NOTE: This weekend we at DM are altering our meditations slightly. Instead of the seven days a week of meditations in print with pictures and video, we are going to try a new format on weekends: A short, one paragraph meditation in print with a banner image; and a longer than usual meditation/commentary by video (roughly 5-7 minutes). It seems that YouTube has now made it possible for this to happen even on email messages, so we thought we would give it a try.
And this for two reasons. One is just to offer an alternative manner of communicating; and the second, to offer Matt an opportunity for more spoken-word creativity.
We hope you like this refreshed version of the daily meditations—it is just for weekends—the other five days a week will be as before.
The theme of the “royal person,” so richly developed by Meister Eckhart in today’s video, as well as other mystics, is foundational in the Jewish Scriptures. It is about our dignity but also our responsibilities.
It seems to me that it is foundational too in our time when masculinity is in so much confusion and pseudo-masculinity such as authoritarianism and fascism and notions that “only I can fix it” are spreading so swiftly in Hungary, Brazil, Poland, Russia and the United States.
Fascism is patriarchy on steroids. It is contrary to a Biblical view of the world because it is contrary to justice.
See: Matthew Fox, Passion for Creation, pp. 518-530.
Also see Matthew Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
Banner Image: “Meister Eckhart/Unio Mystica: A monk at whose center is a symbol uniting ratio and eros, heaven and earth, the male and the female energies in himself – thinking and feeling.” Image by Hartwig HKD on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
How does “the nobility inside” or “the royal person” speak to you especially regarding healing men and a healthy masculinity in our time?
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he unearths ten metaphors, or archetypes, ranging from the Green Man, an ancient pagan symbol of our fundamental relationship with nature, to the Spiritual Warrior….These timeless archetypes can inspire men to pursue their higher calling to connect to their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Every man on this planet should read this book — not to mention every woman who wants to understand the struggles, often unconscious, that shape the men they know.” — Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God
9 thoughts on “Eckhart on the Royal Person in Us All”
I really enjoyed this new format firstly. It feels much better for me.
If we are all royal persons to me it seems we have a responsibility to be Kings and Queen’s of divinity.
The divine will not complacently settle for injustice, it will not rest on laurels.
If we have been annointed( as royalty) as Christ’s or as Buddha,s or cosmic wisdom and follow Jesus words “follow me” that royal journey or path must lead to upholding and seeking compassion.
The King’s of Israel were given responsibility to ensure God,s will was done , that came with the territory. The same responsibility lies with us
I also totally agree how the masculine has been blindsided by an inert machine like model and seen that as how to rule itself and of course this has led to a distortion of our true nobility as Kings and Queen’s.
Real royal personhood might say not look at me, what I’ve done, who I’ve conquered _ but look what love, compassion and divinity has done to me .
It would then remind all of us of our nobility including a recognition of the nobility of nature and creation and how we as royal persons should defend it.
Thank you for today’s meditation. 🙏🏼
Steve, Thank you for your comments on divine personhood! I’m also glad you like the new format for the weekends! I do too…
Yes it works much better for me. I tend to listen to Matthews audio more recently so this expansion on spoken word is very helpful personally Richard.
I too like this new weekend format. Seems a bit more intimate. The words you spoke today, “nobility comes with responsibility”, strikes a cord with me. The word responsibility has often been misunderstood… weighed down, as if it is a burden to heavy to carry. Personally I like to turn it around stating that it is really the ability given me to respond… to respond to, from and with that essence and presence of the Divine nature incarnate within my own humanness, those of others, and the all and the everything of creation… that inherent goodness and the beauty of this… often veiled beneath distressing disguises. I have been given the ability to be responsive to this reality in any given moment… even when its hidden and I can’t see it, I can still choose to faithfully believe it to be true. It’s not always easy, to be responsive to this reality… as it is so much easier to react to the many masks that we all at times hide behind. There’s a certain kind of vulnerability in this gift given of the ability to respond, and when surrendered to, it becomes liberating rather than a burden.
Wonderful perspective. 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for your comments Jeanette. I too like the new weekend format. It does seem a bit more intimate. And your words, “that inherent goodness and the beauty of this… often veiled beneath distressing disguises”–remind me of words I have read by Mother Theresa…
Lovely. I appreciate that this new format gives us more time with Matthew. And Steve, I love looking at our lives, our accomplishments as: “look what love, compassion and divinity has done to me.” Thank you both.
Hi Michele
Yes , In addition to studying Matthews work I,m also reading , listening to Jim Finleys journey’s with the mystics podcasts ( which feats contributions from Mirabai Starr and Richard Rohr) I think i heard this here.
A true mystic never says look what I have attained in my journey but rather look what love ( wisdom) has done to me. I think this was also from Thomas Merton? And I,m sure Matthew has mentioned this as well.
Hi Steve
Yes, isn’t it lovely to have such good teachers available to us. I think a lot of us here study with both Matthew and the CAC. I just finished the Jim Finley/Mirabai Starr online class on St. Teresa of Avila and am still rereading the materials. In September, if it is still on due to the virus resurgence, I will be with many others in Albuquerque for the final Conspire conference. Maybe you are able to go too?