Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day? Some of us have little or no understanding of what Labor Day is about. Labor Day has come to mean the unofficial end of summer. This weekend is the traditional beginning of the college football season. Some companies tell us we celebrate Labor Day by buying mattresses or trucks. Many of us see Labor Day as one last opportunity to get away before fall really starts. It seems a little ironic for our country... Read more
In Solitude and In Stillness Many of us cannot remember when we were last by ourselves, the last time we spent in solitude. We have grown accustomed to dealing with the demands of spending time with other people. Whether they are members of our families or people with whom we work, we are not alone. We solve problems and fit pieces into puzzles without checking the picture on the box. Each year for several years now, I spend a few... Read more
Practicing Our Way Into Becoming Some of us believe our lives are determined primarily by our past experiences. They see us following the examples we have experienced. Our lives are responses which reflect the ways we have seen others respond. Others of us advocate taking personal responsibility for our own lives. Whatever circumstances we have faced in the past, they say, we choose our own lives. They urge us to make wise choices and put them into practice. There is truth in... Read more
Giving Each Action Its Own Time It begins before I lift my head from the pillow each morning. There are so many things which demand my attention and need to be done. Personal things, like shaving and taking a shower. Breakfast, which leads inevitably to speculating about lunch. Work things; I need to call her, email them, finish that, and meet with him. Every once in a while, I need to think my way through something, or even write a little... Read more
Listening Makes a Difference Some of us schedule time in our calendars to practice listening to sacred stillness. We may follow a contemplative practice of listening to stillness for 20 minutes twice each day. There are people who believe our practice of listening to sacred stillness is a waste of valuable time. Why do we want to sit with our eyes closed when we could be making a difference? Our world has deeply entrenched problems and serious challenges. Do we... Read more
Reflecting, Resting, Recovery I know people who believe we can push ourselves all the time. They begin to feel nervous or guilty when they take time for reflecting, resting, recovery. People have told me, “We can rest when we die.” For some of us it is not simply the idea we are so strong we are beyond the need for rest. Some of us have a nagging suspicion if we take time to rest other people will realize they do... Read more
Stillness Takes Us Beyond Our Fears Many of us experience lives constrained by our fears. The list of what we fear feels limitless at times. We are afraid we will not succeed or afraid of what will happen when we do succeed, or both. Some of us are afraid people will not like us. Many of us are afraid we will never know what it means to be loved for who we are. Some of us fear we will not... Read more
Creating Sacred Space and Time We sometimes hear people talk about sacred spaces. Actors and directors tell us the theatre becomes sacred space for them. Some people describe places where boundaries between physical life and spiritual life become thin. Spiritual life helps us create and appreciate sacred space and time. Some of us have visited sacred space and experienced sacred time. We come to a place where we can feel the presence of spiritual life. It may be a place... Read more
Building Reflective Communities I know people who seem to assume being part of a monastic community is like being at church all the time. This is not a prospect which they tend to find attractive. Their experience of being at church is often one of other people telling them what to believe or how to live. They have not found churches to be places where their questions are welcome. In their experience churches are like foreign countries where people speak... Read more
When Stillness Listens to Us Many of us who practice listening to sacred stillness rely on stillness to teach us how to listen. We slow down and become more open to what is sacred as we listen to stillness. Some of us learn techniques to help us settle into sacred stillness. We need help facing and managing the challenges to stillness in our lives. It is difficult for us to pay attention to sacred stillness for any length of time.... Read more
Strategic Monk
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