Making a Good Harvest I was brought up in a place where life was all about making a good harvest. Where I live now is different from where I was born and raised. There is more traffic here on more freeways. Where I grew up you were more likely to drive behind a vehicle moving slowly on a two-lane road. We have earthquakes, droughts, and brushfires here, but tornadoes and blizzards there. There are more people, from more different parts... Read more
I Started, But It Did Not Last People often tell me they started a particular contemplative practice, but it did not last. Each of us has our own reasons for why a practice we began did not last. Some of us say it was more challenging than we thought it would be. We might get distracted or bored. Some of us tried to be more contemplative during the pandemic, but it did not last. People who have started practicing centering... Read more
The Onslaught of the Holidays Happy Holidays! How often will we hear someone wish us happy holidays during the next few weeks? Does the onslaught of the holidays make us happy? I talk with people whose holidays are not particularly happy. People tell me this time of year makes them feel stressed, sad, and depressed. They feel pressure to do shopping they do not enjoy. There seems to be a general expectation to make our holidays “perfect.” We expect ourselves... Read more
Relying on Our Uncertainty Life can feel like we are sailing a small raft on a vast ocean of uncertainty. Uncertainty stretches before us as far as we can see in every direction, from horizon to horizon. We search for one unambiguous, sure thing we can hold onto which will hold us firm rather than relying on our uncertainty. Uncertainty can make us feel uncomfortable and afraid. It is easy for us to feel we need to find a safe... Read more
Paying Attention Like a Monk Focus is one of my strengths. Concentrating is not generally difficult for me. Some people describe me as having “attention surplus disorder.” But am I paying attention like a monk? The ability to focus and concentrate can give people significant benefits. I may not be particularly detail oriented, though paying attention helped me do well in school and practice law. My skill in concentrating was important in remembering facts and dealing with witnesses. We tend... Read more
Preparing for Autumn In my memories preparing for autumn is filled with sacred significance. Now I live in a place where autumn is more of an idea than an experience. The temperature does not drop, even though the hours of daylight grow shorter and the shadows grow longer. Most of the trees remain green. The seasonal transition from summer to autumn to winter happens in tiny increments. Our seasons have more to do with featured flavors than with changes in... Read more
What Can We Hear When We Are Listening? We can hear remarkable things when we are listening. Many of us seldom spend the time or effort it takes to listen well. When we do, we hear things which take us by surprise. It is not necessarily while we are listening that we hear everything. Part of the practice of listening to sacred stillness is helping us to hear and reflect on what we hear. One of the disciplines I practice... Read more
What Makes Contemplation Spiritual? Many of us have serious questions about contemplation and spiritual life. They vary from person to person, but most of them are really questions about what makes contemplation spiritual. Some of us are intimidated by all the rules and expectations. We want to make sure we are doing things the right way. Sometimes we confuse spiritual life with religion. We get lost in the ways people talk to us about spiritual life. It can feel like... Read more
The Turmoil of Spiritual Life A lot of us like to think spiritual life is supposed to make us feel more secure and relieve our turmoil. We may think of spiritual life as a security blanket, a comforter when we need help. I know people who see spiritual life as a fire extinguisher or an escape hatch. When life becomes too much for us we think we can retreat into spiritual life. Some people remember spiritual life as a distant... Read more
September For as long as I can remember, September has been one of my favorite months. September is filled with good things; many more than the average month. It begins in the United States with a holiday, Labor Day, which is essentially a day to prepare for all the other good things spread throughout the month. September is traditionally the month of going back to school, and the month in which our football really begins. It is the month of... Read more
Strategic Monk
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