Eco Contemplative Practice for use in church services

On 6 October for the Harvest Eucharistic Service bringing the Season of Creation to a close at St James’s Piccadilly, the eco group was invited to introduce a contemplative element to the start of the main Sunday Service. Many people found this inspiring, so we thought others would be interested to hear about this. Here is the text that was used to introduce it:

“We’re entering into a really long tradition this morning, of Christian contemplation grounded in creation. Beginning in the third century, the desert fathers and mothers practised the art of attention, Prosoche (pro-so-chi), which included their sensory experiences.  

These early Christian contemplatives engaged all their senses, everything, they really knew that contact with their surroundings included everything they could see, but also transcended and went far, far beyond that. They sought a vision of the world as a whole. They realised that ‘to dwell in the place of God’ is to live with particular, intense awareness. Of living within an intricate web of relationships, which constantly shifted and changed.  

St Antony, for example, fell in love with a particular place in the desert where he built his cell. He planted a garden and gave himself fully to the life of that place. He lived within this beautifully reciprocal, fluid relationship between place and spirit, and his interior and exterior landscape.

So now we’re going to experience this contemplation for ourselves, and move to move out into the Courtyard or Garden, for about 5 minutes {give people longer if that is feasible.}

Please keep silence if you can, and allow some aspect of the created world to really hold your attention – to contemplate you. Maybe that will be a plant or piece of bark or a stone. Or simply look up at the sky, feel the air on your skin, or listen to the sounds.

(Version to use if too wet and this is done indoors): You can move around the space. Maybe you look and hold the things in front of you in the pews, the altar and reredos behind me, the fossils in the stone, or maybe the sound of rain outside.

See if you can gaze or listen as if for the first time. As you do, you might feel that creation contemplates you in return.

You’ll hear the sound of the singing bowl to call us back together again.”

Monthly eco contemplative liturgies

Every month in the garden at St James’s and on Zoom, there is an Eco Contemplative Liturgy before the main Sunday service, with has readings, prayers and a more extensive period for being in contemplation with the garden and its inhabitants. Further information from ecochurch@sjp.org.uk.

The above contemplation is based on The Blue Sapphire of the Mind. Notes for a Contemplative Ecology by Douglas E. Christie. Oxford University Press.

By Louise Livingstone, PhD

In August 1990, I succumbed to viral myocarditis; a severe inflammation of my heart muscle. I had just completed my A levels and was waiting for the results. In the early hours of results day, I experienced three cardiac arrests. I was admitted into hospital and confined to bed rest in the Coronary Care Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, which became my home for three months. With the loving care of my cardiologist and wonderful nurses, I made a slow and steady recovery. A decade later I developed heart rhythm problems, rendering me incapacitated and unable to breathe. In my personal and professional life, I was struggling. I was working in a stressful, high-pressure job that I did not like; I was scarcely making ends meet financially, I had just gone through a divorce, and my health was not good. Panic attacks and severe anxiety filled every waking moment. Conflict seemed to fill my life – both inside my body and everywhere I looked in my external world.

One night in the mid-2000s, following two laser ablations on the electrical pathways in my heart that were causing the arrhythmias, I was at my lowest ebb and could not see any way to proceed with my life. At this point, I heard a voice. And it came from my heart:

“Please, please stop this! You’re killing me! This conflict is your own creation, yet you also have the power to change it.”

In this moment, I saw my heart – as if for the first time. And, most importantly, I felt my heart – as if for the first time. When my heart spoke to me something deep inside fundamentally changed, and the way that I saw the world would never be the same again. However, now I was faced with a new problem in the sense that I was lost at sea in a different version of reality within which I had no point of reference. Specifically, I had no way of engaging with whatever this heart was that had just spoken to me. Witnessing my heart in this way was a new experience, and for the first time in my life my attention was drawn to the notion that the heart is not just a biological organ. I was slowly coming to understand that it is a place where thought arises, a place of loving intelligence. 

Of course, this idea is nothing new. For millennia, our ancient ancestors honoured the heart as the place of the soul. The ancient Egyptians revered the heart as the central organ of the body, the seat of conscience, the site of mind or intelligence, as well as the place associated with their spiritual destiny. In the Mayan culture, the heart was the source of life. Indeed, in Sufism, Orthodox Christianity and many other religious traditions, the heart is seen as the seat of compassion; a place where one can connect with the Divine. Ideas of the heart in Europe began to change significantly in 1628 when English physician William Harvey (1578-1657) published his findings on pulmonary circulation. With philosophers and scholars of the day increasingly conceptualising the world in dualistic and mechanistic terms as part of the Scientific Enlightenment, new ideas for the nature of reality were introduced into society and culture forming the basis of our modern worldview. This narrative has created the organic, pumping heart that we know today; moving from a cardio-centric (heart-centred) worldview, to a cranio-centric (brain/mind-centred) worldview at the level of medical theory (Bound Alberti, 2012, p. 7).

As a young girl, I came to know my heart as a biological organ. As I only knew the heart these terms, I consequently had no way of engaging meaningfully with the heart that spoke to me. While I could have remained with an explanation that would have reduced this deeply meaningful experience with my heart to a scientific/medical explanation – for example, a hallucination or a psychotic episode – I knew that what had happened was important, and that my heart was imploring me to listen. In a moment of deep knowing, I committed to listen to my heart’s wisdom, and my life from that point totally transformed.

I do not have room in this piece to describe in detail the incredible journey that I have undertaken with my heart since that time. However, over many years my heart has gently, yet assuredly, guided me onwards; helping me learn its language. This beautiful journey led me to undertake an MSc in Holistic Science at the Schumacher College, Devon, UK, and following this I gained a PhD scholarship at Canterbury Christ Church University. I completed my PhD in 2019, and my research gave me the opportunity to spend four years in conversation with my heart, learning to communicate with, and understand, its many different layers. My PhD title was: How can the thought of the heart offer effective ways of engaging with conflict – an imaginal and reflexive study.

Undertaking this deep enquiry into my heart, I was blessed, honoured, and privileged to meet many different hearts, and even today, I am still meeting many more that continue to teach me so much. Many years ago, my heart willed me to risk myself and venture into unfamiliar territory, into a way of knowing that begins in a turning where depth psychologist Robert Romanyshyn states, “you lose your mind for the sake of the heart” (2001, p. 146). This heart, I have discovered, is infinitely wise, unfathomably mysterious, and, the greatest teacher that I have ever had, transforming my entire outlook and approach to the world as a result. This heart offers each one of us an invitation to courageously break free from the rational ties that bind us, risk ourselves, imagine bravely, and step openly, lovingly and compassionately into the dance of life with all of its beauty and pain, love and hate, harmony and conflict. Our hearts are always speaking to us, and perhaps now more than ever, we are being called to re-learn how to listen. We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

An article by Louise in the Summer 2022 Living Spirituality Connections  newsletter (out during July 2022) explores the importance of the heart in addressing conflict.

Sources:

Bound Alberti, F. (2012) Matters of the Heart: History, Medicine and Emotion. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Livingstone, L. (2019) How can the thought of the heart offer effective ways of engaging with conflict? An imaginal and reflexive study. PhD. Canterbury Christ Church University.

Romanyshyn, R. (2001) ‘The Backward Glance: Rilke and the Ways of the Heart’, International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 20(1), pp. 143–150. doi: 10.24972/ ijts.2001.20.1.143

Bio: Louise Livingstone, PhD, is the Founder of the Heart Sense Research Institute – www.heartsenseresearch.co.uk. Her work aims to re-imagine the long-forgotten wise and intelligent heart for contemporary times; guiding individuals into the numerous layers of their own hearts, illuminating different hearts to help navigate daily life with heart awareness, openness, love and compassion. Louise has a flourishing private mentoring practice, and runs a three-month introduction to Heart Sense personal development course based on her research September 2022. She also runs a one-year apprenticeship, within which participants work deeply with six more hearts. For more information visit: https://www.heartsenseresearch.co.uk/training-events

There is an interesting discussion on Climate Justice in relation to Islam, Hinduism and Christianity on the Radio 4 website for another month. The programme was Beyond Belief 19 August 2019: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007qbq

In particular, Martin Palmer (founder of the Alliance for Religions and Conservation) speaks about his current initiative to enable faiths to invest in initiatives and products that are in line with their beliefs, including action on climate change. http://www.arcworld.org/projects.asp?projectID=660

On Friday 12 July LSC members attended a visit arranged by Eco Church at St James’s Piccadilly to Beddington Zero Energy Development housing community in the borough of Sutton.

BedZED is the UK’s first large-scale eco-village. 20 of us from St James’s, Kensington Unitarians, Greenspirit and Sustainable Haringey arrived for the tour of the site, conducted by Katherine Lund-Yates of https://www.bioregional.com/ which champions One Planet living.

Participants were impressed with what they saw\;

“Thank you so much for organising the Bedzed visit. I was very pleased to visit this iconic zero carbon housing community because it is often cited as an exemplar site.  It was interesting to hear about the things that have not worked so well, in addition to things that have been a success. In particular, it is heartening that a sense of community has been fostered on the site and that people are keen to stay. It looks like a well-loved space and is bursting with greenness! ”   PH

 “Seeing Bedzed was an encouraging insight into a cohesive community where eco-living solutions are made straightforward and accessible. It was very insightful being able to see inside a home; I was able to get a real sense of the quality of living and ‘comfortablity’ that the residents experience – and that living in a sustainable way, with a vastly reduced ecological footprint, needn’t be without creature comforts. For that reason, Bedzed seems to appeal to a broad demographic.” OH

“There was much to impress us at BedZed. A sustainable community that people clearly enjoy living in; innovative technology; small gardens for every property, even the studio flats; well insulated properties and very low fuel bills. But the bit that impressed us most was the meadow, shared by all the residents. We visited on a warm, sunny day and it was filled with bees and other insects enjoying the meadow flowers – a special open space available to everyone.” ST

 The only disappointment expressed was “I found it inspirational, if disappointing that the BedZ example hasn’t become the norm by now.” CT

 Bioregional are developing new schemes using the One Planet Living sustainability framework. Go to https://www.bioregional.com/one-planet-living/get-involved-with-one-planet-living

For two short videos about the work of BedZED and Bioregional, see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFrqRJbCmIQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60es4dTm8Q4

Thank you to David Carter for organising the visit as well as lunch places and a walk by the river Wandle and around Beddington Park, where people were thrilled to see a demoiselle.

Thank you also to Katherine Lund-Yates of Bioregional for giving us an informative tour of the scheme and for answering so many questions.

Report on lecture by John F. Haught

Living Spirituality Connections, in partnership with Eco Church at St James’s, hosted this lecture by John F Haught, distinguished Research Professor at Georgetown University, on 2 June 2019.

Professor Haught with the event Chair, Rev Lucy Winkett. 

Professor Haught emphasised the importance of religion learning from findings in geology, biology and cosmology, and of integrating these into our contemporary theological understandings. He focused on the importance of a sense of purpose and meaning in the universe. He related what he had to say closely to the content of Laudato Si, the Pope’s encyclical on care for our common home, issued in 2015, which is informed by modern scientific understandings of our place in the universe. Professor Haught is also greatly influenced by the writings of radical theologian Teilhard de Chardin, who regarded the universe as in development towards a future where all will be fulfilled.

In John Haught’s view, like Alfred North Whitehead and Process Theology generally, the universe has always been restless, and the divine is a source of novelty and disturbance as much as of stability.

He spoke of the importance of regaining a deep sense of connection with nature, which had been present in the Medieval period, but largely was lost after Descartes and the Enlightenment. This connection was also lost as a result of the “ontology of death” which became dominant in Christianity, and which enables us to tolerate the death of nature.

It is vital that we re-form our connection to all things, which has been present from the first movements of the Big Bang. The values of physical constants were set at that time that later enabled the components of life and mind to develop. In the new cosmic story which we have gained from scientific endeavours, there is a sense of deep time, in which human life appears very late in the history of the cosmos.

John Haught suggests that an important way of reconnecting with all of life is to recognise the anticipatory view of the evolution of life, in which we are still moving towards fullness of being, and need to be patient about our lack of complete understanding of the purpose of life at this time. We need to retain a sense of hope about the future and to trust that what’s going on in the cosmic drama is leading towards greater revelation of beauty and meaning in the whole of life.

Feedback from participants in the event included: “A revelation!”, “Absolutely excellent”, “brilliant”,  “inspiring to deep thought and new awareness of a comprehensive view of the world and the cosmos still unfolding.”, and “Please more talks like this. Really inspiring.”

Professor John F Haught is author of over twenty books: if you’d like to read some of them, a good place to start is:

The New Cosmic Story: Inside Our Awakening Universe. 3 Nov 2017

Brighthelm, Brighton, 8 June 2019

This event, exploring the Living Spirituality Connections’ theme for the year, has been empowering, encouraging, informative and inspiring, according to the feedback from participants. Our keynote speaker, award-winning environmentalist and solutionist Nicola Peel, was “Awesome, inspiring, deeply moving, deeply sad” but, “I was so glad of the solutions put forward” said a participant. Nicola’s explanation and illustration of biomimicry was particularly interesting and encouraging. The “What can I do?” section of her talk was very useful and gave people thoughts about what to follow up.

Workshops by Philip Roderick, Sandy Elsworth, Alex Mabbs, and Nicola Peel, were described by participants as follows:

Philip “I was reminded again of the incredible value of carving out time and space to replenish my spirit and thereby renew my activism.”

“Wonderful leadership – quiet presence and acceptance. Interesting tool for learning and reflection.”

Alex “Well navigated around the spiritual and Christian. Really thought-provoking.”

“Very helpful in terms of identifying a positive and practical approach, avoiding hopeless despair or judgmentalism.”

“Linking the health of the planet and people, with a deep seated spiritual dimension.”

Sandy on the Great Water Challenge:

“The scientific input was particularly interesting with the implications helpfully dawn out.”

“Fantastic, informative, animated.”

Nicola “Good to combine experience and practice.”

“Really worthwhile. Enjoyed discussion and I added to my to do list.”

“Lots of thoughtful and inspiring stuff.”

Writing about the whole event, Deborah Colvin (Sustainability Champion at St James’s Piccadilly) said:

 “I really appreciated the explicit co-mingling/admixture of science, spirit, activism and contemplative approaches in this event.  This is the third time I have heard Nicola talk about how human flourishing and earth flourishing can coincide, using her work in the Amazon as examples. Each time I hear Nicola, I have more ideas e.g. this time, making a water-catching sail for my porch roof to fill a water butt.

The workshops were excellent. Philip Roderick’s Green Grace was great, and gave me ideas we can implement in the Eco Contemplative Liturgies we put on in the church garden.  Sandy Elsworth’s Great Water Challenge gave us really good practical information. Water is not considered nearly enough when we are thinking about the environmental crisis.

I would like to see more of this kind of event, with outputs from the groups which go directly to politicians.”

The day was co-created by Earth Church at Brighthelm http://brighthelm.org.uk, Living Spirituality Connections, and Spirit of Peace http://www.spiritofpeace.co.uk.

People in several areas are thinking of doing a similar event in the future.

To find out more about Nicola Peel’s work go to http://nicolapeel.com and https://www.eyesofgaia.com/

People from Living Spirituality Connections and St James’s Church Piccadilly at Parliament Square

About 12,000 people gathered in Westminster on Wednesday to put pressure on politicians, according to the organisers the Climate Coalition and Greener UK, whose members include aid agencies, social groups and conservation organisations. At least 195 MPs who met campaigners

Campaigners, religious leaders and people of various faiths, led by the former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams proceeded along Whitehall on a walk of witness.

Rowan Williams said he was proud the UK was taking the climate crisis seriously. “I compare it with the great struggle 200 years ago with ending the slave trade. Parliament took an option that wasn’t easy, it must have felt risky at the time facing massive entrenched global culture – and things changed,” he said. He went on to say that we have become absolutely irrational as a species, and need to recover an enriched rationality.