Breakthrough

Mathew Fox, who himself used to be a Dominican preacher (like Eckhart himself was) provides an interesting examination of Eckhart's mystical thought. Fox uses his fourfold template of the way of light, way of darkness, way of creativity, and way of inner transformation, to interpret the Meister's ideas. While some of the claims Fox makes at the start of the book are over the top (for example Eckhart was deeply influenced by Celtic Christian spirituality) overall his representations and analysis are correct. I believe it is correct to see Eckhart as having a deeply panentheistic view of God's being (all things that are, are in God, and God is in all things, but God is not all things) and Fox rightly argues that Eckhart has a very positive view of the world. This volume should be studied with the one Fox wrote about Thomas Aquinas, which provides valuable insights into Dominican spirituality, and also with the Classics of Western Spirituality volumes of Eckhart edited by McGinn.

Matthew Fox provides a light for those interested in understanding the mystical experience of Meister Eckhart. I am not a religous scholar and can not interpret the accuracy of Fox's translations but for me this is secondary, what matter most is: Matthew Fox provides the words and breathes new life into the writings of Eckhart. The words ring true [for me] because I detect there seems more 'stress' and 'struggle' in everyday life, where competing interests vie for one's time, energy and inner resources. It seems more true *now* than in the past 10 years. Maneuvering in everyday reality means playing systems which deplete one's very life force ('spirit'). The purpose of 'being' seems to be "creative" and as stated in Genesis after G-d created the world he pronounced his creation "good". Humans being created in the image of G-d, if at the end of our day we can not do this then there is a real problem. The essence of life seems 'to create' and find 'meaning', i.e. contentment, satisfaction, "repose" is what Matthew Fox translated Meister Eckhart had written. The next step is determining how this is done. One answer is 'read this book'. Simply stated ... find a quiet place everyday and read this book. After that, let the ideas float, rise, diffuse into your being. Apply the principles and ask yourself whether or not you are a better person for this experience, recognizing of course, that besides 'being' ... there is the 'doing'. So one must first connect with one's 'spirit' and after that begin 'creation' ... There are many topics/sermons which Matthew Fox interprets for the reader. The ones most meaningful for me are: "Where the soul is, there is G-d", "Letting G-d be G-d in You", "How the Creator Seeks Repose and the Trinity Seeks Repose", "Waking Up to the Nearness of G-d's Kingdom", "How All Creatures Share an Equality of Being", "Bread is Given for us for Others, on Account of Others - Especially the Indigent" and "Everyone an Aristocrat, Everyone a Royal Person". Indeed, there is much food for thought and action in the 545 pages of text. Some of my favorite quotes from the book are "People do all their deeds for these two things: repose and pleasure. I have also said people can never feel joy in any creature if G-d's likeness is not within it" (Sermon 27). Another is from Sermon 15: "Everything that ever came out of G-d once stood in pure activity. But the activity proper to people is to love and to know." And one more from Sermon 15, "When people still stood in G-d's eternal being, nothing else lived in them. What lived there was themselves. Hence we say people should be as free of their own knowledge as when they were not yet, letting G-d accomplish whatever G-d wills. People should stand empty." Let these ideas and thoughts permeate your being and renew your spirit and inspire meaning in your life. This is what most people long for but are too busy struggling in life to find or build it. Erika Borsos (erikab93)