The Pre-Axial Period was marked by mythology/fantasy.
The Axial Period was marked by reason/
the power of the individual/personality –
the “self” was born.
But the Present Age has conflicted feelings about reason
because: we now see its limits/
have felt its inhumane touch/
doubt its power to solve problems/
know its capacity to create problems.
What we need today is for scientific rationalists
with their focus on external knowing
to give assent to the internal knowing of mystics
as legitimate knowledge or at least information.
Instead of writing mystics off as their main opponent
deluded by superstition/myth/fantasy – scientists need to see:
people need meaning more than facts.
True nonviolence does not try to defeat its opponents
either physically/emotionally/intellectually/spiritually
rather it tries to find the good
already inherent in the opponent, which can be hard
if the opponent thinks the injustice they support is, in fact, just.
In western culture ‘meditation’ used to be equated with
‘rigorous thinking’ – which led to great achievements
in philosophy/theology and even science.
But in western culture Teresa of Avila was one of the few
who in medieval times taught the eastern way of no-thinking:
in contemplation you go beyond meditation –
you don’t think much, you love much.
In eastern thinking about no-thinking
the Tao: underlies the cosmos/
is the Absolute made manifest/
creates truth/nature/destiny/cosmic order
and Yin, the dark/passive/feminine principle
and Yang, the light/active/masculine principle
are inherent in all things – including each human being.
It is Yin and Yang – the Mother and Father aspects of God –
Wisdom (Sophia) and Yahweh – making endless Love
that creates the universe and all things.
Intelligent Christian Spirituality 