Wednesday, September 08, 2010

numinous


Even up to the settling of the Wild West, nearly all mythic stories took place in the wilderness or “wildness.” For both men and women through the ages, it was in the wilderness that they discovered the soul. The civilized or domesticated world was of our making; wilderness was God’s making—the first and natural cathedral.

But now we have created a society that idealizes civilization and runs away from wilderness. Many people are actually afraid of nature. Not only have we succeeded in taming the wilderness; we have ended up taming the soul.

Yet nature continues to speak to something deep within each of us. Have you ever been transfixed while looking into the eyes of an animal? When an animal looks into our eyes, the sensation is almost numinous. The world beyond the human is somehow communicating something essential to us. Carl Jung said, “When religion stops talking about animals it will be all downhill.” Being in wilderness brings us back to our senses, back to our deep selves.

Richard Rohr

I was only away from home for a week, but I missed my felines. How quickly we bond! I always have someone stay with them. Stopping by to feed is not enough. Maybe it is for them, but not for me.

Reconnection has been good. Affection. Purring. Playing. (Them, too.)

4 comments:

Deb Shucka said...

Welcome home. Numinous - what a lovely word. What lovely ideas Richard offers here. No kitties were ever more loved than yours.

Sarmite Stendere said...

Very nice blog! Easy to see that You are serious abot what You are doing! Keep it up and keep in touch:)
Hope its okey if i will add me as a follower to Your blog:)

Have a nice day.

graceonline said...

Oh yes, numinous. That look. Thank you so much for the quote, the image, your own words. Twice today I've written this: Food for the soul. I hope your away was good for you, other than missing the babes.

kario said...

I cannot ever imagine living without kitties. They are truly food for the soul.