Awe and Wonder: Everyday Transcendent Experience
Dear Friends,
“I thank You God for most this amazing day
For the leaping greenly spirits of trees
And a blue true dream of sky
And for everything which is natural, which is infinite,
which is yes”
~ ee cummings
Awe and wonder are the expansive feeling of encountering vast mysteries that transcend our knowledge and experience of the world. In its greatest sense, it is an astonished, inspiring and transformative appreciation for the spiritual beauty of the world. It expands us to come into alignment with God’s reality.
How can we encounter it more regularly and deeply? There are myriad ways such encounters can take place. The easiest and accessible way to experience awe and wonder is being in nature. One can awake in the wild. Nature can be a doorway to an expansive view of reality that leads to greater joy and gratitude for being alive.
After a long pandemic and looking at too many hours of digital screens, what better remedy than to step outside and bathe in the wild nature. Summer grants us an opportunity to get away from the human made world and step into wild nature through camping and hiking. I am doing just that this summer by camping in the wild in Oregon with a group of people. I find nature to be a healing and revitalizing force that brings emotional and spiritual sobriety. We can discover how time outdoors leads to beautiful states of joy, peace, wonder, love, and connection with oneself, with the earth, and the larger web of life that are intrinsically connected as One.
Ancient spiritual traditions of the world understood the value of transformative power of nature. Whether during sunrise or sunset, listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean or as we sit graced in the stillness of dappled lights under trees, they can offer us the profound serenity and wisdom of nature. The natural world – in all its arresting beauty and enchanting complexity – calls out for our presence and reverence. There are subtle currents of communion and communication happening in the land and wild beings beckoning us into expanded states of sensitivity, reciprocity and fellowship.
In the collection of The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of 4th century Egypt, there is this teaching story of “A Brother who Lost His Bible”:
A monk was alarmed that his prized bible was taken by a visitor. He goes to the abbot to lament how he feels so lost without the bible to understand God. Abbot instructs the brother to go and observe nature for they are the footprints of God. “Everything you need to know about God is written in the words of creation.”
“Every creature is the word of God.”
~ Meister Eckhart, the 13 century German mystic and theologian
Introducing Our Summer Musicians
I’m thrilled to introduce to you our local musician Eden Edell who resides in Aptos. She is scheduled to play during following worship services on July 9, 30, and Aug. 13.
Short Bio: Eden Edell grew up in the Bay Area, has been playing music for over twenty years, performing for ten, and has written more than a handful of songs. People are often moved when they hear Eden sing and the stories she tells in her music. Her musical style is Indie Folk but she also sings Blues and Jazz tunes. Her music is described as ethereal and grounding at the same time.
Long Bio: I grew up in a large musical family in the Bay Area where music was often playing in my home. Music was a refuge for me. Listening to my favorite albums gave me peace and hope. Playing music transported me to a safe space where time feels nonexistent. While playing music, I could get lost in beauty and peace when times were difficult.
I took piano lessons when I was eight years old for two years. In middle school I got my first solo in choir and sang it in front of a gym full of people. During high school I re-taught myself how to play piano, and learned over 30 songs by watching YouTube videos.
Shortly after, I found my brother’s ukulele sitting around in the house and taught myself how to play that too. When I was nineteen years old my dad bought me a guitar for my birthday and taught me some of my first songs on it. I then spent almost every moment playing and teaching myself guitar. I learned some other songs and tricks on guitar from family members too.
In the first year of college, I had the guts to perform at my first open mic on campus. Before then, I was really shy and only sang in front of close friends and family. I became more outgoing and people started to know me on campus for my original songs. I played music at campus events.
In 2013, I was lucky enough to attend a Semester at Sea, where I travelled around the world on a ship for four months, taking college classes and getting the best education one could ask for. I brought my guitar with me, started the music club on the ship with friends, performed in the talent show, and played music for people I met in each country. I wrote a song about my experiences called “Traveler.” When I got back home I continued my college education and performed at open mics almost every day of the week. I’ve been performing for about ten years. During that time, people have told me how beautiful my voice is and I didn’t fully believe them until…
In 2021, my friend wrote the most beautiful song titled “Love You Till the End of Me,” and asked if I wanted to sing it. We worked on it and recorded it in a studio on an $18k microphone. When I heard the polished recording of it I fell to the ground and started to cry. I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard, and a second later I realized it was my voice. Since then I no longer doubt my musical gifts and I now realize what others were hearing. I started to busk in July 2021 (playing music on the street). Since then I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities playing in bands and gigs.
I’m available to play at events, festivals, venues, weddings, etc. I love performing, singing, meeting great people, making someone’s day and witnessing others being moved by my music. It means the world to me to share my gifts, have others listen. When I share my music I feel like the most alive and vibrant version of myself.
I’ve written seventeen songs and I have over three hours of music memorized. Writing music is a healing process for me and often helps listeners heal too.
To stay updated you can join my newsletter on my website: edenedell.com by sending me a message on my contact page.
Vanessa Yearsley, soprano, who has sung for us in the past is returning here from her summer break from the prestigious music school in New York. She will sing on Aug. 20th.
Our very own duo, Brandon & Trisha Kett, will offer “The Road You Are On” (Music & Words by Brandon Kett) on July 16th.
Come and be inspired and moved by the music offerings from these gifted musicians. Your presence in worship is a single most important contribution that you can make in building our faith community. Your presence gives energy and warmth to our worship experience.
Yours in Christ,
John
