6/6/2019

1

Healing as a Process of Cosmic Creation

Steven Spidell, DMin, BCC (Ret)June 22, 2019

6/6/2019

2

Description

• Expand the boundaries of our clinical spiritual care practice by understanding that healing can go beyond “recovery” to “creation.” Drawing on the insights of Howard Bloom in The God Problem – How a Godless Cosmos Creates” this presentation will apply the creative powers of reality itself to the human capacity not only to survive illness and stress but also to experience the emergence of something new within a person’s self-understanding, experience and possibilities.

SRL1SRL2

SRL3SRL8

Objectives

Understand the elements of cosmic creativity and how healing can become an act of cosmic creationRecognize creative change unfolding in our patients, clients, and familiesImagine how religion and spirituality can expand healing into an act of creation with cosmic implications

SRL9

Slide 3

SRL1 Add open quotes for book titleSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

SRL2 Consider cutting last sentence into two as in "...the creative powersof reality itself to the human capacity to suvivle illness and stress. And going beyond that, to experience the emergence...". Most of that block is that one sentence and feels longSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

SRL3 Maybe add descriptor to "possibilities" if not explicitly elaborated on verbally in presentation; i dont know what possiblities you meanSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

SRL8 The title of "description" is not alligned with the following slidesSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

Slide 4

SRL9 If not intentional, be aware of the repeated alliteration with the word cosmic, three times this slide goes along with another C wordSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

6/6/2019

3

Background

• A Change in world perspectives• Breakdown of natural v.

supernatural division in western thought

• A unified view of reality• Development of quantum

insights of multi-sourced possibilities

• Applications to personal, professional (chaplaincy), and spiritual interests

SRL10

• Howard Bloom, The God Problem, How a Godless Cosmos Creates, Prometheus Books, 2012, 708 pp.

SRL18

Slide 5

SRL10 I assume these will be talked about, but these points don't conveymuch on their ownSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

Slide 6

SRL18 I'm torn on the placement of the citation. I either want it centered, or lower. But that hardly matters, just wanted to comment on itSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

6/6/2019

4

Bloom’s Historical Analysis of Mathematics

• Describes the mathematics developed by the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Greeks down through the 20th century.

• Mathematics was used to describe how the cosmos functions.

• Bloom suggests several ways he believes that the cosmos is itself a dynamic and creative organism.

SRL21

ITERATION: A=A=A=A

•Constant repetition of an action with the same results•Closer observations reveal

deep patterns, UR patterns.• These larger structures

make repetition possible and predictable.

Slide 7

SRL21 "and Greeks" in first pointSpidell, Robin L., 2/27/2019

6/6/2019

5

Recruitment Strategy

• Law of Attraction• After zillions of repetitions of the same

process, a slight change is made and something new begins to emerge.

• Applying the old pattern into a new medium brings about creative change.

• This is what the atoms and the molecules of the cosmos have been doing for billions of years.

• There seems to be an elemental force in the cosmos that longs to expand and to create something new, something different, something even more amazing.

SRL42

A Social, Conversational Cosmos

• Events within the cosmos are actually impacted, even changed, by other influences and connections.•Change the formula of

interaction and the outcome changes.

SRL43

Slide 9

SRL42 Last bullet is run on. Either make last comma a semicolon, or add an "and" before the "something even more amazing" clause.Spidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

Slide 10

SRL43 Spidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

6

A ≠ AEmergence

•Changing the formula produces a new outcome•Unexpected results•Another, a deeper UR

pattern has been uncovered with new possibilities•Why?

Make Meaning

• The cosmos is always sending messages.

• Data must be received.• Relevance and meaning

derived from data.

SRL44

Slide 12

SRL44 Font sizes are inconsistentSpidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

7

Creativity:TRANSLATION INTO A NEW MEDIUM

•Apply what you know about one medium to a different context• The same deeper pattern

can be observed at work.• The same rules apply

because of the UR patterns.

SRL45

Changing perspectives.…from this…

SRL46

Slide 13

SRL45 Repeated use of "The same" in bullets 2 and 3. Try just saying "Similar rules..."Spidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

Slide 14

SRL46 between this slide and the next two, the titles, or text boxes, are inconsistent. Not sure if you are moving them up and towards center on purpose, which works but should be more pronounced.Spidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

8

…to this.

SRL47

…to this…

SRL48

Slide 15

SRL47 This one ends in a period and not an ellipses as to continue the lineSpidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

Slide 16

SRL48 This is the one that should have a bigger punch, either end in exclamation or period, and maybe another size bump from the lastslideSpidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

9

From the smallest particle to the largest,

our cosmos is an interactive, generative,

conversational, andcreative organism

6/6/2019

10

How the brain solves problems

Why are you so creative?

• Where does your adaptability and resilience come from?• How is it possible to survive

very difficult situations and even to flourish because of them?• Where does your creative

spark of insight and innovation originate?• What sudden changes can

come from a moment of transformation?

6/6/2019

11

Freud’s Dynamic Typology

Superego

ID

The mind constantly produces many currents of associations, different swirls of thoughts, feelings, and memories.

Chaplaincy Dynamic Typology

Superego

IDCaregiver

SRL49

Slide 22

SRL49 the "id" box changes size from the last slide to this, not huge, but noticeable. Ego and super are consistentSpidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

12

You know what I’m talking about. Each one of us has been

blessed by such experiences. We have also seen those

moments in the lives of our patients.

Our views of spirituality have expanded in recent years. Research

is indicating the relevance of spirituality’s impact physically,

mentally, and emotionally. Sometimes we apply the word

healing to designate such remarkable events. Sometimes we even use the word miracle, which has its root in experiences of wonder and awe.

6/6/2019

13

How do humans create?...we do exactly what the cosmos has been doing

…we look for patterns. Every once in a while we invent a new pattern-finding tool. We derived from a hunch, but from a deep feeling from the way we think it will work. Then we go through a Darwinian process. “We try it out a million times to test for its ‘fitness.’ More accurately, to see if it fits in the real world. …And how do we know whether it fits, we tested its power to predict. If our hunch proves to be on target, why in the world does our wisp of mind stuff and gut instinct work? Perhaps because it tapped into an underlying pattern, a deep structure of the cosmos we live in. Perhaps because it repeats that pattern in a whole new way. Perhaps because it reflects one of the ways in which the cosmos herself creates. 107

In other words,it is the cosmos that brings

something new out of our lives!Some call it healing.

Others call it wonderful.Some say, “It’s a miracle.”

SRL51

Slide 26

SRL51 comma after 'words'Spidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

14

CosmicPossibilities

*Successful Medical Care *Music*Mystical Experience *Beauty *Art * Insight * Meditation*Prayer *A Dream * Gratitude*Unexpected Healing *A Good Death*Writing *Acceptance *Joy *Determination * Ritual *Trust*Forgiveness * Love *Create Meaning *A Repeated Word *Family/Friend*Visit a sacred location

….. [Add Your Own] ….

SRL52

ACTIVITY:From your own (or patient’s) experience…

•Write a brief statement of the basic situation•What was the astonishing

or amazing outcome?•Describe the elements

that contributed to the creative change• Share in your small groups

Slide 27

SRL52 I get the word bank thing you're going for here, but first glance this looks messy. Maybe add a hyphen or some other bullet beforeeach itemSpidell, Robin L., 3/26/2019

6/6/2019

15

Sharing experiences of creative transformation…

•Move chairs into small groups of four.• Each person will have 5

minutes to share.•No questions except for

clarification.• Last 5 minutes for group’s

response to the stories they have heard.

You are a child of the universe.