Since the racial attack by an 18-year-old white supremacist who drove 200 miles to murder ten black people, we have been addressing the topic of Evil in our Daily Meditations.
We cannot forget that this murderer tells us that he was egged on by teachings from Fox News star and Rupert Murdoch darling Tucker Carson who has preached about Replacement Theory over 400 times. He is also buttressed by hundreds of years of racism and colonialism, along with current political pandering and racist fear mongering that gets some politicians elected and renders certain media moguls very wealthy.
Among the topics we have considered are the following:
- Finding the Sacred, Facing Hatred: The Buffalo Racial Massacre;
- Origins and Nature of Hatred;
- Hatred and Resentment: Evil Forces in Our Midst
- Pessimism, Hatred and Self-Hatred;
- Some Practices to Prepare for Facing Evil.
With the latter topic we return to the oases that are available to us as camel-like people in a caravan traversing the deserts of climate change, matricide, anthropocentrism, war, violence, greed that constitute much of our human journey at this perilous time. It is necessary to return regularly to the watering hole of the Sacred called Original Blessing that fills us with refreshment and sustenance for the journey, grounding us and energizing us.
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi used to say, “there is more good than evil in the world—but not by much.” I find this observation very real and I see a twinkle in Reb Zalman’s eye every time I recite it.
If evil and the good are fairly balanced in this world of ours, then surely we have to be on the lookout to see both and see them realistically in order be to respond wisely. This is where inner work comes in. And the practice of virtue which Hildegard of Bingen called our “manliness” or healthy masculine side of practiced courage that stands up and says “No. We can do better.” Cultivating our good and best habits is authentic masculinity at work.
One way to name our good and best habits is to consider the seven chakras. Each chakra is a power center or love center or “original blessing” each of us carries within us. For example: Our potential for connecting to the whole (first chakra); our potential for heathy-self love or pride (also first chakra); our potential for loving power with—not power over (second chakra); our potential for responding to injustice and kick-starting compassion (third chakra); our potential for love and compassion (fourth chakra); our potential for finding our voice and speaking out (fifth chakra); our potential for finding wisdom and balancing both rational and intuitive brains (sixth chakra); and our potential for gathering all our light energy and releasing it to build community with other light beings whether human, angelic or ancestral (seventh chakra).
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. 105-130.
Also see Matthew Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: Energy of the chakras manifesting. Image originally posted to Flickr by Jeanette P.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you agree with Reb Zalman that there is more good than evil in the world—but not by much? What follows from that? Do you recognize the chakras as “original blessings” and power places do develop strength to combat evil?
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7 thoughts on “Chakras as Original Blessings in Our Struggle Against Evil”
Matthew, I’m glad we have come to an oasis in our journey through the desert of “Original Cursing.” So in our Queries for Contemplation you ask us: “Do you agree with Reb Zalman that there is more good than evil in the world—but not by much?” I agree with you on this point as well with Reb Zalman! Then you ask us: “What follows from that?” I think you answer that and say it best when you say: “It is necessary to return regularly to the watering hole of the Sacred called Original Blessing that fills us with refreshment and sustenance for the journey, grounding us and energizing us.” And so it is that you say each chakra is a power center or love center or “original blessing” each of us carries within us. Now this is an unashamed commercial, but I have to recommend you to read Matthew’s book: SINS OF THE SPIRIT, BLESSINGS OF THE FLESH: TRANSFORMING EVIL IN SOUL AND SOCIETY. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Matthew allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil.
You also ask this: “Do you recognize the chakras as “original blessings” and power places do develop strength to combat evil?” Yes I do, because I first have to be (1) rooted in the earth, then allow myself to (2) think creatively and work in creative ways, then (3) use my will for determination, and have (4) a heart that is soft and not hardened to humanity, (5) a prophetic voice that fears not to speak, (6) spiritual vision to see things clearly, and (7) the crown chakra where we connect to the Divine and the source of all true mysticism.
Beautiful and intentional steps to focus upon today and everyday. Always grateful for these teachings.
It seems the mystery of darkness and light, and all contraries, opposites and polarities have a counterbalancing influence on one another in creation, with a slight favoring to the good. That is, until it comes to humans where it seems the reverse is the case it seems an insidious degenerative imbalance favors evil. So I agree with the good rabbi, partially, and with that exception. And the evidence for that innate natural depravity is everywhere abundant. Why else would the whole of humanity need salvation? And why else would the the earth, just in terms of climate change alone, itself be in such irreversible peril? And why else would Jesus need to come again, if humanity had the general wherewithal (the overall power of good) to deliver itself from the error of its own self-destructive ways? And why would the apostle Paul, writing in II Timothy 3: 1-7 declare that “in the last days perilous times shall come,” and lists at least 20 different and flagrantly egregious ways characteristic of our times, worsening by the day. Despite multiple original blessings bestowed upon the earth still extant today, it appears, on balance, that humanity is the odorous fly in the otherwise sweet smelling apothecary’s ointment of of creation. Humanity, not Covid, is the pandemic the earth can do without. Seems we are in the end times, the last days of the last days. So Lord, we beseech you in desperately fervent concert, send your promised kingdom soon. And by the way, when the enemy (Satan) works the worst of his dark ways, historically, the target is always the innocents, particularly children.
Another mass shooting yesterday in Texas, where 19 children and two adults lost their lives… clearly exemplifies once again that there is much evil in this world. Yet, at the same time, here in Ontario and Quebec, we see the good, as people are relentlessly helping each other out, due to the ravages of violent wind storms and flooding that has devastated many and that also took the life of 10 people. Yes, I agree with the statement that there is more good in the world than evil, but not by much. I suspect that part of the reason we perceive things this way, is that the media seems more focused on reporting the bad news then the good… as this tactic seems to increase ratings. Perhaps there is alot more good going on in the world that we simply just don’t hear about.
I also agree with what has been mentioned in today’s DM and also commented on so beautifully by Richard… that being that our chakras are apart of the Original Blessing… the sacred temple of light… which we not only embody… but which also is the vessel through which we reflect, express and co-creatively manifest the Doxa, the glory of God’s essence and presence in our midst, from within. Yesterday, we shared how we can kindle the light of this Original Blessing, tending to, caring for, nurturing, cultivating, reflecting, expressing and manifesting the Spirit of the nature of this goodness, the beauty and the sacredness of the Divine, from within. Truly, Jesus has told us, that “the Kingdom/Queendom of God is within.” We have been given this Original Blessing… not to be hidden under a bushell, but rather to give of ourselves to others, as carriers, bearers and birthers… reflecting, expressing and manifesting the true nature of this inherent goodness, this beautiful and sacred light of love, compassion and mercy… the spiritual essence and presence of God with us, for us and moving through us, in the midst of this darkened world.
May we remain focused on God’s vision, aiming and aligning our intentions… discerning and making daily… choices that hit the mark… in our life-long journey of continously unfolding, evolving and emerging into becoming and being whom we are… created in God’s image and likeness.
Matthew, I’m glad you also mentioned our seventh chakra “… as our potential for gathering our light energy and releasing it to build community with other light beings whether human, angelic or ancestral… “ It seems like more positively and hopeful, in spite of the increasing societal and environmental problems, there also seems to be an increasing awareness of multidimensional spirituality among individuals (especially the young), science, and society (see noetic.org and eternea.org as examples of this spiritual awakening). Along with the development of our other chakras on our spiritual journeys, also essential is our Faith, Hope, Divine Love, Wisdom, Justice, Compassionate Being & Becoming, co-Creating with-in our Creator~Source’s Loving Diverse Oneness in the Sacred Process of the Eternal Present Moment….
🔥❤️🙏
“The glory is not an exception, but an AURA that lies about ALL being… a Spiritual setting of reality.” (Abraham Heschel)
I second the suggestion to read Matthew’s book on “Sins of the Spirit, Blessing of the Flesh..”. It is a wonderful resource, and I go back to it from time to time. I also think that the media so skews the “news”, and certain commentators are so loud, that we can have a false notion of what really goes on–which is the good and evil always but without any attempt to balance. I agree with the rabbi that the good may barely outweigh the evil but note again that these horrific events such as the massacre yesterday also bring outpourings of comfort and support both publicly and privately in great numbers.
I have a neighbor who has started an afterschool program geared for girls but also accepts boys to encourage STEM. She happens to be black and gets very discouraged but I take great hope from what she is doing and remind her that there are many loving people out there in small or large groups or even as individuals who are acting as beacons of light as they work for education or justice or who are creative and lift up our hearts with their writings or singing or dancing or acting or telling jokes, etc., etc. We must be good camels in this present desert of fear and hatred.