The Hope

[Balder]

Has anyone here read The Hope by Andrew Harvey?  Here's an excerpt from it.

 

I've been reading it because I have elected to use it in one of my classes, and I have decided to post about it here because the book, I must confess, has moved me to tears on three occasions so far.  Harvey's approach, as those familiar with him will know, is typically flavored by a strong mix of bhakti/devotion and jnana/gnosis, which he grounds here in a focus on devotional service (of the disadvantaged, marginalized, and endangered) and radical activism (against corrupt institutional power in all forms).  His vision is more straightforwardly mystical and metaphysical, so his work is not really representative of many of the approaches we explore here, but there is something about his passion and the poetry of his expression that is speaking to me at this moment -- especially when, as I survey the news, I feel increasingly the acuteness of our situation  -- so I wanted to start a thread on this here.  If you've read the book, I'd welcome your comments.

[Balder]

This hardly qualifies as a book review yet, or even a compelling thread discussion about the book, but I am just logging in to report that it brought me to tears again today!  Wow.  I am reflecting on the reason(s) why and will write more soon.

[Mary W.]

Haven't read this particular work, but I love what I've read by Andrew Harvey -- am always moved by what (and how) he writes, and relish his "straightforward" mysticism.  ;) Thanks for the heads-up on The Hope.

Mary

[Mary W.]

P.S. -- tried to add this comment to the above note but got timed out --

These past few months I've been co-facilitating an Engaging Spirituality group of nine people at my church, a formation process that (from a Christian perspective) resonates in many ways with Harvey's Sacred Activism. Its exploration at the intersections of contemplative presence ("mysticism") and social action invites personal deepening, gratitude, compassionate choices, community healing, and justice-making. And on several occasions we have found ourselves with tears as well.

[Edward theurj Berge]

A recurring issue that came up in the discussion with Dierkes is that of a state (or states) of consciousness being at base of a spiritual endeavor. Granted spirituality or religion is about more than just states, but nonetheless a feeling of connection with God or the universe seems to be the motivating factor that compels us to enact compassion, justice etc. Thus every religious or spiritual tradition has some form of practice, ritual and/or liturgy to effect this state of wonder or awe, this feeling of connection with it All. So what is Harvey's practice, what is the resultant state-experience-feeling, and how does it motivate him to be socially engaged? I know you said for example jnana is the practice and gnosis is the state, but could you give descriptions of each and how this catalyzes action?

Note: I'm also exploring this in "complexity and pomo" via the virtual, but more from a scientific perspective. However as Balder noted Keller and company use it as a spiritual basis in Polydoxy.

[Balder]

Ah, Mary, nice serendipity.  The program looks very interesting; I certainly admire the work you are doing.  I expect your class would find resonance w/ Harvey's book; there is a strong Christian theme running throughout much of it.

[Balder]

Hi, Ed, I haven't gotten to the sections yet where he discusses his recommendations for various practices and orientations, but looking ahead and skimming, I can report on the basics:

He discusses "five flames of the sun of hope" (five essential components), five forms of service, and four sacred practices (cool, warm, prayer, body) that inform his vision of "sacred activism."

The five flames are: 

1) The nature of God or the divine, which he describes as the One that births the universe through the dance or marriage of opposites, the creative play of polarities in the dance of becoming.  Here, mystical consciousness is consciousness wherein the opposites are not antagonistic but are polarities held in creative tension.  A mysterious light or loving grace that is birth-and-death, creation-and-destruction, at once, that floods and illuminates all like moonlight.

2) Nondual relation with the divine, a living 'within' Love as sustaining Grace that also manifests Love-in-the-world through com/passionate action.

3) Worldwide mystical renaissance.  He thinks the unprecedented spread (and re-engaged practice) of mystical traditions around the world  is an essential resource for inspiring a new mode of being in the world, a mode that is open and balanced enough to respond effectively and creatively to our pressing challenges.  Here, he stresses the importance of the renaissance of more feminine modes of knowing and being.

4) The wisdom of the dark night, which he thinks will be essential for activists to be able to weather the worldwide crises that will increasingly unfold, as old orders and systems and modes of making meaning break down.  "Being burnt," not as simply being destroyed or harmed, but as being cooked, prepared, made savory.  Embrace of 'death(s)' within ourselves and our cultural forms as shadow-work, clearing work.

5) The sacred power of the divinized or transformed sacred activist.  Here, he describes the increased power and creativity of spiritually transformed individuals (believing our present crises call for radically new forms of being and thinking), while also reminding people of the potential for hubris and narcissism as spiritual experiences deepen and creative power increases.

The five forms of service are:  1) Service to the divine, 2) Service to self as instrument of the divine, 3) Service to all sentient beings in your life, 4) Service to one's local community, and 5) Service to the global community.

The four practices are:

Cool practices  -- practices which allow one to realize silence, equanimity, stillness, openness, peace.  He sees these practices as basic to the path of radical embodiment.  Examples:  chanting, awareness practices, cultivating stillness or silence in the midst of activity.

Warm practices -- heart practices which connect one to others, which tend the fire of compassionate passion.  Examples:  Tonglen, lovingkindness, etc.

Prayer -- practices of intentionally relating to and connecting with the divine or the sacred depths of being, and practices of setting sacred intention, vows, etc.  Ultimately, prayer not as a separate practice but as a mode of adoration that informs all life and activity. Examples:  devotional practices, the prayers of St. Francis or Shantideva (or others, of course) which help you to connect to one's deepest, most sacred intentions of compassionate service to others.

Sacred body -- practices which open, awaken, deepen embodiment, which he sees as a necessary balance for either cool or warm practices, a means of grounding such 'modes' (equanimity and passion) more fully in the body.  He sees much of our present world crisis as a 'body crisis' -- a crisis of not appreciating the gifts and the needs, limitations, etc, of embodied being and the 'body' of the world.  Examples:  yoga, dance as a spiritual practice.

He also outlines several "laws" of sacred activism:  spiritual practice, surrendering the fruits of action (letting go of need for specific outcomes, dedicating fruits to others), recognizing the power of evil in self and others, the alchemy of anger, constant shadow work, cultivation of joy, and the establishment of networks of grace (peer-to-peer model of grassroots activism and service).