With all my school blues these days, Stephan Hoeller’s contribution to the debate over the consequences of the Tsunami in South-East Asia went completely by me.
I thought I should share it with you, now that I have found it. Thanks, Jeremy for letting me know about it on your weblog.

Gnosis at a time of disaster.
A meditation on the Earthquake-Tsunami disaster of 26 December 2004

“On the day after Christmas of last year, a gigantic earthquake accompanied by a tsunami took the lives of thus far over 150,000 human beings in an area extending from Indonesia to Somalia. A natural catastrophe of unique scope visited humanity, and causes us to reflect on its possible meaning and implications. Questions are being raised by people of many faiths and of none. Most of these may be summed up in one word:“Why?””
begins Stephan Hoeller’s meditation.

Since the Roman Catholic Church invented the martyrs Valentine and Valentine (sic!), unrelated, who wrote pious little declarations of charitable intentions – the name Valentine has been a definition of the passionate lover, who anonymously bestows a gift of words, of flowers, of jewelry.. or indeed, chocolate – to his dearest.

The international icon for Christmas has become the Christmas tree, only challenged by a fat cartoon character in a red suit and a long white beard. The international icon for Valentines is a heart.

Since Valentinus, the actual origin for the traditional celebration of St.Valentines – declared boldly that beyond all other characterizations God, the divine, is Love: and all beings owe their existence to the situation that Love needs an object (or rather, a Subject) – and because the Bridal Chamber (also called Nymphon) is the central mystery (sacrament) of the Valentinian school; the heart comes closer to describe this “Holy Day”.

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