Have you ever wondered about what your spiritual tradition means in your everyday life? What do you really believe and how does it shape how you live and interact with people? Many of us wish we could do more to help other people. We appreciate the ways serving other people feeds our souls, but it […]
Reading and Reflecting Together Read More »
Even though I have never met Carl McColman in person he has shared unteachable lessons with me. We each write blogs which are carried on the Contemplative channel at www.patheos.com. The interests we share include monastic life and contemplative spirituality. While we do not always follow the same path, we often visit similar places. It
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Listening and Sharing Our Stories Lent is a liturgical season when many of us think about spiritual practices. We decide to give something up or we choose to begin practicing something new. Most of us see spiritual practices as ways for us to behave. We hope we can behave our way into stronger spiritual life.
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Why Follow a Spiritual Practice? There are groups who follow spiritual practices together. Some people practice disciplines they have followed all their lives, but do not know why. There are people who follow practices because “that is how we have always done it.” Some people were brought up with particular traditions and continue following them.
Why Practice Spiritual Life? What Are We Searching For? Read More »
Hope is not a mere feeling or attitude. Hope, like gratitude or curiosity, is a way of life. Developing our Hope Muscles Hope is not being unrealistic. It is deeper than knowing “things will work out well.” Our hope depends not on being disconnected from real life, but on experiencing life as it really is. Not
Spiritual Practices From the Inside Out: New Fields of Hope Read More »
We admire leaders who get us moving. They spur us to action by stirring something deep within us. Some leaders give us facts and information which present a challenge and how to meet it. Others connect with a feeling or memory deep inside us which moves us to act. There are leaders who show us a new
Leading Like a Monk: Leadership Begins in Stillness Read More »
Making a Real Difference There is deep spiritual power in knowing we are making a real difference. We want to know we will be remembered for our positive contributions. People struggle within themselves, desperately seeking the path for their lives. We desire assurance, certainty we help make the world a better place. Some of us
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Hope is the spark which lights the fire of inspiration. Without hope, why would we go on trying? What is hope? Some people say hope is a feeling, or a positive attitude. People tell me they are more hopeful in the morning, less hopeful as the day continues. Some people tell me we receive what we
Spiritual Practices From the Inside Out: Discerning Hope Read More »
We generally think of leaders as striking figures who inspire people to follow them. Leaders tend to stand out in a crowd. We see leaders persuading people with their words, their ideas, their larger-than-life personalities. A leader has a strong vision and guides people into working together toward shared goals. We think of a leader standing in front of a
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I am a member of a church where one liturgical season ends and another begins this week. This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season we call Lent. Lent is not about giving things up; not about chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, or social media. During Lent, we take an honest, insightful look at who
Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and the Season of Lent Read More »
