I had a weird moment last month. In between lockdowns, my family visited the Great Stupa in Bendigo. Here I was struck by the scale of the vision for their sacred building.
Their plan is to build something that will last 1000 years – a good example of cathedral thinking. More than that, the founders want to build a place of peace and spirituality that will last for generations.
Around the same time we visited this Bendigo landmark, Richard Branson successfully launched himself and Virgin Galactic into space. His vision is to make commercial space travel a reality. So one day we may book a space flight in the same way we reserve a plane ticket. (Although I have no idea how a covid pandemic would affect space travel.) This is a technological legacy that will last for generations.
I’m aware Sir Richard faced some backlash over “wasting” his billions on space travel when there are so many other world problems to tackle. However, this did get me thinking.
What if we mashed up the visionaries – whether spiritual, commercial or technological – together? What would they achieve?
What if the vision wasn’t to play in space but to pray in space? What would a place of meditation and worship in space be like?
What if the vision wasn’t to land a man on the moon but to build a place of the spirit on Saturn – or at least on one of its moons since life on Saturn is unlikely?
Or to make a mandala on Mars – there’s certainly lots of sand there – as a symbol of peace and to remind us life is fragile.
What do you think the spiritual and cashed-up leaders of the world should do together? Let me know what you think below.
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