Analogue 38: Transcendent Humanity and Spiritual Ecology

The Master said, “Blessed are all who existed before coming into being, for all who are now, both existed before and shall ever be.”

The transcendence of human beings is not obvious to the naked eye. It remains hidden from view, but the result is that humans have mastery over creation, even over those creatures which are larger and stronger. Through what is manifest and what is hidden, we are able to survive. When, however, humans separate from nature, then everything begins to devour and destroy itself because there is no mutual nourishment. But when human beings cherish and cultivate the earth, then all things are properly fed.

SYNOPSIS

• A new beatitude is given concerning a state of blessedness. 
• Human beings are seen to be transcendent creatures, not simply temporal or terrestrial beings.
• This High Anthropology, based on an eternal perspective, is contrasted with a Low Anthropology (or theological reductionism in the western tradition) which discounts human transcendence.
• A contrast is also made between the current condition of humankind and the original state of existence which humanity had previously known (and to which it will return). 
• We are meant to maintain a balance between remembering our eternal transcendence while understanding and honoring our relationships in the temporal world.
• External observation is contrasted with inner seeing from the heart’s perspective and its way of knowing. 
• Mastery exercised by human beings can be used either in negative or positive ways. 
• The teaching as an ultimately ecological view, presented as an understanding of the world’s ecology from a early spiritual perspective. 
• Unity of being is contrasted with separateness and disconnection. The ecological premise of this analogue is summed up in a form of visual wisdom. 
• Mutual nourishment and the care of all beings are at the foundations of an ecology of Spirit. 
• Earth-experience is our laboratory for compassion in order to practice care, self-giving, and loving-kindness as universal principles. 

COMMENTARY

Contrasting Theologies

In this extraordinary analogue, we begin with a description of a state of blessedness, which appears to be another and even new beatitude in addition to the ones found in St. Matthew’s Gospel, elsewhere in this Gospel, and in the Gospel of Thomas. It is expressly presented as Yeshua’s teaching and is metaphysical in nature, referring to human existence in pre-eternity and the knowledge of it in temporality (similar to  language in the Gospel of Thomas’ Logia 18,19 and 84). To have knowledge of this cosmic view of human origins and destiny is said to produce in us a state of bliss or blessedness in the present moment. Without this knowledge we fall into an intellectual and spiritual space of confinement, or a reductionism that imposes a severe limitation on our cognitive capacities, leaving us in great darkness. This opening statement is the basis for understanding the extraordinary vision expressed by Philip’s Gospel and its cosmic grasp of human destiny. Such a viewpoint is essential for understanding human transcendence. 

According to the metaphysical and theological perspective of this analogue, we begin to taste the stark difference between the visionary seeing of the early eastern Christian tradition and the western world’s view of humanity and the human condition. In this oriental understanding, not only is the full eternal backdrop of human being and becoming in view, but also its ontological greatness. In the West we have grown familiar with the doctrines of original sin and human depravity which sees humankind as degenerate and unworthy. The Gospel of Philip takes a distinctly opposite view, knowing that humanity is an exalted form of creation which has fallen into difficult circumstances, and yet here in this temporal state its greatness can shine through, demonstrating its capacities even within this limited realm. 

The Tragic Viewpoint

Traditional western theology (which we might describe as expressing a low-anthropological view in contrast to this high anthropology) has cast doubt on humankind’s abilities and its central nature. It has enfeebled rather than empowered us. We have become blinded to transcendent greatness, not only to our own but to that of all of creation—the totality of earthly existence is seen as caught up in material corruption. We willingly accept the accusatory modes constantly intoned in the doctrines of original sin. Rather than hearing the voices of the Angels and the divine appeal of the Logos calling us awake in order to know our true origins, homeland, the gift of our earthly existence, and our exalted destiny, we have been put to sleep. This aspect of western theology has tragically doomed us to failure rather than to success, contaminating the original Christian vision of the unity of being, shredding the web of creation’s interconnection into isolation and separateness. Recovering knowledge of the beauty and unity of being refreshes us. It restores a vision of Interbeing and our mutuality in relationship to the whole. This renewed viewpoint has the potential of ushering in a fresh era of compassion and care not only for other humans but for all sentient beings and for the Earth itself as a living entity to which we all belong. 

Yeshua’s perspective, presented here by Philip, sees humanity’s rootedness in Eternity, from which humanity has come and to which it will return. To know this creates, even now in our limited state, a sense of blessedness, making this one of the great beatitudes of the Gospel of Philip. It is so easy to lose sight of all this, for we typically live without this important knowledge which sacred traditions are meant to transmit. The consequences to the human spirit are devastating. The current state of affairs in which we live makes it difficult to see through to the original greatness of humankind, obscured as it is both by a very negative theology as well as our own ordinary perceptions based merely upon sensory awareness. To the naked eye we appear to be entirely weak, alone, corrupt, and in deep trouble. And yet the eye of the heart may perceive the hidden greatness shining through, revealing something of the gift that lies beneath the veil of appearances. 

Consequences and Correctives

The devastating consequences of blindness (pointed out directly in Analogue 37) are evident. When we lose touch with our origins, we become alienated, alone and blind. Nature herself is affected, receiving negative impacts from our own state of being. We separate from nature, acting as though we do not belong to it nor is it a part of us. We come to treat it as an “other,” even as our enemy. The results are that we destroy it, because we see it as inert, dead, simply a commodity to be used by us however we will. We fail in our sacred duties to the earth as we fail to care for and nourish it. We become part of a self-devouring process leading inevitably to Nature’s own collapse, destroying the entire biosphere in which we live. In our current era, we are discovering this the hard way. We may perhaps, however, also be finding our way back to these ancient truths. Had we remembered or stayed awake before we arrived at this apocalyptic moment, the consequences of our centuries-old destructive activities might have been averted. We are now on the brink of collapse and devastation because the nourishment that nature provides humankind and which the earth itself needs, due to our relentless exploitations, is being severely degraded. We have broken the trust to care, preserve, love and reciprocate the gift that has been given us and so we stand at the threshold of unimaginable disasters.

However, when and if in time there is a proverbial “slap of awakening” and we arise to see and cherish the earth as a provider, it may be possible to bring things come back into balance—to commence a new reciprocal feeding that nourishes all and everything including the earth itself. The Gospel of Philip perceives this as a future possibility, perhaps even as a prophecy. 

We are mortal creatures born from this earth. We are also immortal beings, born from eternity. We owe fealty to both realms, never just one. 

Purpose on Earth

We are mortal creatures born from this earth. We are also immortal beings, born from eternity. We owe fealty to both realms, never just one. To lose sight either of our transcendence or of our mutual inter-dependence upon earth and one another has devastating consequences as it fractures the coalition of our our larger Being and the promises that we must keep in order to fulfill our duty here in this realm. 

Our experience on earth, living in the contingencies of duality, can be understood to be not only a short passage in time, but also as a laboratory for our own becoming. We are meant to experience compassion and care and to exercise these capacities, make them real, and “try out” for ourselves what loving kindness and care actually mean. The materials for this experiment are our very own selves, the lives of others, the earth around us—it is upon and through these that we enact love and the arts of healing. Yeshua is our model, and we must not waste this opportunity to practice his teachings and his Way.

 

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1. How does this analogue and the discussion around it change your perspective? We often live blindly. How might you have been blinded to this visionary point of view? What does it help you to see more clearly?
2. Analogue 38 presents the underpinnings of our current condition not simply as physical but as spiritual as well. How might you explain this to yourself and to others? Journal your own reflections and feelings about the critical moment in which we collectively find ourselves.  
3. Describe the theological contents and consequences of a low anthropology and then describe a high anthropology from the perspective of heaven and the sacred. Which one has factored most in your life? What has been the result? 
4. As you pass through time, can you imagine your eternal Source and the backdrop of Eternity? This theological vision is often described as the viewpoint of the Supreme Identity because it enables us to see ourselves in a vastly more complete context, helping us to understand who we truly are. Journal your own reflections concerning this larger perspective. 
5. What has happened to the Earth? Why are we experiencing ecological collapse? What are its sources in the human spirit, politics and the world around us? Is there a way out of this trap? What might it be?
6. How can you nourish the Earth and its inhabitants not just metaphorically but as a lived reality? How might you have contributed to our current slide towards ecological destruction? What might you do to slow or reverse this slide?

 

NOTES FOR FURTHER STUDY 

AND REFERENCE

1. The study of sacred anthropology—who we are, where we came from, and what we are made of—begins in ancient sacred texts and scriptures. Both Eastern and Western traditions, as well as Indigenous peoples, have ideas about the sacred nature and origin of human beings. The Hebrew tradition is no exception. Beginning in the Book of Genesis we are told that humankind was made in the image of God. Image and likeness are two terms used to describe the origination and the form that humanity takes—both are shaped by the divine hand and creative breath. In much of the Abrahamic tradition, though, descriptions diverge from that high point to other considerations such as the “fall” of humankind into a lower state. Later depictions see humanity as irrecoverably lost, living in depravity and sin due to an innate flaw characteristic of the whole human race. Humans, therefore, are unable to save themselves and are in need of redemption, without which they will fall into eternal damnation (one of the more strident descriptions from the orthodox western tradition and its low anthropology). Nonetheless, alternative viewpoints see the transcendent nature of human beings existing still due to our divine origins and see this shining through, despite humanity’s current state of affairs. From this perspective recovery is not only provided from without; we are also assisted from within, though the process may appear long and arduous. The precious and sacred gift given at creation is not completely rescinded, and the forces of restoration are assisting to bring us back to our original nature and even beyond it. These two streams develop in multiple ways with variations, but the significant divergence concerns the true nature of human beings who are either inherently and fatally flawed beyond repair and worthy of damnation, or of a form of humanity made up of all sacred beings who are in a deep transition and state of evolution. The earliest viewpoint is that humankind is fundamentally good by divine design, but is at the present moment in need of awakening, education, and enlightenment. All this is part of an ongoing, evolutionary development toward a higher good (and this view constitutes the contours of a high-anthropology). Generally speaking, these two positions are seen not only to be in opposition to one another but also in conflict. One is characteristic of western orthodoxy, and the other of oriental orthodoxy. An entryway into understanding this divergence is a fascinating study by Richard Rohr, Jesus’ Plan for a New World; a more historical analysis is Richard Tarnas’ The Passion of the Western Mind. 
2. The doctrine of the high anthropology as the sacred nature of humanity is rooted in a metaphysics that can be described as the doctrine of the Supreme Identity. Such a visionary viewpoint is shared across many faiths from the writings of St. Maximus the Confessor in the Christian World, the works of Ibn al-‘Arabi in Islam, to the Vedanta in Hinduism. You can find discussions of this particular topic in Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s Knowledge and the Sacred and in Alan Watts’ Supreme Identity. Each works give you access to these teaching and provide further references for continued study. 
3. The ecological collapse which is upon us appears to be rooted in issues of spirit rather than simply politics, science or technology. Much has been written in this regard, but a simple declarative statement from Gus Speth, American environmental lawyer and cofounder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, sums it up as follows: “I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address those problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy…and to deal with those we we need a spiritual and cultural transformation — and we scientists don’t know how to do that.”  For a full analysis of the breadth and depth of the current ecological crisis and its looming impact see https://link.medium.com/aPSAHdXUFnb. For an in-depth analysis of the metaphysical collapse in the West, consult the works of Philip Sherrard, Human Image, World Image: The Death and Resurrection of Sacred Cosmology (Ipswich, U.K.: Golgonooza Press, 1992), and The Eclipse of Man and Nature: An Enquiry into the Origins and Consequences of Modern Science (West Stockbridge, MA: Lindisfarne Press, 1987). See also Ian McGilChrist’s two important volumes: The Matter with Things (Perspectiva Press, 2021). 
4. Analogue 63 will further expand and extend the discussion concerning the Blessed Ones of the earth and their current state of blessedness. 

Notes for the Translation

• The term naked eye translates a phrase indicating ‘what is externally revealed.’
• Human beings which are separated from nature or the natural order, the original text says, kill off their mutuality.