The Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life
"Cosmic Tree"/ Wheel of Life" illustration from "Scivias"

Description

Good Shepherd Jericho's "Listening Table" is an informal "Spirituality in Nature Group" that gathers weekly to listen to poems about nature, to the natural environment surrounding us, and to journal, sketch, and compose any artistic rendering one might wish. Our goal is to help participants listen more mindfully to creation and to one another. This blog is a resource space for our time together and a safe space for participants to extend conversations and to share works in progress. This gathering table is not an explicitly religious activity, and anyone in the extended community, whoever and whereever they might be in life's journey is welcomed to participate, the only requirement being kindness and mutual respect. No prior spiritual or artistic training is expected, but people of all traditions are welcome

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Week One Poems: Hildegard of Bingen (3 poems)

 

Antiphon for Divine Wisdom, Translated By Barbara Newman


Sophia! you of the whirling wings,

circling encompassing energy of God:

you quicken the world in your clasp.


One wing soars in heaven

one wing sweeps the earth

and the third flies all around us.


Praise to Sophia!   Let all the earth praise her!


Antiphon for the Holy Spirit,  Translated By Barbara Newman


The Spirit of God is a life that bestows life,

root of world-tree and wind in its boughs.

Scrubbing out sin,she rubs oil into wounds.


She is glistening life

alluring all praise, all-awakening, All-resurrecting


Holy, Spirit Fire of Life, translated by Stephanie Roth (in Cosmic Visions of Hildegard of Bingen)


Oh fire of the Holy Spirit,

life of the life of every creature,

holy are you in giving life to forms…

Oh boldest path,

penetrating into all places,

in the heights, on earth,

and in every abyss,

you bring and bind all together

From you clouds flow, air flies,

Rocks have their humours,

Rivers spring forth from the waters

And earth wears her green vigour

Oh fire of the Holy Spirit,

life of the life of every creature,

holy are you in giving life to forms…

O ignis Spiritus Paracliti !


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