Religion means reconnecting

A religion?

Don’t panic yet…

 

In order to make a monastery (for free/affordable housing) we have to have an official religion with creeds, forms of worship, beliefs sincerely held by its members, etc.

Let’s try looking at it this way: the word religion comes from the Latin roots re (again) & ligio (to connect). At its root, religion simply means to reconnect. Given that connection & wholeness are also the core of flourishing & peace, religion as a system of reconnecting people to themselves, each other, the earth, & something greater doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

The intention is to make an inclusive container for the flourishing of all.

 
 
 
the-one-of-one
 

C R E E D

 

  • We are one of one.

  • God is love.

  • We conspire with & toward good.

one-of-one-neuron-bloom
 

What do we mean by these statements?

 

W E A R E O N E   O F   O N E

  • We are individuals 

  • We are all connected to & function as a greater one

  • Everything belongs

  • There is a fractal nature to the universe

  • We can learn more about God from those who are not like us

  • We each have our own path

G O D   I S   L O V E

  • There is a Divine Reality that is benevolent & loving

  • God/Love/the Field/Source is the flowing connection between all

  • Love is both gravitational & expanding

  • We come from & will return to love

  • Love liberates

  • Our job is to not block but join the flow

W E C O N S P I R E  F O R G O O D

  • We help bend the arc of history toward good through collective discernment

  • The potential for good is limitless

  • Pain, suffering, & evil are instructive, teaching us the direction of goodness

  • We re-connect & make things, people, & places more & more whole

  • We practice power with not power over

 

Important Definitions

 
bird of paradise

F L O U R I S H 

An organism is flourishing when it is alive, fully functioning & whole; able to connect meaningfully to self, others, & the natural world in the present moment, most of the time.

T R A U M A  

We all suffer from trauma & inherited trauma. Trauma, from the Greek root, simply means an unhealed wound. Trauma is not an event that happens to us, but what happens inside us when we disconnect from our ability to feel, be present, & respond flexibly to situations.

R E L I G I O N

Religion comes from the root words re & ligeo, which means to re-ligament or re-connect. At its core, religion is a system to heal & reconnect areas of misalignment & separation.

P L A C E - B A S E D   H E A L I N G  

Healing, from its origins, literally means making whole. Healing cannot happen in isolation, only within & through webs of connection: mind, body, spirit, as well as individually, communally & with the natural world.

 
 
unsplash-image-7omHUGhhmZ0.jpg

H U M A N    F L O U R I S H I N G

We see humans flourishing when they: 

  • Feel they are a meaningful part of something bigger than themselves

  • Feel a sense of love & connection with others

  • Are aligned with & connected to their mind, body, & spirit’s needs

  • Are meaningfully connected with nature

 
 
image.jpg

F L O U R I S H I N G    P L A C E S

Ask questions like:

  • What do the people & ecosystem here need to flourish?

  • How can we design circular systems that get the entire job done (without waste)?

  • Would I be willing to step into the life of any person here despite their race, gender, sexual orientation, financial wealth, age, religion, etc.?

  • Can everyone play? Does everyone have the time, energy, resources, & emotional safety to be able to play at times & enjoy life authentically?

  • How can we do things more beautifully & more aligned with life (growing in diversity, not cancerous, etc.)?

  • Does everyone feel heard?

  • How can we build & live in a way that will make this place better in 300 years?

  • How can we express more of our essence in ways that meaningfully & lovingly connect with others?

  • How can we use the best of past wisdom & technology as well as the best research & tech available today?

one-of-one-neuron-bloom
 
 
the-one-of-one
 

O R I E N T A T I O N S

 

  • Love

  • Life

  • Flow

  • Feminine energy

  • Beauty

  • Joy

 

What do we mean by these orientations?

 
love

L O V E

  • Is where we come from

  • Is in us 

  • Liberates 

  • Lets go of control

  • Sees & hears the other

  • Is unhurried

  • Respects

  • Doesn’t act in fear

  • Holds space for the other

  • Attracts

life-lichen

L I F E

  • Flows energy

  • Grows

  • Diversifies, thrives in diversity

  • Evolves, adapts

  • Lovingly exchanges information at intimate (human) scale

  • Reproduces

  • Regenerates

  • Stabilizes, balances, & develops closed-loop ecosystems

  • Manifests in individuated forms

  • Senses

  • Embodies

flow-river

F L O W

  • Moves in cycles

  • Teaches us humility & the power of the downward path

  • Reflects truth when calm & undisturbed

  • Teaches us non-attachment, ease around obstacles, & generosity

  • Gathers naturally to move mountains

masculine-feminine-energy

T H E    F E M I N I N E  

Masculine & feminine energy are in each of us. Both are good. In our present time & culture, however, masculine energy exists at toxically high levels. We practice leaning into the feminine to restore balance.

beauty-rose-opening

B E A U T Y

  • Guides us toward the good, true, & just

  • Imagining & creating the most beautiful things & systems we can dream of is our sacred gift

  • Keep asking, “How could this be done more beautifully?”

image.jpg

J O Y

  • Feels like aliveness, presence, pleasure, delight, & freedom 

  • Reveals truth & our personal calling as a faithful guide

  • Can be cultivated

 

We have tons of teachers like…

 

  • Nature

  • Inner wisdom

  • Richard Rohr

  • Thich Nhat Hanh

  • Dr. Gabor Maté

  • Resmaa Menakem

  • Randy & Edith Woodley

  • Ruth King

  • Brene Brown

  • Dr. Esther Sternberg

  • Martha Beck

  • Charles Eisenstein

  • bell hooks

  • Neil Degrasse Tyson

  • Dr. Richie Davidson

  • Joanna Macy

  • Dr. Susan David

  • Jane Goodall

  • Audre Lorde

  • Alain de Button

  • Hafez

  • Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor

butterfly teachers
 
 
dandelion-fractal
 
 
the-one-of-one
 

A C T S O F D E V O T I O N

 

  • Flow with your deepest knowing

  • Heal, evolve, regulate, & flourish

  • Share power with (not over) others

  • Connect with self, others & nature

  • Dream & create a more beautiful world

  • Cultivate your joy

  • Love & serve others

 
 

 So what do you think?

Is this something you want to help co-create? We’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, suggestions… And we’d definitely love to have you join us as we get creative to help make better environments for flourishing for all.