We have been celebrating the seventh chakra and its culminating powers of light that we are to send into the world. And how different this is from that shadow side of the seventh chakra that sends envy and chaos, violence and hatred, into the world. Indeed each chakra carries light within it.
I find myself thinking of what I call the “triple A’s” when I think of the seventh chakra. By that I meant the light we send out (and receive) from our Allies, other light beings here on earth that we work with to build communities of all kinds. At work. In family. In our role as citizens and stewards of the earth. Mentors. Students.
All our various communities, remembering that the word community etymologically means to share a common task together. So many tasks to do! So many communities to which we belong.
A second A is that of Ancestors. We have inherited so much from others, all of whom are now gone or passed on. We are in communion with them, in community with them. We often call this community the communion of saints.
The third A is Angels. Spirit beings, intelligent and loving, who are eager to related to us and connect to us and instruct us and who operate exclusively by intuition. “Angels cannot help but love,” says Thomas Aquinas. And they learn exclusively by intuition. Thus, as we develop our mystical side or intuitive side, we are likely to encounter them hitchhiking on the highway of intuition.
Our light energy, the sparks of our soul, travel along all our chakras but the seventh chakra is a kind of culmination of that fire energy.
Meister Eckhart talks about “the spark of the soul” often. He urges us to take responsibility to fan it and develop it into a fire, a fire of love. Thomas Aquinas said that “Compassion is the fire that Jesus came to set on the earth.”
Eckhart is not at all alone in this terminology. The Zohar and Kabbalah, medieval works of Jewish mysticism, also develop a rich teaching about the sparks of creation.
And so does Islam, indeed Eckhart gives explicit credit in at least eleven different sermons to Avicenna, the Muslim philosopher who lived 200 years before him, for naming the “spark of the soul” for him.
We will touch on all these teachings in the next few daily meditations, but we will begin with Eckhart.
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. 359-369.
And Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake, The Physics of Angels, pp. 75-132.
Also see Matthew Fox, Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen, plate 25 and pp. 157-162.
And Matthew Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times, pp. 189-197.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “Allies.” Equality March 2017, Washington, DC. Photo by Ted Eytan on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Do the “triple A’s” help summarize for you the work of the 7th chakra? Do you find allies who support your need for community today? How do you honor your ancestors? Have you had experiences of angels and found others to share your experiences with and for them to share theirs?
Recommended Reading
The Physics of Angels: Exploring the Realm Where Science & Spirit Meet
By Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake
When was the last time a scientist and a theologian discussed angels together? What are angels? Many people believe in angels, but few can define these enigmatic spirits. Now visionary theologian Matthew Fox and acclaimed biologist Rupert Sheldrake—pioneers in modern religious thinking and scientific theory—launch a groundbreaking exploration into the ancient concept of the angel and restore dignity, meaning, and joy to our time-honored belief in these heavenly beings.
Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen
An introduction to the life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, Illuminations reveals the life and teachings of one of the greatest female artists and intellectuals of the Western Mystical Tradition. At the age of 42, she began to have visions; these were captured as 36 illuminations–24 of which are recorded in this book along with her commentaries on them.
“If one person deserves credit for the great Hildegard renaissance in our time, it is Matthew Fox.” – Dr Mary Ford-Grabowsky, author of Sacred Voices.
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time
While Matthew Fox recognizes that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers throughout history, he also wants to introduce Eckhart to today’s activists addressing contemporary crises. Toward that end, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and many others.
“Matthew Fox is perhaps the greatest writer on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has successfully bridged a gap between Eckhart as a shamanistic personality and Eckhart as a post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith movement, to reveal just how cosmic Eckhart really is, and how remarkably relevant to today’s religious crisis! ” — Steven Herrmann, Author of Spiritual Democracy: The Wisdom of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Forward
11 thoughts on “Light, the 7th Chakra, and the ‘Triple A’s’”
Matthew, I can tell I’m going to enjoy these Queries for Contemplation: (1) “Do the “triple A’s” help summarize for you the work of the 7th chakra?” The short answer is yes, but first we have to show what they are: ALLIES, other light beings here on earth that we work with to build communities of all kinds. At work. In family. In our role as citizens and stewards of the earth. Second we show the ANCESTORS We have inherited so much from others, all of whom are now gone or passed on. We are in communion with them, we often call this community the communion of saints. The third A is ANGELS. Spirit beings, intelligent and loving, who are eager to relate to us and connect to us and instruct us and who operate exclusively by intuition.
(2) “Do you find allies who support your need for community today?” Yes, in our Creation Spirituality community here in Northern California, and in the Senior Living Community we live in.
(3) “How do you honor your ancestors?” We honor our ancestors every year on All Saints Eve or Halloween or Samhain (Gaelic for “Summer’s End”). I also honor my ancestors when I do Lectio Divina reading of sacred scriptures and spiritual and religious writings, as well as the works of poets.
(4) “Have you had experiences of angels and found others to share your experiences with and for them to share theirs? I will just say, “Be careful to entertain strangers, for some have entertained angels unaware (Heb. 13:2)…
P. S. And on a dark note: “And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Love and loving contexts (warmth and light), are derivatives of the holy spark hidden within each soul, and every religious tradition. A radical disconnect from this spark and these contexts is the root of all personal and societal malaise, discontent disorder, alienation, darkness and evil. Seems the ascending chakras represent various gradations of this light, rising in levels of compassion, divine illumination, mindfulness, and other-directedness (integral knowing) as on a dimmer switch, the purest and most intense of which terminates at the crown chakra. And like a dimmer switch, the degrees of manifest warmth and light at a given time can increase or decrease, rise or fall like mercury in a thermometer. Such pivots on the conditions that cause it to advance or regress, intensify or dim on the spectrum of light that a soul may be inhabiting at any given time. Even the dimmest shade of light, approaching darkness itself, must somehow lie on that same spectrum of light, and be included in it. Said Jesus of light, “if the light in u be darkness, how great is that darkness indeed” (Matt. 6:22). With practice, the divine spark can be fanned into its brightest and warmest flame at the crown chakra, which is perhaps why fire is a primary symbol for Spirit across religions. And why sitting before a campfire or fireplace creates such personal fascination and tranquility. There, in the embers and flame, the soul perceives and experiences its essence in warmth and light, once removed. Said poetically, ‘a fire makes u want to sit, and feel the quit awe in it; alone, in company, or song, affirming we indeed belong.’ Invite someone whose inner light and warmth is dimmer, darker, and colder than your own to in some way be warmed, illuminated, and kindled by the presence of yours today. Or, in reverse fashion, seek that out in another whose proximity to the flame is contagiously brighter and warmer than yours, that yours may be stoked to greater fervency.
Joe, Thank you for your description of the gradations [sliding scale] of darkness and light and for Matthew 6:22.
Mathew’s tripple “A’s” teachings, regarding the 7th chakra, brought to my remembrance the Shamanic teachings I learnt of during my apprenticeship. Above the 7th chakra we have a halo. This halo is made up of a triple aspect as well, kind of like mirrors that reflect light. The center of the halo is called the Mirror Dancer. This dancer is absolute pure thought and includes reflections of all our spirit personalities. It experiences different and seperate realities and travels out in the dream. This dream energy mind body, helps us to open ourselves to the collective dream and the voice of our Elder Shield, our internal grandmother and grandfather. The Mirror Dancer is like the Magician in the Tarot, for it knows the value and power of ceremony, alchemy, astral projection and controlled dreaming. It knows that change is inevitable, so it’s movement always takes you forward into the mystery of the unknown.
On the right side of the halo, is our Ancestor Spirit Dancer. This Dancer is the part of us that is totally immortal, pure mind and already enlightened. It is called the awakener of memory. It’s task is to get you to wake up in this dream. It holds the Books of Life for every time that you existed in physical form. Therefore, it is called the Keeper of the Akashic Records. This Dancer guides us to see and know that all past, present and future is truly here now. We then see that we are, the way, the light and the truth. This is kind of like the Hermit Card in the Tarot.
On the left side of the halo, is the Great Sleeper Dreamer Dancer. This is our inner god or goddess. It is the part of us which holds onto all the selves we are, have been, and will be. It is our job to integrate these. Space and time do not exist for this Dancer, for this Dancer knows that this 3rd demensial reality consists of also the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th dimensions simultaneously. This Dancer guides our soul through its full development into an Enlightened Master… known to us as the Buddha nature or the Cosmic Christ. This Dancer is kind of like the High Priestess/Priest card in the Tarot.
These three Dancers, within the halo, above our 7th chakra, create the great movement within our luminosity. They convey and mirror the evolution of the maturation of our soul’s progress towards enlightenment. We begin as an unbalanced five… which Mathew often has referred to as the reptilian aspect. As an unbalanced five, our soul has made it their intent and focus to become truly human and exercise their self-determination to grow up, mature and attain enlightenment of their true divine nature, there already seeded and sealed within their humanness. As this unfolds, we evolve into a balanced five and we are drawn close to our inner Elder Shield, which resides in the Heart Chakra. This then allows us access to open communication to the inner wisdom, the inner River of Knowing. As this knowledge bears fruit and our souls evolution continues, the Dancers within our halo pull in closer to our Heart Chakra, aligning their divine energy, with our human energy… so that we become mirrors, clearly reflecting the light of Divine Love and all that this is, was and ever shall be. We emerge then as Enlightened Masters… the Buddha nature or the Cosmic Christ… which is the manifestation of the Doxa, the glory of God. This potential is held within our Energy Mind Bodies, even in this moment. Jesus mirrored this in His Transfiguration on the mountain… as the Buddha did under the Boddisatva tree. This is kind of like the Universe or World card in the Tarot.
Thank you Jeanette. I value your response immensely 🙏
Thank you Matthew for reminding us of the many mystics from past and present mystical traditions who teach and inspire us to be more aware of the Living Loving Presence (Immanence) of God’s Spirit in our hearts/souls (Sparks of the Divine), and in our Compassionate relationships — with one another, Mother Nature and all Her creatures, with our spirit guides/Angels from the multidimensions, and with-in our multiverse evolving co-Creation~Cosmos…. God is All in All~Loving Diverse Oneness~Cosmic Christ Consciousness….
🔥❤️🙏
Your 3 As are very welcome! I just got a copy of Sr. Corita Kent’s rules for the art department at IHM college, and thought of how MC would have loved them!
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Today… Yesterday’s post appears when I open the video to view Matthew’s reflections on today’s post. Please check this as I value getting to heat and see Matthew each morning
.Like all great teachers, I don’t want to miss class and appreciate his ability to help me SEE and gain fresh and new insights! Thank You, Matthew and Team!
William McLean, Spanish Fort, Alabama. Phone 251.604-7854 Email mclean1024@gmail.com
Good morning William,
Our apologies! A corrected DM has been sent out.
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Phila Hoopes
Blog Coordinator
I love this series of talks, Matthew. Here you show in beautiful detail evidence of the unity of all traditions in sublime and generative art, poetry, and achingly beautiful prose. My life since I was a tiny tot has been to seek these commonalities wherever I could find them. As I grew older and learned to read I sought Holy books of all traditions and then I sought more; I walked the woods and played in the swamps sensing what you mention in each of your messages to us: that all things are unified, that all things contain that luscious spark of the divine. The poetry in today’s talk and the imagery it evoked took me away again to those early moments when I somehow knew we were all connected. Thank you for bringing that back to me today, bringing it back home. I have missed the comfort of that knowing.