I go to monasteries to appreciate and absorb the lessons monks are learning. I recognize the priorities and practices they are developing in their lives each day, and I seek to incorporate some of the same values and actions into my days.
I am a lay person who has committed myself to live by a rule. The rule helps me measure the ways in which I am growing, and the ways in which I hope to grow. Like the monks from whom I learn, I want to shape my life in the directions of health, of balance, of deep inner joy.
This shaping sometimes means letting go of things I do not need, and sometimes means finding paths to live and act in new ways. There is a strong sense in Benedictine spirituality, for example, that God’s divine presence is always with us. The challenges for me are to find ways to be more open to and consistent with that presence, and to relax my grip on things that distract me from this deep truth.
As I have become more deeply connected to New Camaldoli, the monastery in Big Sur, my life comes to reflect monastic principles and disciplines in new ways. For example, the time I spend in reflection and prayer each day reflects the rhythm of the monastery much more than it has in the past. I practice morning and evening prayer each day, and try to pray at the same time that the monks in Big Sur are praying. Praying and reflecting with them supports and strengthens my connection to them, and to the entire network of Benedictines praying around the world.
Who is connected to you? Whose values and practices are you incorporating in your life?
How are you shaping your life toward heath, balance, and deep inner joy?
[Image by AlicePopkorn2]
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