TCC & The Universe Story

A few years ago I had the privilege of spending three months at Springbank, South Carolina, a center for eco-spirituality and the arts. Much of the focus was on integrating the concepts and experiencing the reality of the universe story. The writings of Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, and workshops based on their exploration of science and the humanities, led to an exciting and profound study from the “primordial flaring forth to the Ecozoic Era.”

With the marvelous leisure time for practicing T’ai Chi Chih in a beautiful setting of woods, water, and greenery, I became aware of the deep connection between the movements and the universe story. The movements became a celebration of the unfolding evolutionary periods of the cosmos. This initial insight came with the first movement, Rocking Motion, which so simply but profoundly embodied the “flaring forth” of the universe some 13.7 billion years ago. It was a dynamic flaring forth of love that set the rest of the universe in its vast deep movement and continues as its vital force.

From that initial connection the next eighteen movements delightfully began to relate to various periods of the universe story. Each discovery brought a burst of energy, from Bird Flaps Its Wings, symbolizing the formation of the molecules and web, to Six Healing Sounds directed to the earth’s heart and organs, its rivers, air, and ecological systems.

The “platters” became the galaxies, with the super nova exploding in the variation. The “daughters” birthed simple life, and Pulling in the Energy was the human, standing upright, becoming conscious and embracing the spiritual awareness of the divine. Each movement soon depicted the slow changes of billions of earth years to the more rapid changes of modern times passing through the “taffy movements” of civilization changes. Working the Pulley led the way through inventions and technology until those critical movements of Joyous Breath and Passing Clouds so threatened in our day. The “lights” continue to lead the way to better earth care.

Eventually, I put into writing the movements and corresponding universe story, but I had no fear of forgetting it because both the story and the movements had connected within me. I do not teach this in my classes, but occasionally at the end of a semester I will chart out the universe story on the floor with a spiraling rope (a cosmic walk) and pictures along the time frames while we honor each period with the movement. It becomes a teaching moment as well as some sort of a cosmic dance. The cosmic consciousness pose becomes a stance of oneness, kinship with the universe, and a commitment to nurture, revere, and sustain that oneness.

I am sure others may have seen this same connection and perhaps have developed it more precisely than I have. If that is true it could be enlightening to connect with them.