Birthday of Bede Griffiths | Naming the Days

Bede Griffiths (1906 – 1994) spent 25 years in a Benedictine monastery in England earlier than venturing to India the place he finally arrange a Christian group following the customs of a Hindu ashram. This pioneer of interspiritual consciousness usual a theology that was cosmic, mystical, and respectful of all religions. Close to the top of his life, Griffiths promoted a community of Christian meditation facilities based by John Important and was additionally fairly taken with the rising Inexperienced actions in Europe and America.

Griffiths’ Christian religion stored evolving by the years. It was formed by his fascination with the primal faith of India, his perception within the marriage between the masculine and female facets of human nature, his attraction to perennial knowledge, and his lifelong respect for the non secular observe of unity.

To Identify This Day:

Quotes

Ponder this citation from Bede Griffiths on what we have to be taught from the East:

“It’s this imaginative and prescient of a cosmic unity, wherein human beings and nature are sustained by an all-pervading spirit, which the West must be taught from the East. It’s this that explains the extraordinary sacredness which attaches to each created factor in India. The earth is sacred, and no plowing or sowing or reaping can happen with out some non secular ceremony. Consuming is a sacred motion, and each meal is conceived as a sacrifice to God. Water is sacred, and no non secular Hindu will take a shower with out invoking the sacred energy of the water, which descends from heaven and, caught on the top of Shiva, is distributed within the fertilizing streams of the Ganges and different rivers. Air is sacred, the breath of life which comes from God and sustains all residing creatures. Hearth is sacred, particularly in its supply within the solar, which brings mild and life to all creatures. So additionally with vegetation and bushes, particularly sure vegetation just like the tulsi plant and sure bushes just like the banyan. Animals are sacred, particularly the cow, which provides her milk as a mom, but in addition the elephant, the monkey, and the snake. Lastly, the human particular person is sacred . . . a manifestation of God, however particularly a holy particular person, in whom the divine presence may be extra clearly seen.”
— from Bede Griffiths: Important Writings

Movies

Human Search: The Lifetime of Father Bede Griffiths. This extraordinary 60-minute profile of the Christian mystic was produced and directed by John Swindells, an Australian filmmaker. Father Bede talks about this training at Oxford the place he developed an curiosity in philosophy and literature, his experiment with communal residing within the English countryside, his resolution to develop into a priest, and his try to create a gathering place for East and West at an ashram in southern India. Varied members of this group touch upon Father Bede’s teachings, non secular practices, and impression upon their lives.

Prayers & Mantras

Strive utilizing a mantra from Bede Griffiths. A mantra generally is a reminder of God’s lively presence in our world. It may be an expression of our fervent need for a better, extra trustworthy and trusting relationship with God. And it may be a self-instruction. Bede Griffiths spoke the next phrases as he was dying: “Serve the rising Christ.” That is considered one of our favourite Christian mantras as a result of it revolves across the phrase “rising.” The extra we repeat it, the extra we take into account its implications. Strive it and see the way it works for you.