.

You will see. Someone inevitably. Start stepping over other people's moments to speak. Because humility is knowing, this is the moment where I'm supposed to occupy this space of the conversation. [00:03:00] And then knowing in other moments, I'm not supposed to occupy the conversation. And inevitably you'll have a conversation where say somebody is talking about something in their personal life. And it is on the focuses on them or on the subject of their conversation.

And another person will step in and be like, and it's all about me. And me. And be, and completely forget. Like. That was not the topic at that point. It's very interesting. Way to see, oh, this is what is humble. And this is what is not humble. You know, How to occupy those spaces because it always fluctuates. It changes.

Charlie: This is where I like to apply what I, in my own brain called the Muppets rule. Miss piggy is too boastful. And Kermit is too quiet.

Brian: They're both not humble. Because Kermit at times needs to be more assertive [00:04:00] needs to fill the leadership role. That Kermit. Is cast in and at times, miss piggy. Needs to step back. And not be in the leadership role when she is not supposed to be in the leadership role. There are times when she is supposed to be . A facilitator or a leader. And. Times when she is supposed to be outspoken.

Charlie: So learning to have this. Much more proper view. And embodiment of humility really is the heart of everything that we're talking about in all of our spiritual work. I was talking about this with a friend the other day who is just learning. Magic and just learning to walk the path. One of the things that I brought up is how people very often get up in their head and are like, oh, I am so special because I am interacting with the grand energies of the cosmos. I am interacting with the grand spirits of the cosmos that yeah, everyone does on a daily [00:05:00] basis. You're just more conscious of it and not special. That's called being a live. I think that's where. We get really lost and confused in a lot of this. The Imperial church especially has wanted to relegate mystical activity and any true connection with spirit. To something that only a chosen few have access to. That when we start having those experiences. We tend to puff ourselves up and go, I am one of the chosen, I am one of the blessing ones and that's no, you're like the rest of us. You're just allowing yourself to be conscious of the experience that most people ignore or allow to go unremarked upon.

It's rabbi David Cooper points out in his wonderful book. God is a Verb. The point of all of this is to learn to be Goding. G O D I N G. Goding, [00:06:00] we are living God in every moment and in everything that we do and in so doing, we are interacting with angelic and demonic forces, angelic forces, being those that are bringing benefit and blessing and good into our lives. And demonic forces bringing in misfortune and illness and back bad things into our lives.

Everyone is experiencing those every day. They may not be labeling them angelic and demonic but to many people when they start using those labels are suddenly like all I have the center of the great cosmic war for the universe. Because angels and demons are warring over me. And that is not the case. I think that when we start talking about inspiration, which is a big part of the work is learning to access that Imbas to access that Awen.

Again, people feel special. Ah, the inspiration is upon me. Because again, the Imperial [00:07:00] church has locked this idea of the great men who wrote the Bible. Did so under the inspiration of God. The awen of God. The Shifa of God, the influx of power. Can you came upon them. And so again, only special people. No, no, it's not only special people. These are the people that have been remembered. Not everyone will be remembered but everyone has access to those energies to that inspiration to that influx of divine. Power that can come in and give us the strength that we need to accomplish great and amazing things. That is really what needs to be celebrated here. Look, I grew up in a Baptist church. I grew up in non-denominational churches and evangelical churches. And it's not uncommon. To hear people say, That you should just give God the glory for all the things that happened in your life. I'm not opposed to [00:08:00] that. But if you are doing that in such a way that you are. Not allowing yourself to have any apparent agency. This is a word we've used a lot here. This freewill, this agency. That as we're reminded by the apostles, the spirit of the prophet is subject to the will of the prophet. We are not blind puppets in any of this. So when we allow ourselves to remember that, And act from that place. We are participating. As Matthew Fox. And his book, original blessing reminds us.

We are co-creators with God. We are cooperating with the divine to make this world what it is. That cooperation deserves celebration. Bye the way most people give glory to God. It is in a way that deprecates. Their own…

Join Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer, and their husband Brian as they delve into the importance of celebrating our works in life. Misconceptions about humility and the significance of commemorating achievements are discussed, alongside insights on spirituality, interconnectedness, and resisting negative forces. This thoughtful discussion revolves around themes of co-creation, gratitude, and finding joy in small victories, ultimately advocating for a balanced approach to life's endeavors.

Thank you for Tips or Donations:

https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

patreon.com/cedorsett

Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/

For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

Social Connections:

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

Join Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer, and their husband Brian, as they commemorate the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. This episode explores the presence of Jesus alongside Moses and Elijah, the significance of this event in Christian mysticism, and its relevance to modern believers. Through thoughtful discussions on law, prophecy, justice, and the essence of divine light, Charlie and Brian encourage listeners to find personal meaning and practical wisdom in this sacred narrative. Engage in a deeper understanding of the balance between law and prophecy and the transformative power of divine illumination.

Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

Become a patron of the arts patreon.com/cedorsett

For Educational Resource: Wisdoms Cry https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

Transcript:

  Today as we celebrate the transfiguration of Christ and imagine the divine Christ. Between Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. We have a lot of questions that pop up. What does this mean for us today? Why is this such an important, and I would say almost a vital part of the story?  

Blessings in light to everyone out there. Hello, my name is Charlie. I am a non-binary scifi fantasy writer. Today we are celebrating. The memorial of the transfiguration of Christ. This is a story that we can find in the new Testament and is one that has inspired mystics and visionaries throughout the history of Christianity.

I think, we'll find very impactful in our own discussion today. I'm joined by my wonderful husband, Brian.

Good day.

This is a big, deep, meaty topic. I'm glad that it's on the calendar every year, because this entire podcast could just be about this one moment and we could do seven days a week hours and hours a day and not exhaust everything that happened.

If you're not familiar with the story, It's very simple. Jesus and three of his disciples Peter, John, and Andrew go up on a mountain to pray. They wake up in the middle of the night and there's a blinding light on the top of Mount Tabor. They look over and there is the fully divine Christ sitting on the mountain, talking with Moses and Elijah. And they really don't know what to do. In fact, I believe it's Peter.

Who said, should we make up tents for our guests? And Jesus is like, No.

But thanks for asking.

it's this moment that kind of happens and passes. It seems almost an interjection into the story.

What actually happened here? What is the importance of this? On a basic level the transfiguration shows us Jesus in the line of profit and law-giver. We see him with Moses the quintessential law giver, the one to whom the Torah was given. That all of the commandments were given. And we have kind of this reenactment of the events on Mount Sinai. And we have a, Elijah the quintessential profit .

A profit that walked with God so much that he does not die. A great chariot swings, low picks him up and carries him away into heaven. So again, the quintessential prophet.

Just a quick little side note in here, because it kind of cracks me up. Elijah is also, very much about lessons of hospitality. It just cracks me up that the first default thought was hospitality, with proposing, do we need to build a tent or set up a tent for them? Even though. non-corporeal doesn't necessarily need a tent, but hospitality first, it just cracks me up and there's always a great lesson to take in everything, that one's default thought should be hospitality just cover your bases.

We have these three very important people. People who are all attributed to these three mountain experiences, we have Jesus on Mount Tabor. We have Moses from Mount Sinai. And we have a Elijah who is very connected with Mount Carmel. in fact, it's on Mount Carmel that Elijah sees God. One of the most powerful passages in all of scripture and a story, we will be referring to a lot, forever. And should probably do a full episode on at some point. God walks by and there are three things that happen. There was a mighty wind. But God was not in the wind. There was a fire and God was not in the fire. There was an earthquake and God was not in the earthquake. And then a still small voice came to Elijah.

I've always found this image very powerful in that when we think of Moses on Mount Sinai.

We think of this big, booming voice, right? For those of us of a certain age, we go back to a certain Charlton Heston movie.

I am the Lord, your God. Right. It's very booming voice, which is very much associated with the law. Loud booming. Declarative voice. And Elijah who heard the still small voice. The quiet voice and there in between the two is Jesus the Christ in the fullness of his glory.

Now we can get into some of the theological questions and stuff that come around with this moment, but, to me the most important lesson I learned from here is the Christ as the pivot point between these two things. The law which is quite literally for Moses written in stone. The 10 declarations are, as they're often said in English, the 10 commandments, literally carved into stone.

And Elijah. The prophet. The justice maker, the one who engages in good trouble. The most prolific slaughterer of. People in the entire scripture, which is why people like me always speak of Elijah with great reverence. Because people who are familiar with the story of Elijah and the profits of ball. They say their prayers, they say their prayers and when elijah brings fire down on his stack and the profits of ball, don't. Elijah then pulls a sword and kills 500 profits of ball.

We'll talk about that later Elijah is a bit scary and in legend becomes increasingly scary because Elijah having never died occasionally shows back up in stories. And is always there to as Brian said, judges, the hospitality of the place that he goes to.

woe and to you, if Elijah finds you wanting.

The profits are the voices of justice.

The law is not always about justice. I think this is where we get things confused. The law is about righteousness. When we are talking about the law, we're talking about what is right and what is wrong. We're talking about ethical codes, moral codes. How you should govern yourself and how you should govern a society.

That's what the law is. The law is not interested in justice. It should be the embodiment of justice. It should be written justly. But. a, human actor has to make justice happen.

I like to think of the law as it's like any structure whether that's a building, a wall, a door. It exists. It gives structure and form to the environment. But it is not necessarily just, it is not necessarily right or wrong. That wall will obstruct passage and flow of air , and everything else, good or bad. But it does give structure.

Continuing this trend that we've been on this month with the podcast, talking about peace and peace making. There we have Jesus in the middle. And I feel like this is the embodiment of both the law giver and the pro and the prophet. As Jesus famously said in the sermon on the mountain, not one jot or tittle. Not one little dot or a line. Which shall pass from the law until all is fulfilled.

What is the law? You should love the Lord, your God with all your heart, mind, and spirit, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The law is love. But this is very rigid. It is love. Not hate, not anger, not fear. And he walks this line between the law giver. Which we see on the sermon on the Mount. And the prophet who is going about interfering with injustice. see a person about to be stoned. And he says, okay. That's what the law demands. This person be stoned. So whoever's without sin cast the first stone.

Hmm. That makes you have to stop for a minute. And look at the harshness of the law. Jesu…

Join Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer, and their husband Brian, as they commemorate the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. This episode explores the presence of Jesus alongside Moses and Elijah, the significance of this event in Christian mysticism, and its relevance to modern believers. Through thoughtful discussions on law, prophecy, justice, and the essence of divine light, Charlie and Brian encourage listeners to find personal meaning and practical wisdom in this sacred narrative. Engage in a deeper understanding of the balance between law and prophecy and the transformative power of divine illumination.

Thank you for Tips or Donations:

https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

patreon.com/cedorsett

Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/

For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

Social Connections:

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

In this episode, Charlie, delves into the significance of peacemaking. Drawing from both Christian and Druid traditions, and exploring the Beatitudes, the discussion emphasizes that true peacemaking starts within oneself and requires active engagement in creating consensus and understanding. The conversation covers cognitive biases, the paradox of tolerance, and the role of forgiveness in peacemaking, while also highlighting real-world examples such as the temporary peace between gangs during a concert. Charlie emphasizes the importance of personal peace as a foundation for wider societal harmony and urges viewers to examine their own internal conflicts and biases.

Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

Become a patron of the arts patreon.com/cedorsett

For Educational Resource: Wisdoms Cry https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

Transcript:

  Blessed are the peacemakers for, they shall be called the children of God. Huh. It sounds like an important thing to be talking about, especially with everything going on right now. And, you know, we did say in the last episode, we were going to be talking about peacemaking. So let's go ahead and do that.

  Blessings from the one life to you and yours. My name is Charlie. I am a non-binary sci-fi fantasy author. And I've actually thought about whether I should still be introing myself that way. Or if I should be saying that I'm a Druid, I'm a Draoi whatever the word is that is most appropriate to the function that I'm placed.

But, I am a scifi fantasy author and I feel that is so core to my identity. That I should still be saying it.

Let me know what y'all think . How should I be introducing myself in here? And how should I be introducing my wonderful husband, Brian.

Yo. . I tried to mix it up today. I introduced myself differently .

So today we are going to be talking about a very important topic and that is blessed are the peacemakers. And especially if you're coming from the Druid tradition. The Christian tradition. ahem, yes. Even those of us who come from the Christian tradition. In the beatitudes and the sermon on the Mount, when Jesus delivers the new law, the new way that we are supposed to live. One of the things that he says at the very beginning, is blessed are the peacemakers for, they shall be called the children of God. It's something that is. Shockingly lacking in pop Christianity today. It is something that is very alive and well within modern druidry to a certain degree.

For those out there, that like to think of self first. Just thinking about. The second, most important thing Jesus said for all of us to do. Do unto others as we would have done unto ourselves. We deserve peace. We should have peace. So. Give peace. To others. So that you yourself will be deserving of that peace. As for the Christians out there, those that are following Christ teachings. Should be a. You know, Doing and behaving. Regarding peace.

Ahh, the golden rule, the heart of compassion. The proof if anybody needed it, that Jesus was a Pharisee. If you don't understand that just real quick. That statement doing to others as you would have them do unto you. Actually comes from Hillel, who is the founder of the pharisees. Who. According to legend, went to draw water from a well, and was asked by a Roman centurion in a mocking way. If you can explain to me. The law. While standing on one foot, I will convert to Judaism. And Hallel reportedly stood on one foot inside that what you find hateful. Do not do that to others. The rest is commentary.

And. Put his foot down, finished, collecting his water and said, I'll see you in the synagogue on Sabbath. That is the heart of. The original movement of the Pharisees. Also why Jesus talked about them so much.

peacemaking is core to this idea of compassion. It is something that we really don't talk about enough when we're talking about compassion. So what is . Peacemaking is. Different from strife . Think a lot of us get confused and that we think that peace is the aftermath or how you resolve war or conflict. And it is. But peacemaking actually starts a lot more subtle than that. This is why. Looking at a phrase like blessed are the peacemakers is so important. In the first wave of Christian writers Origin, the ever controversial Origin who was a heretic than not a heretic than a heretic. Again, not a heretic. And. ambiguous after that. Just where did the church landed on him. In his commentaries on the beatitudes. Says that blessed are the peacemakers actually involves being able to read the scriptures and make peace between the many ideas that are present within.

This is the heart of peacemaking. We have forgotten as a civilization, as a society. What it actually means to live in community. If you're only thinking about making peace when there is strife, when there is war, when there is conflict. Then you're not actively engaging in the act of peacemaking. Peacemaking is learning to live with those have different opinions. Peacemaking is learning to live with those who have different ideas about what might be the best path forward. Peacemaking is consensus building. Peacemaking is finding that road that we can walk together not just how to smooth over our conflicts and ending our fights.

A couple tools I found very helpful with understanding and executing that aspect of peacemaking ties back to our previous episode where we touched a little on nonviolence. It's being very mindful of that. when interacting with others. Is this action, a violation of another's free will. Any time that answer is yes, then.

The action is suspect. Not stopped.

That's true. That's true. It's suspect. And it should be highly scrutinized at that point because violent acts are going to generally result in violation of peace and not a peacemaking act. The second one is letting go. The art of letting go is so vital to peacemaking, especially when interacting with others. A lot of times, Others will perpetrate violence upon yourself and , it's one of the powers of forgiveness. That I think a lot of people don't understand. The first thing the healing that it does to yourself, once again, it goes back to in a way it's a selfish act. But it helps to, , let go. Once you realize that you are doing so much more harm to yourself holding on to that pain, to that violation, that was perpetrated upon your individual. The healing that results from that letting go is worth so much more and it makes peace.

So the reason I interrupted Brian there. In that. It's not always. Allowing everybody to do what they want. It comes down to, what's known as the paradox of tolerance. You cannot tolerate intolerance. This sounds like such a confusing thing, because if you're intolerant of intolerance than you're being intolerance, or you shouldn't tolerate being intolerant of indoc, Paradox. It sounds like a loop. That's bending back onto itself. The problem is that when intolerance is allowed to have free reign, It will take advantage of a tolerant space. Too overwhelming and push out marginalized voices. To push out those who. Would be likely to speak. Or feel unable to speak or uncomfortable speaking. You have to weed out those intolerant. Ideas. Those intolerant aspects of your public permissible discourse. Or you're letting them win and that really goes against the grain of a lot of what we think when we're talking about free speech and free will, all of those things. That we just will defeat them in the marketplace of ideas. We'll debate them into obscurity. We will show with facts and logic and reason that their intolerance is wrong. And that actually isn't how the human psyche works. So there are two main factors that come to play in our minds when …

In this episode, Charlie, delves into the significance of peacemaking. Drawing from both Christian and Druid traditions, and exploring the Beatitudes, the discussion emphasizes that true peacemaking starts within oneself and requires active engagement in creating consensus and understanding. The conversation covers cognitive biases, the paradox of tolerance, and the role of forgiveness in peacemaking, while also highlighting real-world examples such as the temporary peace between gangs during a concert. Charlie emphasizes the importance of personal peace as a foundation for wider societal harmony and urges viewers to examine their own internal conflicts and biases.

Thank you for Tips or Donations:

https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

patreon.com/cedorsett

Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/

For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

Social Connections:

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

Join Charlie and Brian in this enlightening discussion on 'harvesting peace' during the first new moon after Lunasa. We explore the four paths of Creation Spirituality, focusing on the often misunderstood via negativa— the path of sorrow, letting go, and peace. Through a detailed explanation of violence as a removal of agency and an engaging analysis of cultural references like 'John Wick' and 'Derry Girls,' they delve into the essence of peace, incorporating mindfulness and personal anecdotes. This introspective session reflects on the broader implications of peace, justice, and free will, guiding viewers on how to find and cherish moments of tranquility amidst life's chaos. Don't forget to subscribe for more insightful content!

Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett

Become a patron of the arts patreon.com/cedorsett

For Educational Resource: Wisdoms Cry https://wisdomscry.com

For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/

BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com

Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/

Transcript:

Blessings and peace be upon you on this first. New moon after. Lunasa. Today, we are going to be talking about what we can glean from this. Day. Really getting into a topic that. I don't hear a lot of people talking about, at least not in the way that we're going to be. ​

Hello, my name is Charlie and I am a non-binary scifi fantasy writer. I am here joined today by my wonderful husband, Brian. Hello we are going to be talking about harvesting peace today on this first new moon after Lunasa. This is something that I've been wanting to talk about more in our practice.

We have associated the four paths of Creation Spirituality with four of the phases of the moon. Today on the new moon...

Shameless insert for more information on that. Go-to https://wisdomscry.com.

I totally broke your thought.

Yes, he did. So, uh, today on the new moon, we are meditating on the via negativa.

The via negativa is the path of sorrow of pain of letting go and letting be and those are usually as far as we go, when we talk about the via negativa or the negative way. I have always kind of, bristled against this in a way because I think that there is a weird association that we get in our minds with the word negative that we have to look at it in a negative way.

I think that one of the things that we should be working on, , D'var. Dibbur. Is the word of God in the via positive. I am of the opinion that there is actually a word of God in each of the four paths.

This one is up for debate in my head, but the word of God in the via. Negativa is either Shalom or Selah. Shalom means peace and Selah means pause and listen to what you just heard. I think that both of these are appropriate for the day. But I want , especially with everything going on right now in the world to focus on the idea of peace. That today on this new moon, we need to sit, and work on, the harvest of peace and harvesting peace.

Peace is something that I think we all want. I think it's something we all think about and talk about, especially with so much war and violence and everything going on in the world. We don't actually think about what piece is.

Peace has two major components. One is the absence of violence. the second is the absence of fear. I think both of these are necessary for true, complete and lasting peace now. Notice those two caveats that I put on there complete and lasting. You can experience peace without the complete lack of fear or the complete lack of violence but it is not going to be a full peace without those two things added to it.

I also feel like I need to explain really quickly when I say violence I'm talking much broader than most people are when they're, when they think about violence. Violence in the common mind is an act of harm, someone lashing out.

We've talked about a violent storm or a violent act taken by somebody. Personally in my own way of understanding a storm, a storm cannot be violent. Because violence to me is the forceful removal of a another's agency. When you're taking away the ability of another to act that is violence.

This is also tied into a deeper topic. Something that we'll have to touch on later on of free will because that is the greatest gift from God. Is everyone's individual free will and the violence is the removal or the violation. Of that gift from that God gave to another and that is why it is so bad, thing to have happened. More to perpetrate another.

Which is why I would say that a storm came in from my point of view can not be violent. , Storm can be brutal, , but a storm can't be violent because there isn't that volitional act of deprivation happening there.

And I'm sorry to use big words there, but I don't know how else to get the idea across. The storm is not intending to take away your free will. The storm is just dissipating, excess energy in the environment. It doesn't have any other goal other than to dissipate that energy from the environment?

I think one of my favorite exercises in meditating on what is violence was actually when a Charley had pointed out. John wick is not a violent movie. Thinking about that and I watched it with that meditation in mind and it was absolutely fascinating because there is a lot of messiness. There's a lot of people dying. A lot of hostility, a lot of pew, pew, pew, and shooting and stabbings and all kinds of stuff. Lots of action but John wick does not perpetrate violence. it's very fascinating, but like I said, that's a whole topic for other days.

It's a good way to try to get this idea across, because it shows the difference between a hostile act and violence.

Yeah.

John wick in that movie franchise, and especially in the first film. Always gives people the choice.

Yeah.

Just leave. Just give up this doesn't have to go down like this. I'm just here to talk. I'm just here for this. I'm just here for that. The option is always on the other person to engage in hostilities. He is not imposing the hostilities on the other. And that is at its root what violence is. What is done to him is violence. They break into his house. They are stealing from him. They kill his dog. And as we all know, you don't mess with the dog.

Never mess with the dog.

Never mess with the dog. Violence is done to him, but he does not return violence for violence. He returns the option of force, the option of any of retaliation, but he does not actually return violence for violence. It is an interesting perspective when you realize that what makes him a very different action movie? Character.

It's also why storms are so fascinating to look at because from that perspective, they're messy. They might be hostile. They may cause death, but they do not remove the agency of freewill from the individuals. I don't want to get too deep into the depth of this because we have the other point we need to get back to peace.

And we're going to be talking about peacemaking more in the not too distant future. It's actually on the schedule. But when we're talking about this removal of agency, Violence comes in a lot of different forms.

And when we're talking about peacemaking, We often think about ending war. Or ending conflict, both of which are. Valid. In the actual making of peace. But so is justice. Justice is vital in bringing about peace. As a queer couple I think one of the greatest peace we felt in this country was when the Obergefell. , decision came down and queer and gay marriage was legalized in this, in these United States.

We had been married twice before that. We had a handfasting. Which was just us and some friends at a. Park. And that meant a lot. That's our first union our second union, was a civil union in the state of California and that meant something, but it was also very, hollow. It was very transactional.

Extremely bureaucratic.

Extremely bureaucratic.

Uh, we'll call…

Join Charlie and Brian in this enlightening discussion on 'harvesting peace' during the first new moon after Lunasa. We explore the four paths of Creation Spirituality, focusing on the often misunderstood via negativa— the path of sorrow, letting go, and peace. Through a detailed explanation of violence as a removal of agency and an engaging analysis of cultural references like 'John Wick' and 'Derry Girls,' they delve into the essence of peace, incorporating mindfulness and personal anecdotes. This introspective session reflects on the broader implications of peace, justice, and free will, guiding viewers on how to find and cherish moments of tranquility amidst life's chaos. Don't forget to subscribe for more insightful content!

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In this special episode, Charlie, introduces the significance of Lunasa, one of the four harvest festivals. Joined by their husband Brian, they discuss the themes of the holiday, the importance of celebrating creative achievements, and the concept of justice over fairness. They emphasize reconnecting with nature, community, and the cycles of the earth. Additionally, they touch on the relevance of Lunasa in modern times, stressing the value of small victories and creative endeavors in a fast-paced world. The episode serves as an inspiring reminder to pause, celebrate, and appreciate both personal and collective milestones.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:28 Meet Charlie and Brian

00:39 Podcast Format and Upcoming Episodes

01:24 Celebrating Loughnasa

04:53 The Significance of Harvest

06:59 Modern Disconnect from Agrarian Roots

09:00 Celebrating Creative Works

12:37 The Importance of Celebration

16:18 Taking the First Step

16:51 Debating the Existence of Evil

18:25 Fairness vs. Justice

23:57 The Power of Perseverance

27:53 Celebrating Harvest and Justice

28:35 Gratitude and Support