Contributed by: John Braverman, SJ, Assistant Professor of Biology, St. Joseph's University
The resignation of now-emeritus Pope Benedict prompted some reflection on his accomplishments during his papacy from 2005 to 2013. In a recent blog posting, Jesuit José Ignacio Garcia, SJ recalled Benedict's consistent theme of ecology in his writings and speeches. In this concise posting to the web page and newsletter "EcoJesuit," Fr. José reported a few of the key phrases used by Benedict. For example, on the occasion of the World Day of Peace, January 1, 2010, Benedict stated, “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.” It's a broad claim, reminiscent of Pope Paul VI's "If you want peace, work for justice" from 1972. Benedict is acknowledging the strong interconnection between ecological issues and human society.
Fr. José concludes: "For Pope Benedict XVI, environmental responsibility is not a fashion or a matter of ideological confrontation, but a serious problem of our time that demands the response of the Church to raise awareness and to call for responsibility."
If you wish to read even more of Benedict's writings on the environment, two books offer compilations: The Environment (2012) and Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice (2009).
Because natural science is so important to understanding ecological problems and their solutions, followers of The Institute for Religion and Science at Chestnut Hill College, and anyone interested in connecting science and religion, might be happy to hear of this strong and consistent concern over ecology from the highest levels of the Catholic Church.
Link to Fr. José's full blog text, as well as the other articles on EcoJesuit. You can sign up to receive regular notices of new postings to see how Jesuits and their colleagues are working on ecological issues around the world. http://ecojesuit.com/if-you-want-peace-protect-creation/4854/
Showing posts with label John Braverman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Braverman. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Learning to Listen
Contributed by: John Braverman, SJ, Assistant Professor of Biology, St. Joseph's University
This summer, the cooling system in my building was being repaired. So certain fans and vents were turned off. I immediately noticed the difference, since I was sitting in a silent office for a change. Well, at least the background noise was not dominated by the constant blowing of air through a vent. I was then able to really listen, to really hear, my own thoughts as well as the other more subtle sounds around me. I value the chance to sit and listen, and I wish I could do it more often. Now an article in the New York Times reminds us of the value of listening—an "art" and a "science."
The author, Seth Horowitz, is a neuroscientist. One of his points is probably familiar to most people: "Listening is a skill that we’re in danger of losing in a world of digital distraction and information overload." Listening is so valuable to Horowitz as a way to experience the richness of life. But the article has many other more subtle—and scientific—points. Horowitz distinguishes between hearing and listening. He contrasts hearing and seeing. Apparently, hearing is a quantitatively faster sense than seeing.
In my own experience with bird watching, I definitely experience a premium on the ability to attentively listen. At some point, I realized that I was no longer able to rely on sight to identify birds, since they are often hiding. So I started to use iPhone apps to learn bird calls. For example, I used a neat and simple app by iSpiny called "Chirp USA." Not only is this app a reference, but it also offers training by way of self-quizzes. Getting more curious about bird calls in my yard, I even used my phone to record a house wren's singing in my yard (see clip below). I can play that even when stuck in my office with the noisy vent!
This summer, the cooling system in my building was being repaired. So certain fans and vents were turned off. I immediately noticed the difference, since I was sitting in a silent office for a change. Well, at least the background noise was not dominated by the constant blowing of air through a vent. I was then able to really listen, to really hear, my own thoughts as well as the other more subtle sounds around me. I value the chance to sit and listen, and I wish I could do it more often. Now an article in the New York Times reminds us of the value of listening—an "art" and a "science."
The author, Seth Horowitz, is a neuroscientist. One of his points is probably familiar to most people: "Listening is a skill that we’re in danger of losing in a world of digital distraction and information overload." Listening is so valuable to Horowitz as a way to experience the richness of life. But the article has many other more subtle—and scientific—points. Horowitz distinguishes between hearing and listening. He contrasts hearing and seeing. Apparently, hearing is a quantitatively faster sense than seeing.
In my own experience with bird watching, I definitely experience a premium on the ability to attentively listen. At some point, I realized that I was no longer able to rely on sight to identify birds, since they are often hiding. So I started to use iPhone apps to learn bird calls. For example, I used a neat and simple app by iSpiny called "Chirp USA." Not only is this app a reference, but it also offers training by way of self-quizzes. Getting more curious about bird calls in my yard, I even used my phone to record a house wren's singing in my yard (see clip below). I can play that even when stuck in my office with the noisy vent!
Monday, November 12, 2012
A Backyard Mandala
Contributed by: John Braverman, SJ, Assistant Professor of Biology, St. Joseph's University
During the past 15 months, I have lived in a regular house on the campus of Saint Joseph's University. It has a backyard, a driveway, and an artificial pond. The predominant tree is the tall tulip tree, with marked straight trunks and relatively smooth bark. The yard is a new experience for me, since I can observe a natural established suburban habitat. Not only can I see the non-human residents, but I can also see how things change over the course of the year, as seasons change. For example, over the past months, I saw the last of the noisy grey catbirds, and the arrival of flashy flocks of dark-eyed juncos.
As an observer of localized wildlife, I was elated to read a recent New York Times article about David Haskell, “Finding Zen in a Patch of Nature,” profiling a year-round observer of a very small spot of nature. Dr. David Haskell comes back frequently to the same place in a forest in Tennessee frequently to observe. This place, a randomly selected circle, he calls a "mandala." The term "mandala" has spiritual implications, although Haskell prefers not to use that term. Nonetheless, Haskell's observations, made over his recurrent visits, elicit a sense of the meaning and beauty of nature. As the New York Times puts it, Haskell is able to "refresh himself with a kind of natural history meditation...."
If you seek a bit of serenity and insight into the natural world, I refer you to this article, to Haskell's blog (“Ramble”), or to his book. In addition, you might find yourself doing what Haskell does: observing a small spot or mandala in the natural world over the course of a year. Note the changes. Note the visitors, residents, and incidents. My own experience of a backyard suggests a forest fragment is not required. You, too, might find yourself meditating.
What about Haskell's scientific side? Well, Haskell is a professor of biology at the University of the South. His "inner scientist," as the New York Times puts it, is constantly at work, alongside his meditation and contemplation. If you want to join in the fun, try being a citizen scientist. For example, I post my bird observations to ebird.org, and I recently set up my own yard map at: http://content.yardmap.org. These two resources value nature observations even from disturbed or cultivated habitats. Reporting to these units helps science and it helps us become better observers in our own mandalas.
As an observer of localized wildlife, I was elated to read a recent New York Times article about David Haskell, “Finding Zen in a Patch of Nature,” profiling a year-round observer of a very small spot of nature. Dr. David Haskell comes back frequently to the same place in a forest in Tennessee frequently to observe. This place, a randomly selected circle, he calls a "mandala." The term "mandala" has spiritual implications, although Haskell prefers not to use that term. Nonetheless, Haskell's observations, made over his recurrent visits, elicit a sense of the meaning and beauty of nature. As the New York Times puts it, Haskell is able to "refresh himself with a kind of natural history meditation...."
If you seek a bit of serenity and insight into the natural world, I refer you to this article, to Haskell's blog (“Ramble”), or to his book. In addition, you might find yourself doing what Haskell does: observing a small spot or mandala in the natural world over the course of a year. Note the changes. Note the visitors, residents, and incidents. My own experience of a backyard suggests a forest fragment is not required. You, too, might find yourself meditating.
What about Haskell's scientific side? Well, Haskell is a professor of biology at the University of the South. His "inner scientist," as the New York Times puts it, is constantly at work, alongside his meditation and contemplation. If you want to join in the fun, try being a citizen scientist. For example, I post my bird observations to ebird.org, and I recently set up my own yard map at: http://content.yardmap.org. These two resources value nature observations even from disturbed or cultivated habitats. Reporting to these units helps science and it helps us become better observers in our own mandalas.
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