Fresh Green Blessings

John 14:25-27 [Jesus said,] “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

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Thich Nhat Hanh writes, “The Holy Spirit, the energy of God in us, is the true door. We know the Holy Spirit as energy and not as notions and words. Wherever there is attention, the Holy Spirit is there. Wherever there is understanding, the Holy Spirit is there. Wherever there is love and faith, the Holy Spirit is there. All of us are capable of recognizing the Holy Spirit when it is present.”

Thay equates the Holy Spirit with Mindfulness. This may seem blasphemous to some - but perhaps only to those who have not experienced true mindfulness:  Have you experienced 100% presence? Have you been immersed - saturated - in complete gratitude for this moment? Have you experienced such total awe and wonder that a child’s face, a bumblebee, the swaying of the grass, or a song’s refrain places you on the verge of joyful tears?

What does it mean if we embrace Thich Nhat Hanh’s view of the Holy Spirit as Mindfulness? It means that the Holy Spirit is available 24/7. Tonight, after dinner, you can choose to practice mindful breathing or mindful waking and enter into a state of mindful presence; tonight, after dinner, you can invite the Holy Spirit into your home and into your being. Tomorrow morning as soon as you open your eyes, in the middle of the afternoon on Saturday, if you happen to wake up at 3:45 am one day next week, at any time, you have the option of being with the Holy Spirit through the practices of mindful breathing, mindful walking, and mindfulness meditation. As John’s Gospel implies, the Holy Spirit is made available to us - right now and always.

Breath. Spirit. Presence. Holy. Available. Now.

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The Holy Spirit is not to be limited by notions and words. Thich Nhat Hanh describes the Holy Spirit as the energy of God that is available to us right now. Take a few moments to notice your breathing. Be aware of your in-breath …. your out-breath …. your in-breath …. your out-breath. Let your breathing slow down, naturally. Breathe in and out as you read these words: In …. Out …. In …. Out … In …. Out.

Notice your body. Sit upright (if possible), but relax. Notice your muscles: in your neck, your back, your arms, your legs. Where are your muscles clenched or tight? Invite those muscles to relax with your out-breath, return to awareness of your posture with your in-breath, then invite the muscles to relax again on the out-breath: In-Posture …. Out-Release …. In-Posture …. Out-Relax …. In-Posture …. Out-Ease….

The Holy Spirit is available to us:  In …. Out …. In …. Out. Right now.

(Music: Courtesy of Adrian Von Ziegler, "Circle of Life." )

Genesis 9:8-17: Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, (1) “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. (2) I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (3) God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: (4) I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (5) When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (6) When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (7) God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” (NRSV)

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Anthropocentrism as a way of thinking and perceiving focuses on the primacy of humans, over and above all other animal and plant life. As the eco-theologian John Cobb notes, we are all rather anthropocentric, though it varies by degree. We rightly recognize that many Native American religions challenge our human-centered views with a recognition of the spirit of a river, mountain, tree, or animal.

We tend to regard the Judeo-Christian tradition as anthropocentric. There are good reasons for this. European explorers and Bible-thumpin’ settlers came to the Americas with their other-worldly, Heaven-focused theologies. They raped the New World and laid waste to land, plant life, and animals (as well as the indigenous peoples) proclaiming that such work was their destiny owing to their God.

It is surprising to find that the Bible those pioneers were thumpin’ often stands in direct opposition to anthropocentric thought. It does emphasize the covenantal relationship between God and humanity, but a human-centered reading misses much. After the flood narrative, God speaks of his covenant seven times. The covenant is far vaster than human concern, all seven times it embraces all earthly creatures, as well as the Earth itself: (1) and with every living creature..the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth...as many as came out of the ark. (2) never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. (3) between me...and every living creature...for all future generations: (4) between me and the earth. (5) between me...and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (6) the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. (7) between me and all flesh that is on the earth.

It is a testimony to the power of our anthropocentric presumptions that humans have ignored this seven-fold wallop of God. It is chilling, but perhaps not surprising - just express empathy or concern for animals or plants and note the reaction. And at the center of these seven ancient sacred proclamations, in the fourth one, God’s promise is most succinct, It is a “covenant between me and the Earth.”

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You may (or may not) push against the other-worldly, Heaven-focused theologies of your ancestors, but do you question their anthropocentric worldviews? Name a place in your concern that is not human-centered. Place that concern into the center of your meditation. What action might you take this week regarding your non-anthropocentric concern? How might you habitually keep non-human-centered concerns in your