Tag Archives: surrender
Dark Liminality
Liminal Space Dark Liminality Tuesday, April 28, 2020 When I am in that darkness, I do not remember anything about anything human. —Angela of Foligno (1248–1309) After working as a physician and bioethicist for decades, Living School alumna and chair of the CAC Board LaVera Crawley became a hospital chaplain and spiritual companion for patients… Continue Reading Dark Liminality
The Presence of Spirit
Liminal Space The Presence of Spirit Monday, April 27, 2020 Many things can bring us to the “threshold” of our ordinary ways of thinking and behaving, but even good rituals are merely “stand-ins” until Reality itself, often in the form of great love or great suffering, steps in and changes us forever. My friend Paula… Continue Reading The Presence of Spirit
John of the Cross: Poet, Pastor, Mystic
Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross John of the Cross: Poet, Pastor, Mystic Friday, April 24, 2020 Father Iain Matthew is a contemporary Carmelite priest from England and author of The Impact of God: Soundings from St John of The Cross. My copy is all marked up, so brilliant are his insights on… Continue Reading John of the Cross: Poet, Pastor, Mystic
Courage in Times of Trouble
Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross Courage in Times of Trouble Monday, April 20, 2020 Tessa Bielecki is a Christian hermit in the tradition of the Desert Mothers and Fathers. Co-founder of the Spiritual Life Institute, she was a Carmelite monk and Mother Abbess for almost 40 years, establishing experimental monastic communities of men… Continue Reading Courage in Times of Trouble
Lesson Four: Passing Over to Life
Reality Initiating Us: Part Two Lesson Four: Passing Over to Life Thursday, April 9, 2020 Holy Thursday It is true that you are not in control, for “can any of you, for all your worrying, add a single moment to your span of life?” (Luke 12:25-26). If we cannot control life and death, why do… Continue Reading Lesson Four: Passing Over to Life
Lesson Four: You Are Not In Control
Reality Initiating Us: Part One Lesson Four: You Are Not In Control Thursday, April 2, 2020 At some moment I did answer Yes to Someone—or Something—and from that hour I was certain that existence is meaningful and that, therefore, my life in self-surrender had a goal. —Dag Hammarskjöld To be in control of one’s destiny,… Continue Reading Lesson Four: You Are Not In Control
The Head Center
Enneagram Part Three: Head Center The Head Center Tuesday, March 10, 2020 My friend and Enneagram teacher Russ Hudson describes the Head Center, the final Intelligence Center of the Enneagram, in his own unique and “heady” way: Some of the Eastern religions, particularly Buddhism, did a very thorough investigation of the nature of the Head… Continue Reading The Head Center
Contemplative Consciousness
Action and Contemplation: Part 3 Contemplative Consciousness Sunday, January 19, 2020 I’ve heard some concerns over the years that contemplation is a practice of “Eastern” meditation wrapped in a Christian disguise. Some Christians have even been taught that seeking union with God through silence makes room for the “devil” to get in. While understandable, these apprehensions are based on a… Continue Reading Contemplative Consciousness
A Radical Surrendering
Twelve-Step Spirituality: Part One A Radical Surrendering Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Step Three: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God. [1] We each have our inner program for happiness, our plans by which we can be secure, esteemed, and in control, and… Continue Reading A Radical Surrendering
The Perennial Tradition: Weekly Summary
The Perennial Tradition Summary: Sunday, August 11—Friday, August 16, 2019 If it is true, it is always from the one Holy Spirit. —Thomas Aquinas (Sunday) We are rediscovering the philosophia perennis, shared universal truth, and at a rather quick pace—God seems urgent at this point in our tragic history. (Monday) In every historical epoch and… Continue Reading The Perennial Tradition: Weekly Summary
