Sacred Text Reading Group (Saturday)
Date(s) - 02/20/2021
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
A twice-weekly online sacred text reading group. We meet on Saturdays, 4-5, and on Wednesdays, 12-1. All are wide open and you are welcome!
Using a spiritual-practice approach, in each session we will explore a different brief scriptural text in depth. The aims of the sessions are educational (learning something about the texts and traditions), spiritual/moral (discovering what the texts ask of us), and community-building (getting to know each other better). Our practice usually follows this version of Lectio Divina.
The facilitator will have a version of the text available to share; “bring” your own if you like. All are welcome, as are your suggestions of future texts. Group members also take turns facilitating, if they want to try that role.
To have check-in time, or if you are new and would like a brief orientation, arrive ten minutes early. And all are welcome to stay ten minutes after as well, for more getting-acquainted time.
How to join:
- Join this class from your Web browser: https://zoom.us/j/578882781
- Join this class using the Zoom app: Meeting ID: 578 882 781
- Join this class by phone: 669 900 9128 US (San Jose), Meeting ID: 578 882 781
- Join this class by on-tap on mobile phones: +16699009128,,578882781# US (San Jose)
- Phoning in, but not in the bay area? Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abL8clvIYT
Sacred Text Reading Group
Date(s) - 02/20/2021
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
A weekly online sacred text reading group with Amy
Using a spiritual-practice approach, in each session we will explore a different brief scriptural text in depth. The aims of the sessions are educational (learning something about the texts and traditions), spiritual/moral (discovering what the texts ask of us), and community-building (getting to know each other better). Amy will have a version of the text available to share; “bring” your own if you like. All are welcome, as are your suggestions of future texts. About half our readings so far have been those suggested by group members.
On Saturday, February 20, we’ll read these excerpts from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, by William Blake:
All Bibles or sacred codes. have been the causes of the following Errors.
That Man has two real existing principles. Viz: a Body & a Soul.
That Energy. called Evil. is alone from the Body. & that Reason. called Good. is alone from the Soul.
That God will torment Man in Eternity for following his Energies.
But the following Contraries to these are True
Man has no Body distinct from his Soul for that called Body is a portion of Soul discernd by the five Senses, the chief inlets of Soul in this age.
2, Energy is the only life and is from the Body and Reason is the bound or outward circumference of Energy.
Energy is Eternal Delight
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.
…
No bird soars too high. if he soars with his own wings.
…
The pride of the peacock is the glory of God.
The lust of the goat is the bounty of God.
The wrath of the lion is the wisdom of God.
The nakedness of woman is the work of God.
…
If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.
Blake deliberately challenged the orthodox view of virtue and vice and celebrated desire and the pleasures of the senses. He was an artist as well as a poet, and printed and illustrated his own books. You can see the above passage as he printed it here.
How to join:
- Join this class from your Web browser: https://zoom.us/j/578882781
- Join this class using the Zoom app: Meeting ID: 578 882 781
- Join this class by phone: 669 900 9128 US (San Jose), Meeting ID: 578 882 781
- Join this class by on-tap on mobile phones: +16699009128,,578882781# US (San Jose)
- Phoning in, but not in the bay area? Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abL8clvIYT