Giving Thanks in Stillness Each of us finds our own unique ways to communicate our own personal gratitude. No matter how we express it, we begin giving thanks in stillness. Some of us put our gratitude into words, even when we just say thank you. Other people find ways to communicate their gratefulness in images or music or the way they move their bodies. We may express our gratitude with a glance or a laugh or a smile. Sometimes we... Read more
Are We Practicing Gratitude? Some of us spend November focused on practicing gratitude. I know people who keep a gratitude journal during November. They intentionally choose one thing each day of the whole month and try to pay attention to being grateful for it. Other people try to spend November practicing 30 Days of Gratitude. They post on various social media each day describing their gratitude for the good things which fill their lives. I appreciate the example of their... Read more
Is Spiritual Life Our Super Power? What is our super power? What is the ability which makes us super heroes? Are we faster than a speeding bullet? More powerful than a locomotive? Can we leap tall buildings in a single bound? We may not have the combination of powers which would make us Superman. Each of us does have our own unique mixture of core values and passion which helps us become our true selves. You are able to do something... Read more
Stillness on a November Morning November is, in many ways, a contemplative month. The month begins in the wake of costumes and frivolity; false selves on display for all to see. The days grow colder and darker, almost as if the month itself were turning inward. Candles and treats give way to the early darkness of standard time. Like contemplation, November is a process of letting go. Leaves fall from the trees. We release long, warm evenings and early mornings.... Read more
When We Decide to Stop Fighting One hundred years ago this weekend, after years of horrendous, murderous fighting, the First World War ended. It was called a war to end all wars. Fighting lasted for more than four years. Developments in the technology of war contributed to millions of people losing their lives. Governments collapsed and maps were redrawn in its wake. Many people believe the primary causes of the Second World War can be traced to how the First... Read more
Looking for Light in the Darkness We are people living in a world of deep darkness who are looking for light. Darkness is all around us, seeping into how we live our lives and see ourselves. Some of us fear darkness and refuse to see it or even acknowledge its presence. Darkness makes some of us feel tired and frustrated. We want to stay in bed wrapped in blankets. Maybe the darkness will go away. A few of us try... Read more
In the Midst of the Storm Many of us live lives in the midst of the storm. Winds and waves often threaten to knock us down or blow us off course. Thunder and lightning distract us and feed our fears. We are never certain whether the next crashing wave or gusting wind will be our last. Some of us are desperate to find sacred stillness in the midst of the storm. For some of us, the politics of this election... Read more
If Only We Had One More Hour We live our lives in a race against time. Our calendars are filled with target dates and deadlines. We work as hard as we can within time limits. Just think what we might accomplish if we only had just one more hour. Many of us recognize we simply react our way toward goals. We do not have time to see the big picture or think things through, much less practice being mindful and... Read more
For All Those Who Have Died Today is not a day for costumes and masks, for tricks or treats or candy. We live in a culture which fears death and dying. Some of us like to put a smiling face on death, to turn a day for all those who have died into a holiday for children. We may even try to slide our way through today, as if it were merely the beginning of retail season. No matter how... Read more
When Words Are Not Enough Every morning seems to bring new tragedies and words are not enough to help us understand them. A person who disagrees with public figures sends bombs to them through the mail. Someone else tries to enter an African-American church armed with guns but ends up shooting people at a grocery store. Another person goes into a synagogue and shoots 11 people worshipping there. Each new tragedy pushes everything else into the background. Can we even... Read more
Strategic Monk
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