I gave my first church service on Sunday at Brighton Unitarian Church. As I've been exploring and finding wonder and creativity in my life over the last year, I chose Wonder as the subject - naturally! Here is the talk I gave:
Intro
I am in the middle of redecorating my lounge. The very old stained carpet has been removed, cut up and thrown away. It’s revealed an old dark painted Victorian floor. Solid though and of good quality.
On Wednesday the workman came in, nailed down the boards, filled in a few holes and started sanding it back. On Thursday he rubbed on the wood stain and varnished it. It’s not dull and black anymore; it’s bright and golden!
I cannot believe the transformation. I keep going back and sneaking another look! I was not expecting the change to be so dramatic. It was quite a surprise, and it has given me renewed energy and impetus. It’s just wonderful!
On Wednesday the workman came in, nailed down the boards, filled in a few holes and started sanding it back. On Thursday he rubbed on the wood stain and varnished it. It’s not dull and black anymore; it’s bright and golden!
I cannot believe the transformation. I keep going back and sneaking another look! I was not expecting the change to be so dramatic. It was quite a surprise, and it has given me renewed energy and impetus. It’s just wonderful!
All Sorts of Wonders
Wonder comes in many shapes and sizes.
The “ancient world” had its “seven wonders” - amazing architectural achievements like the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. More recent candidates include: Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing and the Taj Mahal.
In 1994 the American Society of Civil Engineers came up with a list of modern wonders, including the Panama Canal, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Zuiderzee land reclamation in The Netherlands and the Channel Tunnel.
In technology, wonders include the International Space Station, the Internet, the laser and the iPod.
A list for the natural world includes the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Amazon Rainforest, Victoria Falls, Galápagos Islands and Mount Everest.
And recently there are the seven wonders of the Solar System with Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, the Asteroid belt, the Rings of Saturn, and Enceladus, the 6th largest of Saturn’s moons, complete with geysers shooting out ice and salt.
In the 5th century St. Augustine of Hippo said:
“People travel to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.”
Our society seems to see wonder in some things and not in others.
The “ancient world” had its “seven wonders” - amazing architectural achievements like the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. More recent candidates include: Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing and the Taj Mahal.
In 1994 the American Society of Civil Engineers came up with a list of modern wonders, including the Panama Canal, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Zuiderzee land reclamation in The Netherlands and the Channel Tunnel.
In technology, wonders include the International Space Station, the Internet, the laser and the iPod.
A list for the natural world includes the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Amazon Rainforest, Victoria Falls, Galápagos Islands and Mount Everest.
And recently there are the seven wonders of the Solar System with Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, the Asteroid belt, the Rings of Saturn, and Enceladus, the 6th largest of Saturn’s moons, complete with geysers shooting out ice and salt.
In the 5th century St. Augustine of Hippo said:
“People travel to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.”
Our society seems to see wonder in some things and not in others.
Personal Journey
My job in IT disappeared last year. My work, and commute to Croydon each day, had become tedious. Rather than search for another IT job straight away I decided to take a sabbatical. I took as my theme “Exploring Creativity”.
A chat with Jef put me on to The Artists’ Way, a book by Julia Cameron. It’s a self-help book for those with blocked creativity.
Evolution Arts just off Western Road run it as a course, so I joined their class. Each week we took a topic – integrity, possibility, abundance, autonomy, faith; and each week I took my Creative Self on an Artist’s Date. I visited Brighton Museum, rustled leaves in the woods and went to my first jazz concert. One week I baked a cake, another I sat in a deck chair on Brighton Pier and ate chips.
It resuscitated my lagging creativity. Gradually the fun started to come back!
A chat with Jef put me on to The Artists’ Way, a book by Julia Cameron. It’s a self-help book for those with blocked creativity.
Evolution Arts just off Western Road run it as a course, so I joined their class. Each week we took a topic – integrity, possibility, abundance, autonomy, faith; and each week I took my Creative Self on an Artist’s Date. I visited Brighton Museum, rustled leaves in the woods and went to my first jazz concert. One week I baked a cake, another I sat in a deck chair on Brighton Pier and ate chips.
It resuscitated my lagging creativity. Gradually the fun started to come back!
Wonder came to me as a poem
As part of the course I wrote “morning pages”, just writing down the stream of thoughts coming into my head.
One day, phrases started coming through from somewhere deep inside.
They just needed a little tidying up.
Here is some of the poem that emerged.
It’s called Wonderness:
A wonder-day to invent
a wonder-petal to scent
a wonder-time for fun
a wonder-race to run
a wonder-knock at the door
a wonder-lust to explore
a wonder-apple to bite
a wonder-spark to ignite …
a wonder-river to rush
a wonder-whisper to hush …
a wonder-peephole to spy
a wonder-dragon to fly …
a wonder-dress to swish
a wonder-star on to wish …
a wonder-fire to draw near
a wonder-story to hear
a wonder-smile to beam
a wonder-sleep to dream …
a wonder-tune to play
a wonder-message to say …
a wonder-gong to sound
a wonder-treasure to be found
a wonder-ness to give
a wonder-life to live.
[Wonderness (abridged); Paul Taylor, full poem: www.wonderness.co.uk]
Visiting the Findhorn Community has been part of the process. Experiencing and living with a community where spirituality, nature and connection are central.
Wonder is becoming more personal. It is not just in the big and the grand. I’m discovering it anew in the “everyday” - the miracles of nature, the flowers in the gardens, the trees down the street, the breeze on my face, the colour in the sky. I’m even feeling good about the washing up and the cleaning! At Findhorn they call it home-care.
One day, phrases started coming through from somewhere deep inside.
They just needed a little tidying up.
Here is some of the poem that emerged.
It’s called Wonderness:
A wonder-day to invent
a wonder-petal to scent
a wonder-time for fun
a wonder-race to run
a wonder-knock at the door
a wonder-lust to explore
a wonder-apple to bite
a wonder-spark to ignite …
a wonder-river to rush
a wonder-whisper to hush …
a wonder-peephole to spy
a wonder-dragon to fly …
a wonder-dress to swish
a wonder-star on to wish …
a wonder-fire to draw near
a wonder-story to hear
a wonder-smile to beam
a wonder-sleep to dream …
a wonder-tune to play
a wonder-message to say …
a wonder-gong to sound
a wonder-treasure to be found
a wonder-ness to give
a wonder-life to live.
[Wonderness (abridged); Paul Taylor, full poem: www.wonderness.co.uk]
Visiting the Findhorn Community has been part of the process. Experiencing and living with a community where spirituality, nature and connection are central.
Wonder is becoming more personal. It is not just in the big and the grand. I’m discovering it anew in the “everyday” - the miracles of nature, the flowers in the gardens, the trees down the street, the breeze on my face, the colour in the sky. I’m even feeling good about the washing up and the cleaning! At Findhorn they call it home-care.
Wonder in Me
In choosing to see familiar things as beautiful, as amazing, as wonder-ful, I am feeling connection with the world around me. I am feeling more appreciative.
Wonder is in every person, every friend, every stranger, and that wonder is in me too.
Wonder is in my outside world and wonder is in my inside world. I am looking at the world and looking at me with more Love and more Gratitude.
The feelings of wonder are helping me with my quiet times and stillness too. There is a deeper connection to develop and explore … a connection with my Soul. On the inside, we are all one, we are all connected.
Wonder is in every person, every friend, every stranger, and that wonder is in me too.
Wonder is in my outside world and wonder is in my inside world. I am looking at the world and looking at me with more Love and more Gratitude.
The feelings of wonder are helping me with my quiet times and stillness too. There is a deeper connection to develop and explore … a connection with my Soul. On the inside, we are all one, we are all connected.
Wonder in You
Each of us is different, is diverse. Each of us has our own wonder and our own unique creativity.
How does the wonder inside you show itself? What fills you with amazement? What things refresh your zest and give you energy?
When our lives are busy, sometimes the wonder gets blocked or buried. If your wonder feels blocked, you could give yourself the gift of a couple of hours. Do something that is just for you, something you really love.
It’s a chance to rediscover the unique wonder that is inside you.
How does the wonder inside you show itself? What fills you with amazement? What things refresh your zest and give you energy?
When our lives are busy, sometimes the wonder gets blocked or buried. If your wonder feels blocked, you could give yourself the gift of a couple of hours. Do something that is just for you, something you really love.
It’s a chance to rediscover the unique wonder that is inside you.
Final Words
I’ve heard lots of words, seen lots of images, learned about life, about many layers of particles and energy, intricate patterns of vibration and colour and unimaginable distances.
In the end I’ve found that I must move beyond words, into feelings of awe, love and gratitude for our universe. These allow a deeper connection to our universe, to God and to ourselves.
In the end I just say “Wow”.
In the end I’ve found that I must move beyond words, into feelings of awe, love and gratitude for our universe. These allow a deeper connection to our universe, to God and to ourselves.
In the end I just say “Wow”.
RSS Feed
