Chapter 13- Religious Studies: Recommended, Part 2

The tending to bonfires and barbecues is a stimulant for the inspiration – whilst also, if there are others present, a wonderful community, communitive inspirationally as well!

The staff barbecue at the place of employment; the festival bonfire; the ‘say-goodbye-to-the-old’ burn-off; the kiln-pit firing; even the ol’ spit-roast … brings inspiration to the party attending, and inspires the group as a whole.

If you watch people who are gathered around a fire you will see that the emphasis is that of the folk being relieved from eye contact with one another. A lot of the time it is acceptable for the gaze to go to the flames and relax there, taking too the thought, and the time for thought.

Conversation is less hurried and the mood is more pensive. We are drawn to take in the aspects of the fire, as it takes to itself much and expires it rapidly.

Fires are a lovely way help us find the quiet connections that we have and maintain them. The tending of them is a great and responsible service.

Dedicated art incorporates, with adhesiveness, the spiritual worlds and their devotion into our physical habitat. We can learn to creatively, distinctively and consciously be artful in much that we do.

For example: if we are delivering a prayer or communion amongst others, or in simple dialogue which is inspired, we can embellish that which we do which ordinarily otherwise could be perfunctory routine to us. The embellishment need not be of ‘bad taste’, but rather something which is creatively added to and made wonderful by us in the very attempt to do so.

Folk instinctively respond to creativity with much delight. It proves firstly the curious nature we hold about us, the quirk and the quark, so to speak. Secondly, creativity is so revered and respected by the angelic humors, as this is not a talent that they are given to of themselves, but can appreciate much through the unpredictability of humankind.

Becoming artful is another way of becoming thoughtful. The sinister connotation this word has been given to indicates some kind of cunning or guile … whereas in its proper propriety it represents someone who is creatively and consciously (skilfully too) working to enhance the mundane with their imaginative talents.

Walking on water (in both the spiritual and physical context) is a condition whereby our relationship with the Divine Ego is supported and made buoyant, rather than drowned or held down, in the deep.

This is important and vital ideology to the Christian soul who seeks the egoic stronghood as is promised to him. Prior to this outer and inner example as was made clear by our beloved Christ, it was a presumed and given tenet that development meant subjugation to the seas of eternal splendour. We were all led to believe that Father God Himself was uncompromising, and that our own parts of egoic rapture were to be confiscated for the sake of the greater, all engulfing, cosmic whirlpools of a ‘higher consciousness’.

However, it is Christ that taught us that we could dance upon the waters. The uncanny truth to this is that whilst an individual is concealed from that understanding he may well be so contained and subservient to all kinds of ‘larger’ influences – which although of Father God may not necessarily be of Christ or pertinent to Man. Yet, wonderfully, when he has the revelation of his own strength within … and the right to be that strong … he cannot be held captive anymore. The freedom of spirit, of both ego and soul, is instantaneous!