There was no way that the writers of the Bible could know that the real spiritual life of other cultures vastly predate ‘this holy writ’.
That’s the majority of mankind scattered across both sides of the time-line by which we measure the centuries. Aboriginal life, undisturbed for tens of thousands of years, co-inhabited and perhaps co-created a wider world than you and I exist within. They didn’t create cathedrals - they recognised and used existing spaces. What did they ‘recognise’ that we don’t? It’s not an empty question.
The Chinese culture venerates and bows low to the antiquity of the I Ching - as do I. This cauldron contains ‘everything’ in, perhaps, a similar way in which The Koran does for Islam. It’s not a question of believing or otherwise; it’s whether essential truth is contained therein.
To my mind, the I Ching does contain ‘everything’. It is Divine. An awe inspiring glimpse into a wider, deeper existence. A lodestar to guide and chastise. Why chastise? Because there are many perils along the way - most of them arising from within. I’m not talking about magic. I’m thinking complacency, laziness, pride.
‘Do no harm’ requires more of me - as a human ‘being’ - than ‘Do good.’
Simple example. At the Group Home, there are many tasks which would take me no time at all but, by doing these tasks I deprive the clients of opportunities to develop their own ‘being’ - to gain in terms of self worth, co-operation, dignity ..... to interact and to be encouraged. This only works as an approach if my motivation is without fault. Without taint of self interest. To a casual observer, I could just be lazy and making the clients perform the chores of life.
I don’t much differentiate. I’m quite happy to do the washing up. It’s just as ‘spiritual’ as anything else... it answers a real need.
It’s another cold day in the mountains. Too chilly for gardening but the shoots of new bulbs appear almost overnight. They ‘sense’ the passing of the shortest day and, even though the weather lags for weeks behind, spring approaches with a wonderful disregard for the musings of an hour.
We had an excellent 'last' singer/songwriter night at the Imperial Hotel and, like all things 'Imperial', it comes to an end. No doubt, we'll have a new beginning.
Good luck to Palestine. Can anybody tell me where it is?