May we be ‘Bearers of Presence’ all around the world.
“And we are put on this earth a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of love.”
~ William Blake
Solstice Event Readings
Rumi: The Book of Love Translation by Coleman Barks
Drum sound rises on the air,
it throb, my heart.
A voice inside the beat says,
I know you’re tired, but come, this is the way.
The Meaning and Constructive Value of Suffering, by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, China 1933
Human suffering, the sum total of suffering poured out at each moment
over the whole earth, is like an immeasurable ocean.
But what makes this immensity? Is it blackness, emptiness, barren waste?
No, indeed: it is potential energy.
Suffering holds within it, in extreme intensity, the essential force of the world.
The whole point is to set this force free by making it conscious of what it is capable.
For if all the sick people in the world were simultaneously to turn their sufferings
into a single shared longing for the speedy completion of the reign of God,
…..What a vast leap towards God the world would make!
If all those who suffer were to unite their sufferings
so that the pain of the world would become
one single grand act of consciousness, of sublimation, of unification
would not this be one of the most exulted forms
in which the mysterious work of creation could be manifested to our eyes.
Cynthia Bourgeault quote from Eye of the Heart, p147.
The Spiritual practice of Tonglen, perfected to a high art in Tibetan Buddhism but known in some form or another in all the sacred traditions, and in Christianity as substituted love. It entails the conscious and voluntary ingestion on the in breath, of the toxicity of a painful situation or disease, allowing it to be transmuted in one’s impartial and compassionate heart. Then releasing on the out breath in the form of healings and blessings.
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, The Bond with the Beloved (Inverness, CA Golden Sufi Center, 1993) p26.
As cited in Cynthia Bourgeault, The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three: Discovering the Radical Truth at the Heart of Christianity. (Shamabala Publications, Boston, 2013) p180.
As we silently work upon ourselves, the energy of our devotion becomes a point of light within the world.
At the present time a map is being unfolded made of the lights of the lovers of God.The purpose of this map is to change the inner energy structure of the planet.
In previous ages this energy structure w as held by sacred places, stone circles, temples, and cathedrals. In the next stage of our collective evolution it is the hearts of individuals that will hold the cosmic note of the planet.
This note can be recognized as a song being infused into the hearts of seekers.
It is a quality of joy that is being infused into the world.
It is the heartbeat of the world and needs to be heard in our cities and towns.
Chants
Chant 1
Lyrics: Rumi and Mathew 26:36 – Music: Beth O’Neil
I know that you’re weary but come this is the way I know that you’re weary but come this is the way Stay here remain and pray
Chant 2
Lyrics: Mirabai Starr – Music: Susan Latimer
Once our hearts have been shattered There is room for the pain of the world.
Chant 3
Every breath is grace
You can listen to a version on Spotify with lyrics by James Finlay and music by Alana Levandowski
Chant 4
Lyrics: Meister Ekhart – Music: Henry Schoenfield
Be right here. In the Heart of God Be right here. In the Heart of God.
Chant 5
Lyrics: William Blake – Music: Tony Martin
And we are put on this earth a little space that we might learn to bear the beams of love.
Download/listen to Tony’s chant here.
Additional music shared in our Solstice event:
Opening Music:
Dawn Mantras by Ross Edwards et al
Listen on Spotify here.
Alleluia by Robert Gass & On Wings of Song
Listen on Spotify here.
Thank you to Nina for creating this map, showing the location of many of our Solstice participants.
On behalf of our Wisdom Solstice leaders and support team, thank you for being with us live for this global event, and sharing the experience as you watch and listen.
Our Solstice Event Leaders
Beth O’Neil lives in Fremantle (Walyalup) Western Australia, where the river meets the ocean. She acknowledges and gives thanks to the original custodians, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation.
Beth brings her experience of living Wisdom to facilitating the Wisdom Waypoints book circles, living wisdom groups, chanting, holding the post for online meditation circles, writing the odd blog, and co-leading Solstice events. Beth is a midwife. She no longer is on call for birthing women, but lives out the midwifery archetype wherever she is guided to do so. Together with her husband and family, they work at living simply, humbly, justly and in reverence for all that is.
Susan Latimer was born, raised, and lives in California, USA. From an early age she found God in Creation, and loved singing and playing the piano. After a Master’s Degree in music performance, a long time of discernment led her from music to the Episcopal priesthood as a vocation, and she is currently the Rector of The Church of the Good Shepherd in Hemet, CA. Susan also offers her gifts to Wisdom Waypoints through weekly chant circles, facilitating groups and book circles as well as helping guide and lead other online community events.