Eric's new draft version of the SolSeed Creed
We are SolSeed We are the Body of all Earthly Life
Our Four Holy Tools are Knowledge of the Past, Mindfulness of the Present, Hope-filled Visions of the Future and Practices that Increase our Skill with the other three
With these tools We create our lives Lives of understanding, love and hope
The past informs us. Without knowledge of the past, Mindfulness, vision and practice are misguided
I pledge to study the history of Life exuberant, Ever Bursting through boundaries to flower and spread, Ever Creating the conditions for more Life in an upward spiral of exponentiating possibilities
The present grounds us Without mindfulness of the present, Knowledge frightens us, our vision is one of despair, and our practices serve only to distract us.
I pledge to always be mindful of the fact That Life is precious That Life has always been and will always be in a state of being precious
The future inspires us Without visions of the future Knowledge, mindfulness and practice stagnate
I pledge To express the excellent nature of Gaia To strive toward the Great Birthing In which SolSeed takes root and flowers among the stars and Gaia gives birth to a family of living worlds
Practice teaches us Without practice Knowledge and vision dim, and mindfulness escapes us
I pledge to answer Gaia's call To Dedicate myself to Life To join my kindred In a community of practice To align our words, thoughts, actions, habits, characters and very beings With our Highest Aspirations
I pledge to use art and the natural world To awaken in myself and others That Cosmic Religious Feeling That ignites wonder Fosters compassion And Inspires Invention
Our Three Sacred Duties are to Embrace Passion Cultivate Empathy and Pursue Wisdom
So that Our Teaching Spreads Truth Our Loving Engenders Kindness and Our Striving Hastens the Great Birthing
Passion call and response unchanged, Empathy call unchanged
I pledge to carry in my heart the fact that as I am alive, you are alive, And in kinship will all other living beings I pledge to love others as I love myself To treat their needs as if they were my own To Grow ours, Not just get mine.
Wisdom call unchanged
I pledge To stand ready to throw out my beliefs In the face of new evidence To experiment with new practices Which engender mindfulness To explore new more hopefilled visions of the future
With Knowledge, Mindfulness, Vision and Practice and Through Passion, Empathy and Wisdom We have come to know that...
Final response unchanged
Ben's new draft version
''First call and response unchanged
As you are alive, and I am alive, and in kinship with all other beings nourished by Sol, we are Gaia --- the Body of All Life.
Our technology has led us to feel separate from Gaia's web of life, Each of us trapped inside our conscious minds, yet masters of all we survey.
Living this story, we have done great harm to life, Yet we have also created a wondrous explosion of new possibilities.
As dedicants of Gaia's People (?), we are called to repay our debt to our shared body, By using our technological prowess to help her give birth to a family of living worlds.
We who answer the call dedicate ourselves to Gaia. We join together in a network of practice to align our words and our actions with our highest aspirations.
Through experiences of cosmic, biological, and cultural creativity, we awaken within ourselves and others the Cosmic Religious Feeling that ignites wonder, fosters compassion, and inspires invention.
Our sacred duty is to embrace Passion, cultivate Empathy, and pursue Wisdom, So that our being honors Gaia and our striving hastens the Great Birthing.
Passion drives us. Without Passion, Empathy and Wisdom are lethargic.
I pledge to stoke the fires of my passion, To have empathy for the parts of myself whose desires sometimes lead to unwise choices, To use wisdom to channel my passion toward my highest aspirations.
Empathy is transcendent. Without Empathy, Passion and Wisdom are evil.
I pledge to cultivate empathy for all living beings, To grow my passion for helping others and working together, To wisely choose paths that create more possibilities for all.
Wisdom is effective. Without Wisdom, Passion and Empathy are reckless.
I pledge to constantly improve my wisdom, To passionately strive toward greater knowledge of the world and more skillful living, To let empathy drive me to share my wisdom with others.
Through Passion, Empathy, and Wisdom we have come to know that:
We are Gaia's People children of the Earth and Sun awakened by starlight growing nurturing discovering We Bring Life!