Reflections

Lit up by the moon, it looked celestial; seemed some plumed and glittering god uprising from the sea.

The 51st chapter of Herman Melville’s classic Moby Dick is called “Spirit Spout.”

“Spirit Spout,” the chapter, describes a series of dark nights at sea where several members of the crew of a whaling ship see a burst birthed from the still waters, which they believe to be the spout of the whale they are pursuing:

Each year, on the winter solstice, we share this reflection on the season by Parker Palmer. In 1995, Parker wrote a welcome letter for the Fetzer Institute's newly built retreat center, Seasons, which included a reflection on each of the four seasons. Here, we excerpt his musings on winter in the Upper Midwest, where he lives and where the Fetzer Institute is located.

Going into this election, we have a politics of fear and division. We have politics that encourage an “us vs. them” attitude that fosters the dehumanization of those who believe differently than we do. What is the solution to these feelings of division, to the anger and fear so many are feeling?

Embracing Sacred Love: A Path Toward Unity

Dear friends of GilChrist, 

“Paying attention is a form of reciprocity with the living world, receiving the gifts with open eyes and open heart.”

—Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist team during the month of October, in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist community during the month of October about practices of healing, in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.

Thanks to Jonathan Brandt, who captured this collection of sounds at GilChrist in the summer of 2016, and offers them in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist team during the month of October about practices of healing, in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.

“Nursing is concerned with promoting health, preventing illness, caring for the sick, and restoring health.”         

—Jean Watson, Theory of Human Caring

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist team during the month of October about practices of healing, in honor of GilChrist’s 25^th anniversary on October 15.

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist team during the month of October about practices of healing, in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.

 

The Tao of Puck the Goat

What a special fellow you are
So unaware and useless it seems.

But I know better-
You are wise and witty
You don’t ask for what you want
You just assume it is there for you.