Wednesday 26 May 2010

Iceland's Ash Cloud of the Apocalypse (the "Big One" Has Yet To Come)

I'm sure that many of us have been following the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull (no, I can't pronounce it correctly either!) But have you seen this incredible High Def video yet, which contains footage taken quite close in to the vent? It's some of the best visual material of explosive eruptive activity that I've ever seen! About 8 minutes long, the camera work is remarkable and the sound is absolutely stunning, as well. (See either the video or a link below.)

However, all this is "small potatoes" according to a very eloquent reflection about our place in nature, combined with a profound warning about truly terrifying things to come in close proximity to Eyjafjallajokull. The article, "Iceland's Ash Cloud of the Apocalypse" by Brian Matthews, is posted in "Eureka Street" - a publication of Jesuit Communications Australia - and summarized thus:

"If Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano erruption was disruptive, its cousin Katla may have worse in store. Volcanoes, emanating a kind of preternatural, primal, patience, are landlords whose unchanging message is: you are renting; you haven't bought."

I find this provides fantastic visual, mental, and spiritual imagery for meditating, for example, on stuff like Psalm 46.

-Clair in Canberra

(If for some reason you can't see the clip of Eyjafjallajokull below, then simply click on this link to take you to its site on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ydnLkVvfZM )

No comments:

Post a Comment