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, February 20, 2015

The ultimate purpose of all good religion and spirituality is to allow us to see the world in a completely new way.



I'm convinced that the ultimate purpose of all good religion and spirituality is not to make an object of itself or of any religious founder, but to allow us to see THE WORLD in a completely new way. Each religion is like a different colored light that enables us to experience the wonder of the world in a fresh manner. The essence of each has nothing to do with personal salvation, nor immortality, nor security, nor a set of unchanging dogmas, nor any fixation on a religious figure that would take our attention away from the world. What is needed is a focus on the world in a brand new way, one that melts and joins all things and all beings into One. This is also the task of good science, and of psychology (especially in its transpersonal variety). The purpose of this life is - ultimately - to foster a sense of awe at the majesty of the cosmos, and of its Source!




Photos: Various scenes from Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, February 18, 2015


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