Times of uncertainty were common in the lives of mystics like Julian of Norwich, who lived through the black plague. Left to quarantine in our homes, there couldn’t be a better time to listen to the voice of the mystics and the Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox. His new book, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas, serves as a rallying call for sacred activists. The wisdom of Aquinas is breathed into our world through Dr. Fox, and it shines light on our current planetary crises.
In the first chapter, Fox champions democratizing mysticism and democratizing prophesy. And what better to democratize us than a global pandemic? On this episode, Dr. Fox talks about understanding the coronavirus as a collective spiritual initiation, albeit a baptism in fire.
Is this the earth calling us back with fiery rage, reminding us of what has been ignored? From the Enlightenment Era forward, there has been a current of thought and action that prided itself on wanting to control nature, master it, and do with it what we like. But capitalistic greed, patriarchal control, and ubiquitous self-absorption have led us away from the Divine Feminine and our shared ecosystem.
So here speaks the Earth, birthing forth a pandemic, screaming us back to the forgotten natural harmony, back to our bodies, back to our health and our collective well-being. We’ve ignored the Earth Goddess for too long. Kali rages. Gaia moans. The country is brought to its knees. Dolphins and white swans appear in the canals of Venice as we are forced to stay inside. Let the work begin.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox is a spiritual theologian, an Episcopal priest and an activist for gender justice and eco-justice. He has written 37 books that have been translated into other languages over 70 times. Among them are Original Blessing, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, A Spirituality Named Compassion, The Reinvention of Work, The Hidden Spirituality of Men, Christian Mystics and The Pope’s War. His latest book is The Tao of Thomas Aquinas, and he has quite a backstory too. You can find out more about him at his website, matthewfox.org.
Contemplative Light provides education and resources in a global effort towards inner transformation through contemplative prayer and meditation. Find us on Facebook as Contemplative Light where we have a very active community. Contemplative Light. Silence. Practice. Healing.
In response to the difficult situation we are all facing, now through June 1 you can take any of our courses at no charge. Learn more here.
