What is Emerging?

Many people in the world today are recognizing that the dominant world-view of disconnection — that we are separate from each other and the natural world — is no longer working, and consequently, the old stories that keep us bound to endless growth, limitless consumerism and misuse of nature are destroying us. Jeremy Lent, “one of the greatest thinkers of our age,”* describes the flaws of this worldview and demonstrates the new story of interconnectedness in his book, “The Web of Meaning.”** Actually, the story of oneness is not new, for it was part of the ancient wisdom cultures. It is the belief in the interdependence of all things — that is, that everything, including each of us — are dynamically related in some way to everything else.

Jeremy Lent and other prodigious thinkers of our day are telling us that the realization of our connectedness is the key to the transformational shift our global society must make if we want a sustainable future for the human species. This can happen when we become aware of our deep connection with others and live life with open hearts and compassionate spirits. We begin to realize that the deep purpose of our existence on Earth is to devote ourselves to the flourishing of all life, of which we are a tiny part. We act out of love when we grasp and embrace our connectedness. This love is revolutionary love — compassion for all, even the “enemy.”

The concept of oneness is not new to the Loretto Community. However, we might ask ourselves if this belief has just remained in our heads, or has it reached our hearts and actions? When have you noticed Loretto acting out of oneness? How do you see us still influenced by the predominant worldview of separation?

You are invited to join us in pondering our oneness under this new lens and for further reflection/sharing via Zoom on Monday, Sept. 12 (1-2 pm MT; 3-4 pm ET). The invite link will be in the Community announcements Friday, Sept. 9. In preparing for this session of pondering, the following questions may be helpful. What does it really mean to be dynamically related to everything else? What does my connection to others and to nature have to do with the purpose of my existence here on Earth? What is the unique strand that I am weaving into the web of meaning?

*From George Monbiot’s Apr. 25, 2019 column in The Guardian online, “Dare to Declare Capitalism Dead — Before it Takes Us Down with it.” **For more information on Jeremy Lent and “The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe” see https://www.jeremylent.com/the-web-of-meaning.html.