Excerpt from John Robinson’s new book Resilience: Aging with Vision, Hope and Courage in a Time of Crisis.
In Regards to Mystical Activism: To What Are You Being Called
- Climate warrior defending Creation against the continuing assault of development, pollution, and exploitation through social protest and civil disobedience.
- Citizen Lobbyist pressuring local, state and national governments to declare a climate emergency and adopt immediate climate legislation
- Gardener or Animal Lover nourishing and supporting life in all its forms
- Healer of physical, emotional, mental or spiritual wounds in human and non-human beings, nurturing the hurt and broken back to life
- Artist expressing and welcoming the Spirit’s powerful message of loving creativity through your own work. Art is the transformation of consciousness.
- Lover of Creation blessing every living thing with kindness, gratitude and praise
- Skillful Builder for a Sustainable New World as enlightened craftsman, engineer, laborer, farmer, planner, chef, inventor, lawyer or educator
- Contemplative immersed in prayer and unitive consciousness sending healing energies throughout Creation
- Scientist, professional or amateur, seeking to understand the nature and causes of climate damage and its repair
- Spiritual Leader creating or revitalizing sacred ritual, celebration and theology in service to Creation
- Social Organizer inspiring and mobilizing community planning for long-term local sustainability and immediate climate action.
- Conflict Manager skilled in compassionate non-violent communication and community problem-solving, guiding fractured groups through difficult choices toward unifying values and action
- Volunteer donating time, energy, skills, and money to political or climate action organizations
- Nature Mysticgoing outside and falling in love Creation for continued support, inspiration, and motivation
Last but not least, Reducer of your own Carbon Footprint through lifestyle changes and carbon offset programs. And remember,the word “sacrifice” comes from the Latin and means “to make sacred.”
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The first selection of Sage-ing International‘s Sage-ing Book Club (SBC) will be spiritual activist John C. Robinson’s Mystical Activism: Transforming a World in Crisis. (Foreword by Matthew Fox). SBC, hosted by Carol Orsborn, is a new live virtual book club centering on reading and discussing both classics and new literature about subjects important to those of us choosing conscious eldering.
Dr. Robinson’s new book is a timely wake-up call for sweeping social, political and spiritual changes as our generation of elders are being called by the Covid-19 crisis to a radical transformation of consciousness. John Robinson, PhD will make a guest appearance to introduce his work before facilitator Carol Orsborn opens the floor for conversation amongst participants about and inspired by this timely and provocative work as it relates to us personally. Bonus Material: Over the past month, Robinson was inspired to write an updated application of Mystical Activism, the master work that is our official selection. This new work is titled Resilience: Aging with Vision, Hope and Courage in a Time of Crisis, that will be available shortly and summarized by Robinson in conversation with Orsborn during the introductory preamble to the book club discussion. For a preview, click HERE.
Following are some provocative questions to jump-start the conversation both on-line in the comment section below; and in the live Zoom meeting of SBC which will be held Wednesday, June 3 from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern and held approximately bi-monthly 5 times/year on the first Wednesday of the month. Participation is free with optional love offering, but limited to 30 on a first-come, first-served basis so as to inspire optimal size group for the discussion.
Please note, that on April 29, John C. Robinson will lead a webinar on his new book. Participation by book club members who will be discussing the book at the June book club launch is welcomed but not mandatory. The webinar costs $15 and you can register HERE.
Questions to Think About as You Read:
A quote from Mystical Activism: Transforming a World in Crisis.
“This apocalyptic time in history represents a profound evolutionary challenge urgently calling us to the next level of spiritual awakening.”
- What is the author referring to when he contends that even in these perilous times one can yet experience one’s self to be a divine human in a divine world? What does it mean to “wake up”?
- Does waking up make one more or less concerned about the state of the world?
- In a time when we are so dependent upon scientists to come up with rationally-grounded solutions to Covid-19 and so many environmental crises, what is the role of spirituality?
- How do we know if our approach to what John calls “heightened consciousness of the divine” is necessary and contributing–or an escape or indulgence from “reality”?
- Do elders, we who are particularly at risk due to the virus, have a special role to play? What about elders and others who are isolating or ill?
- What does it mean to you to be a mystical activist?
John C. Robinson Bio and Website
John C. Robinson is a clinical psychologist with a second doctorate in ministry, an ordained interfaith minister, the author of nine books and numerous articles on the psychology, spirituality and mysticism of the New Aging, and a frequent speaker at Conscious Aging Conferences across the country. You can learn more about his work at www.johnrobinson.org.
John’s work has received praise from numerous visionary writers including Angeles Arrien, Arjuna Ardagh, Robert Atchley, Robert Bly, Allan Chinen, Matthew Fox, John Gray, Andrew Harvey, Gay Hendricks, Robert Johnson, Aaron Kipnis, Stanley Krippner, Malidoma Some, Harry Moody, Carol Orsborn, Kenneth Ring, Bernie Siegel, Jacquelyn Small, Jeremy Taylor, and Jonathan Young.
For his complete bio, list of works, reviews and blogs, visit www.johnrobinson.org.
