Welcome! I am a contemplative thinker and photographer from Colorado. In this blog, you'll discover photographs that I've taken on my hiking and backpacking trips, mostly in the American West. I've paired these with my favorite inspirational and philosophical quotes - literary passages that emphasize the innate spirituality of the natural world. I hope you enjoy them!

If you'd like to purchase photo-quote greeting cards, please go to www.NaturePhoto-QuoteCards.com .


In the Spirit of Wildness,

Stephen Hatch
Fort Collins, Colorado

P.S. There's a label index at the bottom of the blog.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Love is an intellect that gives us knowledge of one another.


Currently, I'm teaching a class on Contemplative Christianity at Naropa University in Boulder. Naropa was founded by a Tibetan Buddhist lama back in the '70s, and it is a fascinating place to do interreligious dialogue. In any case, one of the things I appreciate about Christian Mysticism is its emphasis on love as a means of knowledge. A 12th century Cistercian monk named William of St. Thierry understood that "Love is an intellect that gives us knowledge of God" - and, we might add, of the Earth and of one another. Truly, we cannot claim to know another person until we've practiced divine love as a means of uncovering the sparks of sacredness that lie hidden deep within them. We certainly hope that others will do similarly with us

Photo: Rosy Paintbrush blooms, with Medicine Bow Peak in the background; Snowy Range, WY; June 29, 2013

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