St. Aidan's Episcopal Church

30 Brighton Ave.

Bolinas, CA 94924

(415) 868-5504

Read the Bible. Love one another. Trust God.

Thanks to Jean Capron for her photos

THE ARCHETYPE OF GOD

The Tarot deck, which seems to have originated among Muslims during the Middle Ages, tells a pictorial story of life's archetypal journey. We all begin as the Fool, pictured here, setting off to see the world with our little dog, not realizing we are perched at the edge of a cliff.

I am back praying over these archetypes because from where I sit, I see archetypal energy everywhere, rising like a Cat 5 hurricane from the Collective Unconscious and unleashing a great deal of destruction. The fabric of civility tatters at the edges. Although in art we domesticate this energy as discreet characters: the wise old man, the eternal boy, the lovers, the mother, the energy itself is anything but: it roars, undifferentiated and wild, like a nova blowing off the raw materials of stars, and like a good delusion, feels entirely real.

Archetypal energy stirs mobs. It zings with the promise of power. It is what Jesus invokes when he says in Matthew's Gospel, "I will open my mouth and speak in parables; I will reveal what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."

Archetypes return us to the beginning, to the chaos from which God formed the world. Much of that creation story is an account of differentiation: day from night, land from waters, plants from soil, as if the world were built upon distinction, until we reach the end, where God creates a single creature: humankind, who also holds the distinctions in its unity: male and female he created them. Herein lies the heart of all spiritual thinking, the luminous equality of relationship, the fact that the One can only be achieved through the Many.

After a long time, God showed us this archetypal energy in Jesus. For Christians there is but one great character, but within that character lies the energy of the Cosmos. Human and Divine, what happens when we can be at one with ourselves and others.

All religions have their own version of this great truth. At St. Aidan's we offer many spiritual paths:

On the First Saturday of each month, a half day Soto Zen Retreat

On the Second and Fourth Fridays, a class in the wisdom of dreams

Every Sunday, a Sacred Conversation and Holy Communion

Bring us your story that we may do you honor.

The Rev.

Carol Luther

Voluntary Priest

Like the seasons of the Natural World, our Christian Practice has its own cycle of seasons. The Sundays After Pentecost, which extend through Summer and Fall are the time of parables and teachings. During this time, we ponder Jesus' ministry of healing and the Biblical economy of generosity and grace. The early part of the the season dances through growth and feast, the later months focus on the Earth and we end with a celebration of the Cosmic. The color of worship is green, signifying growth.

OFFICE HOURS

Wednesdays, 1:30-3:30

and by Appointment

Spiritual Direction, Counseling and Faith Formation Available

Come in. Pray. Have a cup of tea. Or conversation.

Join us in our quest!

Holy Eucharist and Sacred Conversation

Sundays, 10 a.m.

All our welcome here.

We are a community of diverse views and interesting observations, leavened by love.