Pysanky For Peace

Canada has the world's largest population of Ukrainians outside Ukraine itself and Russia. Ukrainian-Canadians are especially prevalent here in the prairie provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Canada is currently taking in a lot of Ukrainian refugees, many of them coming to the prairies where relatives and the Ukrainian-Canadian community are eager to help them.

One of many fundraisers going on right now in Edmonton and Calgary to help war-torn Ukraine and displaced Ukrainian refugees is Pysanky For Peace. Local artists have painted giant eggs (either six feet or three feet tall) with traditional Ukrainian Easter Egg (pysanky) motifs or other designs. In a couple of weeks they will be auctioned off, with the money used for humanitarian aid and displaced Ukrainian families. They are currently on public display receiving bids.

[All pysanky images are from the newsletter

of the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts]

Today's Simple Question Is . . .

When I was young, I spent many years searching for the answer to this question. For insight and guidance, I explored various Christian denominations, other world religions, New Age and lesser known alternative spiritualities, Jungian and mythological research, Existentialism, Atheism, etc. etc. etc. I pondered the intractable logical paradox of "The Problem of Evil." I spent about 15 years wandering and wondering.

And then one day, I had an epiphany and started to laugh.

"Does God Exist?" is the wrong question. It is irrelevant whether God exists or not. It doesn't really matter. What matters is that humans (for whatever reason) have a deep, abiding need for some conception of Divinity and/or spirituality, a need that has existed since we first climbed down from the trees. It is a fundamental aspect of our very humanity and is therefore important to us, regardless of any objective truth or lack thereof about the existence of Divinity in this universe.

Moreover, a sense of spiritual wonder and wholeness is entirely independent of any concept of the Divine. Some of the most spiritual people I've ever known have been atheists.

This insight put an end to my search for "The Truth" and I let go of any need for literal belief in the Divine. I still love the concept of Divinity and am, for example, devoted to female imagery of the Divine as a necessary and healing antidote to misogyny in all mainstream patriarchal religions. But now I regard everything as Mythology. This does not diminish its importance but instead, places our human psyches and needs at the centre of our spiritual lives, which is what it's all about anyway.

Next week, I'll post my thoughts on the dangers of literal belief.

The Joy of Cats

Earth Day -- When Will We Care?

How The Hell Did I Get Here?

2022 will be a real "rite of passage" for me. I turn 65 this year, which in Canada means that the government will now officially classify me as a "senior citizen" and I'll start receiving the Old Age Pension. THE OLD AGE PENSION! Yes, that's what it's actually called in this country.

It's a lot to wrap my head around. My body, not so much. It knows exactly how old it is.