Transitions are hard. A couple of weeks back, we had our Giannamore annual back to school family ice cream dinner. Here, we take one night out of the summer and have huge bowls of ice cream filled with all the fixings. This is a tradition we have been doing with our kids since our oldest was in grade school. The leaves have begun flirting with us by giving us a small preshow of their colors. Then, last week, somebody turned... Read more
Last week, I offered part 1 on my reflection on how to use the 12 Steps as a guide for spiritual growth. This week, I would like to continue and conclude my exploration with the 12 steps. As a note of respect, I am not an alcoholic, my ponderings this week and last week reflect my exposure to AA across all the disciplines I have studied in my professional career. If you are someone who is struggling with an addictive... Read more
There are many guides to help us in our spiritual journeys. This week, I want to consider Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and their 12-step philosophy and its practical application to our spiritual journey. Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in America in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Robert Smith. Both were self-identified alcoholics and indeed met or meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder. In England, the Oxford Group predated the American Alcoholics Anonymous. The Oxford Group was a Christian fellowship... Read more
As a spiritual discipline, listening enhances our discernment, our awareness of the input we receive on a daily basis. The Rule of Saint Benedict encourages us to “incline the ears of our heart.” Listening is a spiritual practice that not only strengthens our ability to connect with God, but also connect with others on a deeper, more intimate level. I am a mental health clinician; I spend many hours a week listening. In this conversation, I want to explore active... Read more
Reverence as a Practice Reverence is a spiritual practice. By engaging in the practice, we enhance our feelings of worth and awe. I have talked extensively about mental and physical health. As a Personal Trainer and Mental Health Therapist, physical and mental health go together, but to get a person to marry the two together can be problematic, often because of one’s lack of reverence for oneself. Reverence according to Mary Ann and Frederic Brussat is “Reverence is the way... Read more
This is a post that focuses on the spiritual practice of you. You are a precious gift from the divine. You are potential seat of Christ, and you are loved. Each of us is a work in progress and there is always room for improvement. We are not just human beings, we are human becomings. No matter what you are going through right now, no matter how bad it will be tomorrow or the next day, you are loved, and... Read more
I love reading. A funny thing happened when I was young. Because of my diagnosis of ADHD in the 80’s and a general misunderstanding of what ADHD was, I was lumped educationally with children who often had more severe learning disabilities. Because of this, I had to go to special reading and math classes for almost all of my childhood educational career. In 86 or so, from what I can deduce from research I did in college, I scored particularly... Read more
I was listening to Pete Enns and Jared Byas’ Podcast recently and they interviewed David Dark on impact of doubt on faith development. There were so many great points, that I wanted to comment on this podcast from the contemplative lens that I see the world through. Doubting Thomas Let us consider Thomas from the Gospels. If you remember, after Jesus’ death, the followers that were left experience several mystical presentations of Jesus. When they informed Thomas of their... Read more
How can the historical Jesus and the movement he started inform us today? A Historical Context In my world’s religion class, I spend a whole section of our time together looking at religion and politics. The question I ask my students to consider is this: “Does religion cause violence?” To put things in context, let’s look at the Palestinian situation from Jesus’ perspective. Palestine in Jesus’ day was part of the Roman Empire, which controlled its various territories in several... Read more
Before I begin, a disclaimer … I am a trained Christian pastor, an Oblate with the Benedictine order, with a heavy focus on peace and justice. I am an outpatient mental health therapist with a therapeutic focus on trauma and education; I am opposed to violence for the sake of violence. My views in this post are as objective as I can make them. They do not reflect one political party or another. I am a Christian who leans heavily... Read more
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