Sunday
For me, “mysticism” simply means experiential knowledge of spiritual things, as opposed to book knowledge, secondhand knowledge, or even church knowledge.
—Richard Rohr
Monday
I’m describing mysticism as a natural part of everyday life … just a deep understanding of the sacred and a willingness to allow the gifts to lead.
—Barbara A. Holmes
Tuesday
Today, we are not looking for colossal mysteries like the parting of the seas. We just want to tap into, or at least recognize, everyday mysticism.
—Barbara A. Holmes
Wednesday
Everyday mystics are people who commune with the presence of God, receive guidance, … and commit themselves to living for God rather than solely for themselves. Their vision for life is larger and more expansive, knowing that they are alive for a reason, a purpose that will benefit human spirits they may never meet.
—Lerita Coleman Brown
Thursday
I can set a little altar, in the world or in my heart. I can stop what I am doing long enough to see where I am, who I am there with, and how awesome the place is. I can flag one more gate to heaven.
—Barbara Brown Taylor
Friday
The mystical heart knows there is a fellow Fisherman nearby who is always available for good advice. He stands and beckons from the shores, at the edges of every ordinary life, every unreligious moment, and every “secular” occupation.
—Richard Rohr
Week Twelve Practice
Letting Things Be Enough
Father Richard describes how “gazing” brings him in touch with God in all things:
As some of you know, I’ve transitioned to a form of prayer that I just call “gazing”—gazing without judgment, without analysis, without critique. Yesterday afternoon, a rather mild winter day in Albuquerque, I took my dog Opie out for a little walk. There’s a bench at the other end of the parking lot, and I just sat down there. Opie jumped up next to me, and we just gazed there together from about 3:00 p.m. to almost 4:30 p.m.
I believe gazing is a form of prayer that lets things having no right to draw forth awe leave us awestruck. I looked at the cracked asphalt. There it is. Why is it there? I don’t know why, but its mere being made me love it, made me appreciate it, made me thank it. I did the same with three dumpsters in the lot. Really! They were ugly and covered with graffiti. Fortunately, the graffiti right on the front says, “I love you!” Facing toward my house, a little graffiti saying, “I love you!” I even looked at the raggedy fence line, torn and repaired. I looked at it until it was at least a little bit beautiful. That’s what kept happening for the whole hour and a half.
It was just beautiful because I let it be beautiful, or God let it be beautiful. I wasn’t looking for answers, I was just a ruminating mind, gazing, and the more I gazed without judgment, without analysis, without critique, the more beautiful everything became.
We didn’t have one of our deep, blue New Mexico skies. It was pale blue but pretty, and it was enough. It was all more than enough. The nakedness of life in its nakedness becomes enough, and even brings forth a kind of praise.
Reference:
Adapted from Richard Rohr, morning meditation, January 29, 2024, Center for Action and Contemplation.
Image credit: Benjamin Yazza, Untitled (detail), New Mexico, 2023, photograph, used with permission. Click here to enlarge image. During the course of every day, mystical moments are available to us, like sharing a moment with a grasshopper.
