Individuals hold the key to new story

By John O'Neill
First published: Saturday, September 22, 2007
in the Times Union Newspaper of Albany, NY
(Voices of Faith Section)

It's all a question of story. We are in trouble now because we do not have a good story. We are in between stories. The old story, the account of how the world came to be and how we fit into it, is no longer effective. Yet we have not learned the new story.

-- Thomas Berry, Catholic priest and theologian

Imagine: 15 billion years ago the universe was hidden in a state of potentiality, possible but not yet actual. Then for some reason -- beyond science's understanding -- the universe bursts forth from nothingness, exploding into being in the Big Bang. In an unimaginable moment of expansion the universe blossoms from a single seed -- smaller than a subatomic particle -- that contains all the matter and energy that has ever been or will be.

Through a dynamic process billions upon billions of galaxies, stars and planets arise and populate the night sky. Five billion years ago, a planet forms around an unremarkable yellow star in an outer spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy. Less than 1 billion years later, the planet's wondrous physical and chemical processes make the emergence of self-sustaining organic life possible.

Over the course of 4 billion years, life evolves, transforming and being transformed by the planet's environment. Millions upon millions of species of plants and animals are born, abide and disappear. And the process of transformation goes on.

In recent terrestrial history, a new creature arises, which is a continuation of its evolutionary ancestors but also introduces new features to the planet (and perhaps the universe). This creature -- humankind -- is distinguished by its consciousness and self-awareness, its emotional richness, aesthetic sensitivity and creativity.

With consciousness comes language, rationality, the possibility of a spiritual life. Human beings seek meaning and develop "meaning stories" that tell about their nature and place in the universe. Human beings seek to unfold their individual potential to its fullest extent in a life of richness, satisfaction and enjoyment. Human beings seek love and nurturing in ever-widening circles of family and community. Human beings seek salvation, some form of resting in the embrace of a Great Yes that supports and guides the individual through life.

By the dawn of the 21st century, a new meaning story is emerging. It arises to answer the deepest questions, needs and concerns, and to satisfy the longings of the heart and mind. The new story is based on a transformative experience of the sacred unity and continuity of all things.

Humankind is celebrated as an integral part of the beautiful earth-community, not its adversary or master, subject to the same physical laws and natural processes as all other life. Human beings discover a species-identity of care and connection, more fundamental than religion, nation, race or gender. This new identity provides a basis for ethical action that promotes the maximum unfoldment of each individual life in the context of the larger whole. The new story calls humans to humility, awe and reverence before the Beautiful Mystery at the heart of existence and present in all things. Humans experience the wide-eyed wonder of the child at the vastness, deep intelligence and breathtaking beauty of the natural world.

The path of the new story values curiosity, openness and questioning, the longing to know and understand. It affirms celebration and sacredness, and the impulse to creative expression.

The individual life journey is enriched by humankind's collective wisdom, the stillness of contemplation and time for beauty. The path carries the seeker beyond dualities of heaven and earth, spirit and matter, body and soul, and self and other into the presence and wholeness of the here and now. The practice of the new story is to honor the blessed privilege of life, its challenges and fulfillments, its mystery and discovery, and to share one's unique gifts with others.

Is this possible or just a dream? In the end, the only answer is that it comes down to each person.

John O'Neill and his wife, Mimi O'Neill, are directors of the Awakened Heart School in Albany. The school offers a holistic and developmental approach to the spiritual life, incorporating the wisdom of the religious and mystical traditions of the world, philosophies of east and west, depth psychology and the new story. A yearlong course begins Sept. 29. Visit http://www.awakenedheartschool.com or call 432-0849.