Meister Eckhart insists on the nobility of the human being revealed—and released—in our creativity. Deep within each of us lies the Godself, the Christ, the “spark of the divine” that is a co-creator with the Creator, with the caravan of evolution. We are all meant to be mothers of God like Mary was, and instead of putting her on a pedestal, we are to imitate her by birthing the divine son in us and others and culture. The Holy Spirit assists us as she did Mary.
Here is how Eckhart puts it.
The work that is ‘with,’ ‘outside,’ and ‘above’ the artist must become the work that is ‘in’ him or her, taking form within him or her, in other words, to the end that she may produce a work of art, in accordance with the verse, ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee’ (Lk 1:35), that is so that the ’above’ may become ‘in.’
Here Eckhart brings a theology of creativity together with a theology of the Spirit and a theology of birthing. And what we birth is nothing less than the Christ in one’s own person and one’s own work. Mary did so and we are to imitate Mary.
Eckhart talks about two kinds of will power we all carry within us—that which is merely wishing and does not come from our depths. And that which is “determining and creative” and is truly a will to create. Inner discipline and commitment are required for the latter. This is what makes us a “wife” and not just a “virgin”: A commitment to bear fruit “that will last” and that includes inner discipline.
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Passion For Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, pp. 409f.
See also, Matthew Fox, Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet.
Banner Image: The Annunciation: the Virgin Mary says Yes to the conception of the Christ. Fra Angelico, ~1430. On Wikimedia Commons.
For a transcript of today’s video teaching, click HERE.
Queries For Contemplation
Do you recognize the Holy Spirit working within you and not just above you in your many acts of creativity? Do you recognize a resemblance therefore with Mary’s saying Yes to the Holy Spirit?
Recommended Reading
Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet
Because creativity is the key to both our genius and beauty as a species but also to our capacity for evil, we need to teach creativity and to teach ways of steering this God-like power in directions that promote love of life (biophilia) and not love of death (necrophilia). Pushing well beyond the bounds of conventional Christian doctrine, Fox’s focus on creativity attempts nothing less than to shape a new ethic.
“Matt Fox is a pilgrim who seeks a path into the church of tomorrow. Countless numbers will be happy to follow his lead.” –Bishop John Shelby Spong, author, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Living in Sin
4 thoughts on “Eckhart on Our Creativity & Nobility, continued”
It might be helpful to remember that ‘Mary’ was a down to earth Jewish girl whose name was Miriam. Continuing to identify her with an ancient goddess Mari blocks access to the historical woman whose pregnancy made her vulnerable to exclusion, and even death. ‘Fully Human x Fully Divine’ requires fulsome recognition of the human story.
Good point Gwen, and timely, coming on the day of the Assumption of Mary.
We are all co-creating, artists creating in collaboration with the essence and presence of the Divine, within ourselves, each other and the all and the everything. Personally I experience this reality as being midwifed by the Holy Spirit, whom assists us through this both painful and joyful process of birthing our true divine nature… already there, seeded within our humanity. The unfolding of this coming into being involves laboring, a movement of accepting, acknowledging, and responding to not only the pains and the joy of this birthing process… but also surrendering in faith hope and trust to and with the presence and essence of the spiritual companionship of the midwife, that being the Holy Spirit whom comforts, consoles and wisely counsels us through all of the pain, the joy, and all of the many labor’s of this transformative, co-creative birthing coming into being. As our Divine Mother, she then teaches us how to nurture, tend to, care for and protect, that which we have co-creatively birthed together, so that this will continue to grow, develop and mature within us. What we co-creatively give birth to is that inherent goodness and the beauty of this Divine Love and the many unique, diverse and authentic expressions and manifestations of this. The Holy Spirit, as our midwife is merciful with us through this laboring, offering to alleviate the pain that inevitably is a necessary part of this co-creative birthing… which eventually leads to the joy of becoming Oned With whom we are becoming.
Jeanette, thank you for these words today: “As our Divine Mother, she then teaches us how to nurture, tend to, care for and protect, that which we have co-creatively birthed together, so that this will continue to grow, develop and mature within us.” Amen !!!