
Mi sento come allora, quando stavo in Africa, niente davanti niente dietro, nessun luogo per andare, nessun luogo per tornare, nessun luogo per restare. Vagare trasognato, viaggiare solo perché lo spostarsi era l’unico modo di sopravvivere a me stesso. Ringraziando la fame, la sete, la fatica, la paura, la meraviglia che mi teneva in piedi, mi dava la forza e lo stimolo di andare… ma dove? Senza meta, pian piano, attaccato al respiro che mi accompagnava e mi consolava nella mia solitudine estrema. A volte amante della terra, sdraiato sui bordi di qualche sentiero nella foresta, nella brousse, la febbre alta per la malaria, senza vedere nessuno attorno senza preoccuparmi se ci fosse o non ci fosse qualcuno attorno. L’importante era respirare, respirare e guardare il cielo… freddo caldo.. chi li ha conosciuti in quel limbo materno che è l’Africa? Il freddo ed il caldo erano solo notte e giorno, alternarsi di pensieri, nuvole di passaggio, pioggia, sole, sole, pioggia. Africa, il cuore si strugge e lo spirito ride!
Paolo D'Arpini - Rimembranze
I feel like I felt then, when I was in Africa, nothing before me and nothing behind me, nowhere to go, nowhere to go back to, no place to stay. Day dreaming, travelling just for the sake of moving, the only way to survive myself. Thankful for being hungry, thirsty, tired, fearful, the awe that kept me standing gave me strength and encouraged me to go….. but where? Without a goal, slowly, holding on to my breath that kept me company and comforted me in my deep loneliness. Sometimes lover of the earth, laying down on the sidewalk of a path in the forest, in the “bruce“, with malaria and high fever, no one around to be seen and without worrying whether there was or there wasn’t someone by me. As long as I could breathe, breathe and look at the sky… cold hot… who has ever met them in that maternal limbo called Africa? Cold and hot were just night and day, alternate thoughts, clouds passing by, rain, sun, sun, rain. Africa the heart sighs and the spirit laughs!
(Traduzione di Ilaria Gaddini)
"Just as bees produce honey by collecting the essences of plants, reducing their juice to a single quality, so that the plants no longer perceive the distinction: I am the juice of this plant or that; so all these living creatures, immersing themselves in Being, have no awareness: we are immersed in Being. Whatever their form, whether tiger, wolf, worm, or mosquito, that form they return to being. That which is infinitely subtle: has That (Being) as its essence, That is Reality, the atman, and 'You are That'..." (Chandogya Upanishad VI, 9)
The concept of spirituality is a human attribution. It is said that only man is capable of experiencing self-consciousness and discriminative and rational intelligence. We can also call this ability "spirit"... At the same time, since nothing on this earth or in the universe can be considered separate—since everything manifests itself in the totality of everything—and life itself is inseparable in its various manifestations, manifesting common roots in all its forms, of any kind and nature, we can intuit that the characteristic of "consciousness-intelligence" is present in every living element, which demonstrates birth, growth, and death, albeit at different rates.
Let's take the example of the growth in "intelligence and consciousness" as it occurs in humans. Beginning with their formation as the union of sperm and egg, through their embryonic phase, to the complete formation of their organs, to their emergence from the womb, to the beginning of their capacity for learning and discernment... through various evolutionary moments that—though apparently different in quality—still represent the growth of the same individual.
If this occurs in humans, why not hypothesize that it could occur in every other life form, albeit on a differentiated scale and of different quality? If we accept this premise as a prerequisite for sharing the same "consciousness and intelligence," we can suddenly recognize a "spiritual" quality in everything alive...
But of course, not in a religious sense... that's an assumption that's beyond the scope of us laypeople. No, we recognize "spirit" as life's ability to express itself in energetic forms endowed with consciousness... and we can stop there.
Then, from a poetic and emotional perspective, why not describe the life of a tree as a spiritual expression of nature? What's wrong with that?
Undeniably, a tree is also alive and expresses itself through its biological functions and manifests desires and repulsions, like us humans.
Starting from this axiom, we arrive at the concept of "Ecosophy," a form of para-spiritual-ecological thought developed by the Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess.
Arne Dekke Eide Næss (Oslo, January 27, 1912 – Oslo, January 14, 2009) was a Norwegian philosopher. He studied philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy at the University of Oslo, the Sorbonne, and in Vienna, where he frequented the local Circle. A professor of philosophy in Oslo until 1969, he was interested in the history of philosophy, philosophy of science, and ethics; he had a particular interest in the thought of Spinoza and Gandhi. He founded the international philosophy journal Inquiry, which he edited until 1975. He was the first to use the term ecosophy (or deep ecology), a concept that was extensively developed by philosophers such as Raimon Panikkar and Félix Guattari. (Wikipedia)
The concepts Naess advocates can easily be linked to naturalistic thought, both in purely materialistic and spiritual terms. In the past, this holistic vision has also been called "pantheism." Naess expanded on this concept, arguing for the unity of life and the subtle substratum that permeates it, hence his use of the term "deep ecology," which he uses to mean the study of life and the environment down to its deepest origins and roots.
The ecosophical movement has since found synergies and connections with other philosophies, or rather life practices, both naturalistic and spiritual, such as "natural or secular spirituality," which, together with ecosophy, form a sort of "unity."
The wonder with which early humans observed and worshiped the many facets of nature—animals, trees, and habitats—to which they gave divine names, qualities, and appearances, the recognition of being an integral part of this whole, the knowledge that nothing can be separated and that everything participates in everything else in a pantheistic spirit—all this can be defined as deep ecology or ecosophy, neologisms invented by Arne Naesse to describe something that already existed, part of our ancestral sense. It is the wonder of oneself, the awareness of existing and being aware of existing, the ability to understand, to feel profound emotions, to recognize oneself in all that is, the intuition of being present without a shadow of doubt and of perceiving the fullness of one's being in all that manifests itself—this is the feeling of natural or secular spirituality.
In short, when speaking of deep ecology and lay spirituality, we are speaking of body and spirit, without any separation between the two, two aspects of the same incredible magic. Since what is known needs to be remembered, preserved, and re-proposed, time after time, in subtle forms, as occurs with philosophical knowledge or religions, and in material forms, as occurs with DNA and the transmission of the arts and technical skills, we resort to archetypal symbolism as a repository of memory and knowledge.
The great contemporary nondualist sage Nisargadatta Maharaj said: "We cannot be anything other than an integral part of the total manifestation and total functioning, and in no way can we be separated from it." This is similar to Panarchy, a concept that emerged almost two centuries earlier, yet has been forgotten by history.
Perhaps we don't even need to resort to history, which, with the interpretations of those who report, narrate, and comment on human facts and behavior, fails to allow us to live or relive experiences consistent with reality. Perhaps we need to turn to that great laboratory that is collective memory. In fact, right now we can enter into history, we can look at all those "souls" present in the world today, which represent realities ranging from a state not far from the primordial to that which represents the most advanced state of technology.
This interplay of nature allows us to directly observe systems of social, cultural, and economic aggregation, to interpret them, and to seek to understand what to do to overcome old and new hardships, and to be enthusiastic participants in the project of building a world of justice, solidarity, and happiness—and therefore, with a future.
Nature (or life) itself is "non-dual," and what, in a nutshell, are the connections between secular spirituality and Naess's deep ecology?
The original meaning of the word ecology, compared to its similar environmentalism, already highlights a difference in understanding, and also that the exact translation of ecology is the study of the environment. In environmentalism, however, the criterion of simple conservation is assumed. By adding the adjective "deep" to the term ecology, we tend to broaden its original meaning, integrating the concept of further research within the environmental structure. In short, we seek to uncover the substratum, not just observe the surface, the skin, of the environment.
The same applies to the word spirituality and its lay definition. In this case, we seek to give a free connotation to spirituality, commonly understood as an expression of religion. Spirituality is the intelligence and consciousness that pervades life; it is its fragrance. It is absolutely not a product of religion; indeed, religion often tends to conceal and conceal this natural spirituality present in all things.
From the perspective of archetypal expressions, lay spirituality and deep ecology root their existence in consciousness. Humanity has questioned the forces of nature and life, and this questioning has produced spirituality. Deep ecology is a form of material exploration of this quest.
Both approaches begin with what exists, with the way we perceive ourselves and the reality around us. The first is a metaphysical approach, while the second examines the physical. However, there is no difference between the two, except in their descriptive nature. In deep ecology, as in natural spirituality, there is an underlying something that permeates the fabric of life. This something has been described as the source of all things, regardless of whether we call it spirit or life force. In reality, spirit, as consciousness and intelligence, is the expressive medium, the existential fragrance, of what, from the perspective of empirical ecological observation, we define as matter or habitat.
Paolo D’Arpini - Committee for Lay Spirituality
Testo Italiano:
What is the difference between the display of female protuberances in ancient Neolithic figurines, which represented the maternal capacity of the sacred feminine, and modern pin-ups or showgirls who celebrate the body's curves as a means of speculative exploitation?
There's no need for an answer; everyone understands the difference... and it's no wonder that modern feminists, like Carla Lonzi and Sara Morace, have revived many of the matriarchal myths of the past to restore the expressive dignity of the female body.
All deities in the past appeared in feminine form or in forms that evoked this quality, from the Great Mother, nature itself, to Mother Water, Mother Moon, and even Mother Sun, etc. (The most ancient sacred formula, the Gayatri Mantra, is dedicated to Savitri, the goddess of solar energy).
Women, as the primordial embodiment of procreative power, were therefore worthy of love and devotion. Fatherhood was "unrecognized" (that is, ignored), the mother certainly existed, and this was an incontrovertible fact... How procreation occurred was left to the maternal instincts, which were influenced or stimulated by the love males lavished on all mothers. In short, the father was simply an inspiring factor in fostering motherhood, not a primary factor but an incidental aid...
This was true up to a certain point, until things gradually changed and the responsibilities for the creative functions were reversed. But it didn't all happen at once; this evolutionary progression from matriarchy to patriarchy took centuries and centuries to consolidate.
The studies of the Lithuanian archaeologist Gimbutas aimed precisely to demonstrate the existence of a very long transition period between matriarchy and patriarchy. The "authors" of patriarchy undoubtedly arose on the banks of the Indus, largely in the Kurgan civilization that originated in the Caucasus, the oldest patriarchal civilization on earth. In that "earthly paradise," the value of fatherhood as a "supportive" factor and consequently as a catalyst for a new religion and mythology was recognized. But the process here, too, was slow, having to be justified with substantial facts that would guarantee its acceptance through historical consistency and allegorical meanings.
This occurred in Hindu mythology, where Parvati, the primordial Goddess, creates a son from herself to protect her from the arrogance of the males who serve Shiva, her husband. This son of hers, Ganesh, is so powerful that he is able to deny Shiva himself access to his mother's chamber (because he had not asked permission to approach; note this important detail, which guarantees the mother's right of choice in the relationship). At this point, Shiva sends his male troops to attack Ganesh, but all his "ganas" are defeated, leaving Shiva himself helpless. Ultimately, it is only through deception and by asking for help from the other male god, Vishnu, known as the preserver, that he manages to defeat Ganesh... but it wasn't a complete debacle... because then, for the love of Parvati, Shiva accepts his fatherhood, that is, he recognizes that Ganesh is his son and restores him to life, but by changing his mind... (and here too, note the associated symbolism...).
This fantastic description speaks volumes about the meaning of the epochal transformation underway 15,000 years BC...
Much later, but still within the context of Indo-European civilization, we even see in ancient Greece that it is the male god who creates from himself. And this is what happens to Jupiter who, unaided by his consort, produces Minerva from his own brain. Times had already changed by this point, patriarchy now reigned supreme, women were broodmares (or hetaerae, good only for passing the time), even love, true and noble love, was expressed between men (see the custom of all Greek masters to have young boys as lovers). At that time, the status of women had fallen somewhat, and in Europe and the Middle East, pockets of resistance remained only here and there.
For example, in the Jewish tradition, the transmission of belonging to the "chosen people" occurred (and still does today) through the mother, the last vestige of matrimony amidst a series of highly patriarchal and misogynistic rules. This misogyny was also adopted—in different ways—by the other two monotheistic religions: Christianity and Islam.
In Islam, however, despite the view of women as subject to others, the criteria of beauty and nobility of sensual love were preserved. Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad had several wives, and even his paradise was filled with beautiful, welcoming women. This at least allowed for a natural intercourse of relationships between the two sexes. However, this did not take into account the "disadvantage" from the female perspective.
Unfortunately, the same did not happen in Christianity, where the original Jewish misogyny prevailed, and even worsened. If in Judaism, divinity, even seen as "God the Father," maintained a detachment from worldly things, being a god who could not be physically represented, in Christianity, in order to justify the divinity of the "son," the creative role of the mother was completely erased. Mary conceived as a virgin from the Holy Spirit; hers is a completely passive performance and stems from God the Father's choice to make her a mother.
This vision also gives rise to the pseudo-scientific Cartesian reasoning that portrays nature as passive, inert, and even stupid… In short, the male spirit “infuses” life, and the “good” mother carries in her womb whatever she is allowed to bear…
You can see for yourselves that this projection is now impractical and obsolete, even though the majority of men still indulge in it, deluding themselves with religious and ideological tales of male “superiority,” the “superiority” of speculative scientific intelligence, the “superiority” of power and strength. This way, no progress is made in the evolution of the species.
It is obvious that both of these aspects, matriarchy and patriarchy, have played a historical role in the development of the “qualities” of the human species. Now is the time to understand their total complementarity and common belonging, not to move toward a unisex species, but rather to recognize equal value and meaning in both aspects and functions… in a symbiotic fusion.
...We need to "frame" gender cultures, both feminist and masculine, within a broader context, also observing the steps taken in this direction in ancient Eastern and Western civilizations and in contemporary society, overcoming the canons linked to gender, the feminine and the masculine.
I have my own opinion on the shift in thinking that occurred during the Neolithic period regarding the "value" of the feminine, which later resulted in patriarchy. That male patriarchy has caused harm to humanity is very true, and we still see it today. But the solution lies neither in a return to matriarchy nor in the erasure of differences (in a unisex form). Man, as a male, at a certain point in his history needed to conquer a mental space of his own that was denied him during the predominance of matriarchy. For this reason, he further developed his analytical and rational capacity, a method of "surrounding the truth" through intellectual understanding. Women, who naturally possess a strong intuitive intelligence, have somehow enabled this transition, which is ultimately aimed at the evolution of the human species as a whole.
A greater capacity for understanding on the part of men has now been achieved, albeit in a tentative form.
Now we can speak equally between genders and thus overcome any rivalry. Of course, this discourse is not possible on a global level, that of the body/psychic mass, but it has been initiated... so sooner or later it will emerge in the conscious. Evolution takes a very long time...
Paolo D'Arpini - Committee for Lay Spirituality
Testo Italiano:
Below is a selection of excerpts from the booklet "The Enlightenment Deception, Conversations by Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti".
"Everything you do makes it impossible for what is already here to express itself. That's why I call it the 'natural state.' You are always in that state. What prevents what is already here from expressing itself is precisely the seeking. Seeking always goes in the opposite direction, so everything you consider truly profound, everything you consider sacred, is a contamination of that consciousness. You may not like the word 'contamination,' but everything you consider sacred, holy, and profound is truly a contamination. So, there's nothing you can do. It's not up to you. I don't like to use the word 'grace,' because then you wonder, 'Whose grace?' It's not a matter of being chosen; it happens, I don't know why. If I could, I would try to help you. But that's something I can't give you, because You already have it. It's ridiculous to ask for something you already have.
[...]
I no longer spend my time remembering, worrying, conceptualizing, and doing all those mental things people do when they're alone. My mind is only occupied when necessary, like when I ask questions, or when I have to set up the tape recorder or something like that. The rest of the time, my mind is in a "disengaged" state. Of course, I have memory again now—it was initially abolished, but now it's present again—but it's like something behind, which surfaces only when necessary, automatically. When it's not needed, there is no mind, no thought, but only life.
[...]
Consciousness is so pure that whatever you do to purify yourself only makes you impure. Consciousness must flow, so to speak: it must purge itself of every trace of holiness and unholiness, of everything. Even what you consider "sacrosanct" is a contamination in that consciousness. It doesn't happen through a will on your part; when the barriers are destroyed, not by any effort on your part, not by your will, then the floodgates open and everything flows. [...] The separative state of consciousness no longer functions; there is always the unity state of consciousness, and nothing can touch it. Anything can come – a good thought, a bad thought, the telephone number of a prostitute in London… [...] What comes is of no importance – good, bad, sacred, profane. Who can say, “This is good; this is bad”? – it is all over. One is brought back to the source. One finds oneself in that pure, primordial state of consciousness, which you may call awareness or whatever you like. In that state things happen, but there is no one to care about them, to pay attention to them. They come and go like the flowing waters of the Ganges: sewage water pours into it, half-burned bodies, good and bad things, yet that water remains always pure” (pp. 10; 35-36; 46-48).
Let's just remember that here, when U.G. Krishnamurti speaks of "no importance," he means what was meant, for example, by the term "indifference" in ancient Stoic texts. That is, not as—as this word is used today—synonymous with indifference, a dry and cold detachment from the world, but as a benevolent and welcoming openness to everything, equally to what, still in a dualistic perspective, is considered good or bad, good or evil, to be accepted or rejected. Indifference: that is, making no difference. No importance: that is, giving every thing, event, situation the same supreme importance.
Everything is always very important.
(Selection of passages chosen by Gianfranco Bertagni)