WE ARE MANIFESTED CONSCIOUSNESS, 4 BILLION YEARS OF STAR DUST

Human beings cannot avoid having a spiritual experience. Humanity is unique in its capacity to comprehend God’s image. The whole of life is moving towards some unknowable end together. Something more powerful is at work around us; more creative than us, more resilient than us. The teachings of Christ as well as Buddha, Plato and all influential thinkers reach towards amending conflict to restore harmony so that all can move towards wholeness.

Every aspect of human nature; our minds, our bodies, our virtues, our desires, our sexuality, even our mortality finds its fulfillment in the actions of love. Every human progressing toward goodness plays a part in the world’s salvation.

My only problem is, if we are manifested consciousness, 4 billion years of star dust, who is placing the limit on how much we can be divine? Who says we cannot be more than we are?

Shed the robes of humanity and Cloak ourselves in robes of the Divine.

The universe is a pure gift of promise and potential driven by an energy which is transforming, moving, unstable, and unpredictable. Human energy is self-organizing in an open-ended future and knows its highest bliss when we creatively harmonize with universal energy. Both science and religion honor the fact that the planet is teaming with life, seen and unseen.

Take a walk in the woods, reconnect with the wonder of what humankind did NOT create. For the past 5,000 years, our societies have seduced us into thinking and believing we are important. We have surrounded ourselves by what humankind has created. We have dominated the natural order and hindered its abundance. Our attitude towards being special, important, and the most valued has thrown the natural order out of balance.

Our planet is manifested consciousness, 4 billion years of star dust, a living being inviting dialogue and participation. Think of the earth as being alive around you, and you will feel alive as well.

More than Star Dust

Most of humanity is realizing we are our own problem, our thinking and behavior. Our distorted sense of power over science and religion creates incredible pain, suffering, and loss for the planet. Many of us hesitate to recognize God is in control. Something more powerful is at work around us; more creative than us, more resilient than us. God’s image, Universe, Energy, Om, Shanti, Amen.

Icons are organic and dynamic examples of something created that moves through time to speak to us. The key is to maintain its universality so that it may reach across generations. Creating each icon is a spiritual journey steeped in tradition and culture. As an iconographer, there is a physical, mental, and spiritual preparation necessary to achieve an inner silence and facilitate full immersion into the art form. This process allows us to become vessels for sharing the truth of the divine through the creating an icon. In One brush stroke you can realize we are manifested consciousness, 4 billion years of star dust.

Manifested Consciousness

While the work is done in solitude and contemplation, the most important element is to have a dialogue with what manifests consciousness. This dialogue and sharing can extend beyond the Orthodox faith. In community with one another, we can engage in respectful conversation about profound human questions to build bridges of understanding across cultures and faith traditions. We can learn to share and interpret our perspectives. Imagine what might develop when we shed the robes of humanity and cloak ourselves in robes of the divine.

Mary Jane Miller has an extensive collection of Byzantine Icons. Her commentaries on contemporary Iconographers, Books on Master painters,  Women iconographer, Religious women, Iconographer in Mexico.

For more information about Mary Jane Miller and her visual ministry, visit her website at San Miguel icons. Her book collections of iconography are found searching for Mary Jane on LULU.com  Mary Jane’s wonderful workshops stay tuned at Sacred Icon Retreats.