Apr 14, 2024

“Ripples in the Well”

Rev. Kurt Hohmann

Just as the sun nourishes the soil and the rain quenches the thirst of the earth, so too do our actions ripple outwards, shaping the world in ways both seen and unseen.

  • Tom Brown’s Tracker School: Healing Class
    • Working together to find solutions
    • Given bits and pieces
    • None of us with medical training
    • Instructions on some herbs, some uses of clay, some weather conditions
    • No one of us could come up with a solution alone
    • Meditation, experimentation, the body as laboratory
    • Collaboration and sharing of experience
  • Our culture celebrates individualism and self-sufficiency
    • Easy to forget the sacred bonds that connect us to one another and to the Earth
    • Separateness is an illusion
      • The belief that our actions have no consequences beyond our own lives
  • Spring and Interdependence
    • Spring
      • Vibrant colors and melodies of renewal
      • Blossoming flowers, budding trees, buzzing bees
        • All part of a grand symphony of life
        • Each playing its unique role in sustaining the whole
      • Petals of a flower rely on the warmth of the sun and the nourishment of the soil
      • We depend on interconnected relationships that sustain us
        • We are not isolated entities
        • We are integral parts of a larger ecosystem, bound together by mutual reliance
      • Interdependence extends beyond our relationship with the natural world
        • Permeates every aspect of our lives
        • Reminds us of our interconnectedness with one another
        • In a world plagued by division and strife, recognition of our shared humanity becomes all the more crucial
      • We are called to embrace diversity and celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of every individual
      • Recognize that we are all interconnected, regardless of race, creed, or background, and that our fates are intertwined
  • Analogy 1: Existence is a Tapestry
    • Every thread is interconnected
    • Each thread in the web of existence is essential and irreplaceable
    • Woven intricately into the fabric of life
    • Every being, every element, every breath is woven together
    • From the roots beneath the forest floor to the constellations in the night sky, the interconnectedness of all things is our heritage and our destiny
    • Our well-being is inextricably linked to the well-being of all beings
    • Just as the sun nourishes the soil and the rain quenches the thirst of the earth, our actions ripple outward, shaping the world in ways both seen and unseen
  • Examples from Different Cultures
    • Moirai (Greek Mythology)
      • Three sisters:
        • Clotho (the spinner)
        • Lachesis (the allotter)
        • Atropos (the unturnable)
      • Responsible for spinning, measuring, and cutting the thread of life for every mortal
    • Parcae (Roman Mythology)
      • Three sisters:
        • Nona
        • Decima
        • Morta
      • Controlled the destinies of individuals from birth to death
    • Morrigan (Irish Mythology)
      • Macha
      • Nemain
      • Badb
      • Could shape the destiny of warriors and kingdoms
    • Moirans (Scottish Mythology)
      • Three hooded sisters controlling destiny
    • Laima (Baltic Mythology)
      • Goddess of fate, luck, and destiny
      • Spinner who weaves the threads of life
  • Analogy 2: The Well of Wyrd
    • At the heart of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, lies the sacred Well of Wyrd
    • Represents the interconnectedness of all things and the ever-flowing stream of fate
    • A powerful symbol of interdependence
      • All beings are bound together in a vast and intricate way
      • The waters connect the gods, ancestors, and the living
      • Our lives intersect and intertwine with countless others
    • Unlike thread, Wyrd is water
      • It ripples outward
      • Connects every person, creature, and living thing
    • Every action we take changes not only our own Wyrd, but the Wyrd of others
      • Leaves an imprint whether we realize it or not
      • Likewise, our own Wyrd is constantly shaped by the actions of others
    • It is impossible to exist in isolation from the world around us
  • What affects one, affects many
    • The Well feeds Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which connects with all of the worlds
      • The Tree’s roots extend into the Well
    • Norns
      • Dwell at the base of the Tree
      • The Norns also pour the Well’s water over the base of the Tree
        • Water flows through the Tree to the various worlds, then back into the Tree to drip from its leaves back down into the Well
      • This cycle represents the continuous effect of past actions on present moments
      • The effects of those actions ripple back into the Tree and drip into the Well
        • Help shape the destinies of gods and mortals alike
        • They are not omnipotent or immutable
          • Wyrd is shaped by the choices and actions of all beings who dwell within the well
          • Our actions reverberate through the well, shaping the course of destiny for ourselves and for those around us
      • Urðr — past: what has become
      • Verðandi — present: what is becoming
      • Skuld — future: what should become
        • On a personal scale, the past is built up with every action one does or does not take
        • As soon as an action is made, it slips from the present into the past
          • A ripple cast out into one’s wyrd with no possibility of pulling it back
        • An action made is an action manifested forever into reality
          • Consequences ripple forward into many possible futures
          • The past we cannot change
          • The future we cannot know
        • All we can do in the present is decide how to act
          • Contribute to the past so that we can guide our personal wyrd toward the best possible future
      • Just as the Norns shape fate within the depths of the Well of Wyrd, so too do we have the power to shape the destiny of our world
      • Through our choices and actions, we can create ripples of healing and transformation that echo throughout the well of existence
        • Goal: bringing about a world where all beings can flourish and thrive
  • Fostering Interdependence
    • Begins with cultivating a deep sense of reverence and gratitude for the well of life that sustains us
      • Recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of all beings, from the tiniest insect to the tallest tree
      • Honoring their place in the sacred circle of existence
    • Is not merely a passive act of observation
      • It is a call to action, a sacred duty to care for and protect the delicate balance of life
      • It is about tending to the needs of our fellow beings with compassion and empathy, recognizing that their well-being is intertwined with our own
    • In our communities, it means building relationships based on trust, cooperation, and mutual support
      • Coming together as equals, each bringing our unique gifts to the table
        • Weaving them together into a tapestry of resilience and strength
        • Pouring them together into a recipe of resilience and strength
    • In the wider world, it means standing in solidarity with those who are marginalized and oppressed, recognizing that their liberation is bound up with our own
      • Challenging systems of power and privilege that seek to divide us
      • Working toward a world where all beings can flourish and thrive
    • Means recognizing the sacredness of our connections with all beings and honoring the responsibilities that come with these connections
    • Means tending to the well-being of our kinfolk, both human and non-human, and working together to create a world of beauty, balance, and harmony
  • How to Get Anything Done in a Group
    • Realize that ideas and innovation emerge over time
      • Members combine the right ideas in an appropriate structure, bit by bit
      • Only afterward does the meaning of each idea become clear
    • Practice deep listening
      • Spend more time listening to and observing others, and less time planning what you will say and how to respond
    • Collective ownership
      • Team members can take on and evolve each idea further
      • Emphasize the importance of evolving and adapting ideas as a team, rather than attributing them to one individual
    • Surprising questions
      • Encourage team members to question assumptions by posing surprising or unconventional questions during discussions
    • Innovation is inefficient
      • Improvisation means more mistakes, but we learn from those mistakes
      • Emphasize the potential for breakthroughs
    • Innovation emerges from the bottom up
      • Start with the detail, improvise innovation, then work up to the big picture

Closing

  • As we celebrate the season with joy and wonder, let’s also honor the interconnectedness of all beings with humility and awe
  • In the spirit of the season, let us recommit ourselves to fostering compassion, empathy, and solidarity within our community and beyond
  • Let’s cultivate a deep sense of reverence and gratitude for the well of life that sustains us
  • Let us strive to nurture relationships built on mutual respect and understanding, recognizing that our differences enrich our human experience
  • Blessed be the sacred well of Wyrd, and blessed be the web of interdependence that binds us all together

Final Remarks

  • May we remember that we are all interconnected, bound together in a sacred well of existence, and may we strive to honor and uphold this truth in all that we do
  • May we strive to honor and nurture the interconnected life that sustains us, building a world of beauty, harmony, and abundance for all beings
  • Let us draw strength and inspiration from the sacred well of Wyrd
  • We are not alone, but rather part of a vast and beautiful well of existence
  • As we journey through this season of renewal, may we carry with us the profound wisdom of interdependence