Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,
Welcome at the 5th edition of Carpe Diem's Theme Week. Last month I wasn't in the opportunity to create the Theme Week as planned, because of the research I had to do for our Europe Ginko, but this month I have time (and inspiration) to make this Theme Week. Of course I will create a new exclusive CDHK e-book after this Theme Week. By participating in this Theme Week you give me permissions to use your haiku in our new exclusive Theme Week CDHK e-book. Please email me if you love to participate, but don't want your haiku used.
This month our Theme Week is about "Ascension" and in this introductory episode I love to tell you a little bit more about ascension, but let me first give you our Theme Week logo for this Theme Week:
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| Logo Theme Week "Ascension" |
I found a beautiful poem by John Donne, founder of the Metaphysical Poets (which included also, among others, George Herbert and Andrew Marvell). This poem is titled Ascension and it's a Christian vision on Ascension.
Salute the last, and everlasting day,
Joy at the uprising of this Sun, and Son,
Ye whose true tears, or tribulation
Have purely wash’d, or burnt your drossy clay.
Behold, the Highest, parting hence away,
Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon;
Nor doth he by ascending show alone,
But first He, and He first enters the way.
O strong Ram, which hast batter’d heaven for me!
Mild lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark’d the path!
Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see!
O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath;
And if Thy Holy Spirit my Muse did raise,
Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise
Joy at the uprising of this Sun, and Son,
Ye whose true tears, or tribulation
Have purely wash’d, or burnt your drossy clay.
Behold, the Highest, parting hence away,
Lightens the dark clouds, which He treads upon;
Nor doth he by ascending show alone,
But first He, and He first enters the way.
O strong Ram, which hast batter’d heaven for me!
Mild lamb, which with Thy Blood hast mark’d the path!
Bright Torch, which shinest, that I the way may see!
O, with Thy own Blood quench Thy own just wrath;
And if Thy Holy Spirit my Muse did raise,
Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise
John Donne (1572 - 1631)
It's very clear that this poem is based on a Christian vision, but that's not what I had in mind when I created this idea for the new Theme Week. There is more to it.
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| ascension |
Maybe you know that I have written a few novels and in one of my novels "ascension" is the big theme. It's about the ascension of a whole world into a next dimension and that's my idea behind ascension. In my opinion ascension describes how we humans can ascend to a new dimension
through spiritual growth. I don't know if you are familiar with the term "Aquarius Time". We are living now in the Time of Aquarius in which the spiritual growth of mankind will become stronger and if that becomes stronger than there will be a shift from the one dimension to a new dimension and that's what I love to share with you this Theme Week.
In this Theme Week we will encounter several ascended masters, all wise people how already entered a new dimension, maybe you know a few of them, because a lot of people have an ascended master as their guardian angel.
In this Theme Week we will encounter several ascended masters, all wise people how already entered a new dimension, maybe you know a few of them, because a lot of people have an ascended master as their guardian angel.
no cardboard angels
cherish and comfort me when I am sad,
... real angels do
© Chèvrefeuille
cherish and comfort me when I am sad,
... real angels do
© Chèvrefeuille
Let us take a closer at ascension:
What is ascension? For millennia, many religions and spiritual teachers have been telling us that during 2012 and soon after, humanity will experience a special spiritual event called ascension. Is this event true or is it just a fantasy dreamed up by certain crazy people. My understanding of ascension is that it isn't a fantasy, but a natural cycle of the Universe and we are in the middle of ascending to higher levels of consciousness.
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| Is there a galactic path to ascension? |
Ascension ... well I think we have talked about that earlier here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. Do you remember our Tarot month, back in 2013? In that month we already talked about ascension and this week we will do that again.
from the mud
a lotus flower rises
ascension to the sun
© Chèvrefeuille
a lotus flower rises
ascension to the sun
© Chèvrefeuille
By the way. It's maybe not your cup of tea ascension, but it is such a wonderful idea to talk about and it's intriging how humankind thinks about ascension ... there are a lot of differences ... maybe we can find similarities this week ... after all we are all haiku poets, close to nature and in a way spiritual poets ...
Ascension ... maybe a controversial idea, but I love to hear from you ...
This Introductory episode to our fifth Theme Week is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until July 22nd at noon (CET). Have fun!
Am enjoying 'Waterfall of Colors' immensely. Such a fine collection. I shall give more feedback shortly, as it is best savoured slowly. Those haiku you wrote a few years ago are definitely worth revisiting, and stand the test of time.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hamish, my friend. I hope to have the second anthology (Jan.-March 2013) ready this week.
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