We are considering how today’s science has moved beyond dualism. How thrilling it would be if religious consciousness the world over would do the same!
The path forward is shown us by post-modern science: Light=Matter=Spirit. It is significant, I think, that Albert Einstein, who ushered in post-modern science, said that all he wanted to do in life was to study Light.
And so it is that we are meditating of late on Light and Spirit according to spiritual traditions around the world (including learning from science that trees are basically made of light). We have considered recently the Jewish Biblical tradition, the Celtic tradition and the Hindu tradition as they equate Light and Divinity—and, thanks to science, matter and divinity.
Clearly we can say, “the wicked witch is dead, the wicked witch of dualism is dead!”
What about the Buddhist tradition? Buddha said, “Be you lamps unto yourselves.” Jesus talks about not putting one’s light under a bushel but making it visible for all to see.
Just as Christians understand Christ to be the light in all beings (the “Cosmic Christ”), and science talks of photons or light waves being present in every atom in the universe, Buddhism says this about the Living Buddha. This Buddha is always shining, always enlightening trees, grass, birds, human beings, and so on, always emitting light. It is this Buddha who is preaching now and not just 2,500 years ago.
Several years ago, I had the privilege to lecture in South Korea and afterwards a Buddhist monk came up to me and said, I have never heard of the Cosmic Christ before (neither, unfortunately, have the majority of Christians). But I love the idea and now I am going to start preaching about the “Cosmic Buddha.”
This is creation spirituality, isn’t it? The Cosmic Christ or the Buddha Nature or the Tselem or Image of God in Judaism is to be found in all things. The Sacred is to be found all around us. Indeed, Jesus calls it “the Kingdom of God.” And Buddhism calls it “nirvana.” to be continued
Adapted from Matthew Fox, One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths, p. 76.
See also: Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ.
And Matthew Fox and Bishop Marc Andrus, Stations of the Cosmic Christ.
And Fox, Stations of the Cosmic Christ Meditation Cards
Matthew Fox, Hildegard of Bingen: A Saint For Our Times, pp. 11-24.
To read a transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: “Prayer” Photo by Nhan Thai on Pexels
Queries for Contemplation
Is it your experience that the Christology of the “Cosmic Christ” is unknown to many Christians? What differences might arise were people to rediscover that earliest of all understandings of Christ?
Recommended Reading
One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths
Matthew Fox calls on all the world traditions for their wisdom and their inspiration in a work that is far more than a list of theological position papers but a new way to pray—to meditate in a global spiritual context on the wisdom all our traditions share. Fox chooses 18 themes that are foundational to any spirituality and demonstrates how all the world spiritual traditions offer wisdom about each.“Reading One River, Many Wells is like entering the rich silence of a masterfully directed retreat. As you read this text, you reflect, you pray, you embrace Divinity. Truly no words can fully express my respect and awe for this magnificent contribution to contemporary spirituality.” –Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
Stations of the Cosmic Christ
By Matthew Fox and Bishop Marc Andrus.
This is a book of meditations on the Cosmic Christ, accompanying the images of 16 wonderful clay tablets by Javier Ullrrich Lemus and M.C. Richards. Together, these images and meditations go far beyond the traditional Stations of the Cross to inspire a spirit awakening and understanding of the cosmic Christ Consciousness, Buddha consciousness, and consciousness of the image of God in all beings, so needed in our times.
“A divinely inspired book that must be read by every human being devoted to spiritual and global survival. It is cosmically brilliant.” — Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
Stations of the Cosmic Christ Meditation Cards and Guide Booklet
Beautiful full-color cards from Stations of the Cosmic Christ to aid in your meditations on the Cosmic Christ, featuring the images of 16 wonderful clay tablets by Javier Ullrrich Lemus and M.C. Richards. Step beyond the traditional Stations of the Cross and experience a spirit awakening and understanding of the cosmic Christ Consciousness, Buddha consciousness, and consciousness of the image of God in all beings, so needed in our times. Includes an instruction booklet containing suggestions on how to use the cards.
Hildegard of Bingen, A Saint for Our Times: Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century
Matthew Fox writes in Hildegard of Bingen about this amazing woman and what we can learn from her.
In an era when women were marginalized, Hildegard was an outspoken, controversial figure. Yet so visionary was her insight that she was sought out by kings, popes, abbots, and bishops for advice.
“This book gives strong, sterling, and unvarnished evidence that everything – everything – we ourselves become will affect what women after us may also become….This is a truly marvelous, useful, profound, and creative book.” ~~ Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism.
10 thoughts on “Sacred Light & Creation in Buddhism, Christianity, Science”
Matthew, Today you begin your meditation by saying: “We are considering how today’s science has moved beyond dualism. How thrilling it would be if religious consciousness the world over would do the same!” The path forward was shown us by post-modern science which shows: Light=Matter=Spirit. Then you go on to mention Albert Einstein, the Jewish biblical tradition, the Celtic tradition, and the Hindu tradition as they equate Light and Divinity—and, thanks to science, matter and divinity. But what about the Buddhist tradition? Buddha said, “Be you lamps unto yourselves.” Jesus talks about not putting one’s light under a bushel but making it visible for all to see. Christians see Christ as the “light of the world” and Buddhists see the Buddha as the “enlightened one.” “Buddhism says this about the Living Buddha. This Buddha is always shining, always enlightening trees, grass, birds, human beings, and so on, always emitting light. It is this Buddha who is preaching now and not just 2,500 years ago.” And the irony of this is that therefore the “COMING of the Cosmic Christ is never future but always NOW.
The Music of the Spheres
In the Trinity what then would be the difference be between the Holy Spirit and the notion of ‘Cosmic Christ’? Do we place Christ out there somewhere out in the cosmos when the person of Jesus the Christ is actually present with us in the here and now and has always been?
Maybe it is something that we do when we do not believe that the person Jesus is with us in the here and now and only returns in the armageddon of future events? If the end of duality comes in the armageddon, has it not already arrived among those who have entered the realm of the ‘One Living God’ in the here and now? The ‘realized’ among us have already ‘arrived’, have they not and do not enter into judgement? When duality ends there is no need for judgement and we ‘see’ clearly the person Jesus who has always been standing before us. — BB.
I’ve also experienced the Cosmic Christ the way in which Mathew speaks of this, in his video clip today… as hearing this voice through art and nature and the creative process that unfolds, evolves and emerges through what I call listening/seeing with the eyes and ears of the heart… Visio and Lectio Divina working creatively, imaginatively and intuitively together. I came across a new word being used today that conveys this experience, which is called Eco/Nature Art Therapy.
Most Christians I know, have never heard of the Cosmic Christ in these ways… and often trying to engage in a conversation about this, usually in my experience doesn’t go over so well. I’ve learnt to gage whom is more open and fluid and whom is more closed and rigid, when it comes to this type of sharing… which makes me grateful to have this community to engage with, along with the broad range of topics being discussed.
I also appreciated the other video clip today… with Zinn, and his insights about how to deal with anxiety, by BEING with the anxiety, in order to become aware of this energy, with more SELF-COMPASSION, when your experiencing this… rather than trying to resist it. When I do this, I discover that there is usually some kind of fear attached to the anxiety, and this awareness helps me to face the fear, asking myself if there is any truth to it, or is it just a habitual pattern projected from the past into the present moment.
Bill, Today you ask: “In the Trinity what then would be the difference be between the Holy Spirit and the notion of ‘Cosmic Christ’? Do we place Christ out there somewhere out in the cosmos when the person of Jesus the Christ is actually present with us in the here and now and has always been?” When it comes to the Trinity, the Trinity is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent–and that means each person of the Trinity. Therefore, Christ in his aspect of omnipresent is everywhere and in all things in the cosmos. And thus he is the Cosmic Christ. And Creation Spirituality teaches the idea of “panentheism” which means that God/Trinity is in all things, and all things are in God/Trinity…
Whether we put (God) in our own little convenient box, or deny Divine LOVE altogether, we can not see “Their” light. }:- a.m.
We are fractals of God, beings of light clothed in matter, having a human experience by which God experiences being human, and each of us experiences God.
After we awake from our induced amnesia when being birthed into this world, then over the course of years to our maturity as adults spiritually, we begin to remember the mission we volunteered for, when we were incarnated to be birthers of God.
Joe, Thank you for your very insightful comment !!!
“Cosmic Christ,” of course, is a convenient “re-branding” (reclamation) of “Neoplatonism.” We could also use “Neo-Mysticism,” which wouldn’t restrict it to a specific religion and would honor its ancient roots.
This is what “Neoplatonism’s” mysticism has conveyed to the world, for over 2,500 years and tracing through many religions. It was (and can still be) a Wisdom Teaching for turning away from the destructiveness of dualism to a more loving, harmonious unity between people and within creation.
That was always the healing it offered, though it wasn’t always fully integrated (by OUR standards, in ways WE expect) by its ancient practitioners. We have the benefit of more meditative teachings, including the growing familiarity with Zen training and its deep lessons on nonduality, to guide us toward fuller understanding and better use of its core teaching/revelation. We also have a greater freedom and expectations of breaking out of conformity to harmful traditions than our ancestors had. We can explore aspects of mysticism that they couldn’t.
It’s time to reclaim this mysticism. We need it for the healing of our psyches and for our reintegration with Creation.
Melinda, Today you write: “‘Cosmic Christ,’ of course, is a convenient ‘re-branding’ (reclamation) of ‘Neoplatonism.’ We could also use ‘Neo-Mysticism,’ which wouldn’t restrict it to a specific religion and would honor its ancient roots.” First of all, I do not think that the idea of the Cosmic Christ is a “convenient ‘rebranding’ of ‘Neoplatonism’–it is used in the Wisdom literature of the Hebrew scriptures where the Cosmic Christ is called, “Wisdom.” So I think on a Creation Spirituality site which doesn’t fit well with Neoplatonism, you are better off using–as you mention– the expression, “Neo-Mysticism.”