Each moment, each hour, each day, each week, each month, each year, we begin again. We do not start over because we want everything to be perfect. We do not continue beginning again to demonstrate our stubbornness, our determination. It is not as if we are refusing to stop, refusing to quit. We do not keep trying because we are so perseverant or our will is so strong. We are not trying, trying again because we have not succeeded on our... Read more
Monasteries tend to be quiet places. Some monasteries are quiet because people go there to be silent. Not talking, being quiet, is part of the experience, part of the attraction, of being there. People visit monastic communities to drink from their deep pools of Sacred refreshment. Some visitors sit in libraries, reading or writing. Other visitors find places where they can take long walks and allow obstacles to fall away. There is a rocking chair in each room at the... Read more
We grasp tightly onto the knot at the end of our rope, almost at the end of our hope. Our hands, our fingers, are stiff and sore. Our arms shake from holding on so tightly for so long. Every fiber of who we believe we are is focused on not letting go. We wait, seemingly beyond hope, in the darkness. We will not be able to hold on much longer. We are not able to save ourselves. There is only one thing remaining... Read more
It is almost time for the stealth bombers to fly over the start of the Rose Parade again. What have we learned since the last time? 1. We may feel hopeless about making a difference. We may no longer believe in what we are doing. We may be discouraged, tired, ready to give up and stop trying. We are looking for more. Where are we looking for more today, this week, this month, this year? 2. Most of us do not... Read more
Christmas is almost here. Only a few more days. We may have certain requirements about Christmas. Some of us need the right songs or movies or television shows, or even plays or poems. I know people who demand to taste specific foods before Christmas becomes real for them. There are people for whom Christmas does not arrive until they drink an eggnog latte. I know people who actually count the shopping days remaining until Christmas. Some people even think Christmas Day... Read more
I know people who go to the same place and do the same tasks every day. Not me. It is a challenge for me to do the same work day after day for very long. It is easy for me to start feeling stuck and begin looking for something new. My personality and perspective have combined to give me a background of varied experience. In a moment that changed my life, someone once asked me about a particular spiritual practice. I... Read more
We get the impression spiritual life is only for certain people. Most of us know, even if we have not experienced them ourselves, there are separate places for spiritual life. Some people go to specific buildings on particular days to practice spiritual life. There are cities and locations, often historic, where people go for spiritual life. It is almost as if people who are spiritual speak a different language from the rest of us. We see spiritual life causing people to behave differently. Spiritual life... Read more
Even as a child I made New Year’s resolutions. Each year I committed myself to meet goals and follow plans for the coming year. My resolutions were not necessarily the most effective ways for me to learn, grow, or change my behavior. The resolutions I chose were grounded in my deep belief I could put my values into practice. Over time I could see that each year’s resolutions fit into familiar categories. The end of a year, and the beginning of another, can be a... Read more
We are people living in a world of deep darkness, looking for light. The darkness is all around us, seeping into how we live our lives and see ourselves. Some of us are afraid of the darkness and refuse to acknowledge its presence. The 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 to lash out against the darkness, but... Read more
Several things I have read recently imply The time for reflection is over, now is the time for action! People describe our situation as a conflict between contemplation and decisive action. They believe we are at a point in history that demands impatience. Personally, I do not see practicing reflection and practicing activism as opposite paths. Separating reflection from practical behavior seems to be part of the problem, not the solution. The monks I know teach me important lessons and give me examples... Read more
Strategic Monk
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