"TORTOISES, FLAMINGOS, SEA LIONS, BLUE-FOOTED BOOBIES... AND BABY JESUS? Oh my!" I exclaimed. "Sarah! Get back on the tour bus," my husband implored. I willfully ignored him, eager to document the fascinating nativity scene, which seemed remarkably perfect for an island in the Galapagos.
Although Jesus is the nativity attraction for most people, I'm more intrigued by the animals. During December, our shelves overflow with creche sets from around the world. Shiny black soapstone kings and camels from Kenya sit beside a German display sporting a donkey. A group from Peru features llamas, while the Alaskan one offers a walrus. And while this tusked mammal may seem logical in the snow-filled scenes we Americans love to display at Christmas, I can say with 100 percent certainty that a walrus was not present in the temperate climate at Jesus's birth.
WHO WAS REALLY AT "THE FIRST CHRISTMAS"?
We don't know. The Gospels don't agree on which humans were present and don't precisely mention animals. While the book of Matthew suggests wise men, hence the inclusion of camel figurines, the book of Luke mentions shepherds, and so we get sheep.
A much later extracanonical text, referred to as the Gospel of PseudoMatthew, adds an ox and donkey to the story assuredly to link passages from the Jewish scriptures to Jesus's birth. Pope Benedict was once questioned regarding their presence in a Vatican display. Conceding the animals could not be verified in scripture, he added, "No nativity scene will give up its ox and donkey." (Unless it's for a moose or tortoise, I might posit.)
Denne historien er fra November/December 2022-utgaven av Spirituality & Health.
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Denne historien er fra November/December 2022-utgaven av Spirituality & Health.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Let's Not Limit Nature- According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, nature is first defined as "the external world in its entirety," with etymological roots from multiple cultures and originating meanings
The ancient Greeks had no word for art. Many indigenous people have no word for religion. Art and religion were inherent to human life until outsiders needed to critique and study these concepts-so they named them. The legacy of the word nature is similar. We speak about nature as if we are separate from itas if, like a starkly delineated shadow on a sidewalk, you can stand with one foot in nature and one foot outside of it.
QUEEN DIAMBI KABATUSUILA SHEDS A NEW LIGHT ON AFRICA
In 2016, before she became queen of the Bakwa Luntu people of the Dimbelenge territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Queen Diambi Kabatusuila was a 48-year-old therapist going through a difficult divorce, living in Boca Raton, Florida, and having a recurring dream about an old woman in an African village.
Over the MOON About Helping Animals (and Their People)
Since I was a child, I've had a ritual: Every night, I go outside and search the sky for the moon and stars. I marvel at the magnificence of a dark, crisp, clear, midnight blue sky and its symphony of constellations, occasional meteors, and the glorious moon herself-each illuminating the vastness. This simple practice always gives me the deepest peace and centeredness. It aligns my internal compass every night before bed.
Unlikely Lightworkers from Liverpool
The Beatles were more than musical masters-they were spiritual pioneers.
ENTER THE SAUNA
Journalist Emily O’Kelly shares some uplifting research on the benefits of sweat bathing, a global healing practice not just limited to Northern climes.
LEAVING MESA VERDE
After 21 years of service at Mesa Verde National Park, RANGER DAVID FRANKS recently guided his last tour of the pueblos and cliff dwellings. He says he was fortunate to assist the archeologists with a variety of work and never lost his amazement with their ability to figure out how and when things happened. The question he still wrestles with is much deeper: Why they left?
MY SMILING NEIGHBOR CALLS ME A CHRIST KILLER...
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR THE SPIRITUAL TRAVELER
FEATURED ARTIST - Paul Lewin
Lead digital editor Brenna Lilly spoke with artist Paul Lewin about ancestral inspiration, visions for the future, and the art of patience.
3 Poses for Awakening
The difference between yoga and many other forms of exercise is that while you are doing it, you are paying attention. You notice your breath, your rhythm, the specific ways the body feels in each posture. Yoga can be a form of moving meditation. This can be true for any pose, but these three advanced poses, which bring energy into the head, heart, and throat, are especially helpful for awakening.
THE SIMPLE THERMODYNAMICS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
When S+H was conceived, evolutionary neuroscientist PEGGY LA CERRA, PhD, awakened to a new understanding of the nature of the mind created by evolution. It’s not widely taught, but the science seems pretty obvious.
