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"Philosophy is not a making of a home for the mind out of reality. It is more like learning to leave things be: restoration in the wilderness, here and now." - Henry Bugbee

As regular readers of this blog will know, over the last month I've been reading Henry Bugbee's Inward Morning and finding it one of the most inspiring books I have read in many years. Well, once again, I took it with me in my bag today when Susanna and I went today for a lovely, restful walk around Wandlebury.

When we stopped for rest by the stables Susanna read her book, and I read mine. I wanted particularly to re-read the entries between Thursday, October 2 and Friday, October 10 , 1952 where he speaks of Socrates. Given the shared theme of my last two addresses (here and here) this was, naturally, of great interest to me.

As I finished them, put the book down and looked up I was quickly taken up in the wonderful play of the wind in the trees and grasses, the buzzing of bees and the silent sky-dancing of butterflies, and the ceaseless movement of the clouds. On returning home to my desk it seems that the following words from the entry of Thursday, August 20, 1953 seem entirely appropriate for this post of a few photos I took on the walk:
"Philosophy is not a making of a home for the mind out of reality. It is more like learning to leave things be: restoration in the wilderness, here and now."

Amen to that.











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My name is Andrew James Brown. I’m a philosophically/theologically inclined writer with deep sympathies towards Imaoka Shin’ichirō's understanding of a creative, inquiring, free and liberative religion/spirituality (jiyū shūkyō 自由宗教), Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism, Konkokyo, Christian non-theism, D. G. Leahy’s “thinking now occurring for the first time”, a Lucretian inspired religious naturalism, new materialism and Kyoto School philosophy; also a photographer, cyclist, walker and jazz bass player. In addition to this, I’m the minister of a small, liberal, free-religious community in Cambridge (UK)

Comments

Unknown said…
Hello Rev. Brown, I have been loving the post lately. The pictures are always and added bonus to the content of your post. Also am very glad you have come across the work of Henry Bugbee. My 13 year old daughter came across the name on my computer screen and said that name sounds like a character from a Harry Potter book. I told her she should go to the Library and look him up, stating that she might learn something new. She gave me that teenager look, as if I did not have a clue and was somewhat out of touch. At least of tried, I guess… I mentioned your blog to those of us who met at the monthly St. Thomas Circle (aka St. Thomas Society). We met as usual, similar to your Epicurean meetup’s. We follow a loose liturgy of a communal meal (of some sort) followed by a meditation, then the breaking of bread and drinking wine (Sabbath style, using an adapted form of Rabbi Sherwin Wine (founder of the Humanist Judaism Movement here in the States). This is the highlight of my month by the way. Afterward, we sit around and talk philosophy, religion, the occult, humanism/non-theism, Gnosticism, and even the World Cup. My friend and host John did the meditation this month talking about God not as a person, but as the Higher Good concept, kind of like A.C. Grayling’s writings which he is fond of. The he stated how he read that God does not exist because if HE/SHE/IT did, innocent children would not face horrible things in this life. He said that got him to thinking and pondering a sermon he heard as a child regarding the Body of Christ. He said like any religion adapted from a foreign land and then repurposed for another cultures consumption, tends to take some native buzz words that become ingrained into our society and used by us without thought (i.e., Messiah/Christ, Church, or even Body of Christ). He stated that a church is often call the body of Christ (essentially meaning savior), and this collective body of the savior which is described by St. Paul as having many parts, toes, hands, feet, etc… He said that all of this got him pondering if we have the Greater Good (the capacity for great things / actions) inside of us and we are in essence part savior, then we are in fact, in a way the hands of Christ (kind of like the Dali Lama said, don’t become a Buddhist, become the Buddha, do not become a Christian, become the Christ). He said that it is a call for all Humans to do our part to save the innocent in the world and serve others. He said that God does not act in the world, because we do not act. The innocent need saving, but people just pray, but never act or do their part. He said sure not everyone is qualified to or can do the job of a Police Officer or be a Doctor. But if Chaos Theory is correct, maybe small actions like making a donation to a charity that provides relief to others, can cause big change, even by telling others to contribute, then maybe the Good of the Kingdom (which Jesus spoke of so often) can do some good in the world. His words touched me, just like yours does all too often. Just thought I would share. Have a good July Reverend.

Sincerely,
Mr. Kelley Shelton
Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA.
9 July 2014 at 17:26
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