Introduction into Natural Philosophy – resume of an address (2013)
Today’s philosophy is inspired by Will Ford’s book “The seeing eye, the
feeling heart, the philosophy of natural mediumship”. Will Ford born in 1913 in
Wales, has been called the father of Welsh Spiritualism. He has been a working
medium for 65 years and over half a century a Spiritualist minister, healer,
teacher, philosopher and President of the SNU in South Wales. In his book he
shares his love for nature and simplicity in a way that shows his experience in
guiding and stimulating others to find their own truths in life.
For my address I have been especially inspired by the part where Will
Ford referred to personal growth. I
would like to approach it by connecting it to the 7th principle of Spiritualism
– eternal progress open to every human soul.
Philosophy
On a certain day, some years ago, we were born. If we are lucky it would
have been in a household with a caring and loving mother and father. We were
being fed, taken care of on a regular basis, we had the chance to learn about
life through the experience of our parents.
Later in life when going to school
we received education and we had to learn about facts of life to cope with life
through connecting with friends, neighbours, the teachers we had.
Well, in everyone’s life there comes a moment to decide, how we are going
to give meaning to our life. It may well be, that we come at a point in our lives
where we find, that the values we have lived by, don’t work for us anymore. This
can become a turning point in our lives. By trying to find out what is right
for us and how we would like to live our lives, it suddenly dawns on us, that
there are forces to overcome, other peoples’ ideas and convictions to meet.
This is one natural law.
What is happening here is that we are breaking a
routine, a lifetime of assumptions, which is not easy. I like to compare this
moment with the way nature sometimes works ...
If you picture in your mind’s eye a
desert. It hasn’t rained for years. The landscape is empty of water and
vegetation, you can see a dry riverbed, and everything looks desolate. Then
there comes a storm. Rain lashes down for days and after the rain has stopped
all traces of what was, have gone. Because of the heavy downpour there is a
river. The old riverbed has completely washed away because of all the force and
the new river, another form, another way to transport the water has been
formed. I am talking about patterns here, of course. You don’t need such a
heavy storm to change your ways, do you? By growing, developing, by finding
your inner strength you can become the person you are meant to be. Is there
someone else who can point that way out to you? I truly don’t think so.
I do love the way Will Ford describes “growth” in comparison with nature
and the care we should take in working the ground in order for seeds to grow
appeals to me so much.
Think for a moment of yourself as a living creature, the
one that was born on a certain day, some years ago .. Now, do you have any idea
how many seeds have been planted into your mind from that time, just waiting
for you to care for them and to feed them, so that one day you can harvest? Now that you are able to express your own free
will, you can follow your natural instincts and you have it in you to truly
develop your own soul, your own spirit.
Have you ever realized that that is what life is all about? To discover our own personality, to find our own truth, our destination, our own nature
that will always be slightly different from the other person? That it is about
acceptance? Accepting your own true self and respecting the other one’s true
self as well? Have you ever realized you’re on the path to your own truth, your
own reality and that you are a part of that great big universe, that we truly
do not comprehend but must accept as a given reality, and that we are all on a
similar path?
Each and every one of us has the road to walk and develop and
learn and that just because of that, we need each other, to support our
individuality. Yes, we share so much because we are all part of that great big
universe and we all want answers, because that is human nature. Have you ever
found out how many answers you already have? That they are within you and you
can reach them by becoming quiet/ becoming at one with .. nature?
I have asked you so many questions. These are all questions that lead to
your own personal answers plus the realization that we are here to learn from
each other and to reach out to each other. It is in giving that we receive, are
words as old as the world, words that we find in many different religions, and
we as Spiritualists can give meaning to at our own personal level.
Conclusion.
We are gathered here together in a virtual Sanctuary where our faith is
called Spiritualism. We have chosen for this religion, this direction where we are
allowed the liberty of speech, freedom of thought and where we have the
opportunity to discuss our views and explore ideas that have to do with life in
the here and now, life on earth and because we believe in life after this life,
find out about life hereafter and deliver or receive messages that give proof
of existence. We believe that our body is the material vessel for our soul and
our spirit and after our existence here on earth, we pass on to another level
of existence, and we become part of the spirit world where we have shed all
material things. What counts there is our level of understanding, the level we
have been able to reach here on earth and where we have that level as a
starting point to go on with our development.
Now, at the end of my address, once again I want to refer to words of
Will Ford as he uses the metaphor “natural philosophy is like the gardener’s
manual instructing you how best to prepare the soil and tend the plants so as
to maximize growth” and I start wondering again, wondering about happiness,
something we all look for. What are the ingredients?
I want to leave you with these thoughts and the realization that you can
probably do it, make your life a fertile garden. Let it bloom!
With love,
Juliet Joan
