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 »
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
Monastic Leadership Read More »
From Egyptian deserts, to Italian caves, to stone monasteries, each generation creates monastic life. Our Story So Far It is easy for us to think monastic life is far away, hidden behind walls, shrouded in secrecy. We have pictures in our minds of robed religious people, chanting or being silent. Monastic life has always been
Creating the Future of Monastic Life Read More »
A friend of mine, when she was a little girl, was faced with a difficult decision. Her class in school was having Career Day. Even though she was quite young, she needed to choose between two possible career paths. For her, it was a choice between becoming a ballerina or becoming a saint. My friend thought carefully about her dilemma,
It may be hard for us to believe there are any monastic extroverts. We think of monks as people hiding from the world of human contact behind stone walls. We assume monks want to escape the anxieties and responsibilities we face every day. It is a challenge for us to imagine monks laughing or even
Monastic Extroverts Read More »
People tend to be curious when they meet me for the first time. Some people are surprised to learn I live in Los Angeles and am married. Some people are confused by my spiritual journey and my background. I tend not to meet their expectations about who a monk will be. Some people are
Monastic Life in the World Read More »
What is so important about reflecting? What good does it really do us to be reflective? Isn’t reflection boring? We are accustomed to being instantly analytical. Given a problem, we figure out an answer. We may be comfortable being emotional. Situations or relationships bring our strong feelings to the surface immediately. Why do we need to reflect? Reflection allows
Monastic Reflection Read More »
We drive ourselves to move forward. Our economy, our culture are based in growing, making progress, moving forward. We believe, especially now at the beginning of a year, in setting goals and making things happen. We push ourselves, working hard to transform what we want into reality. We are convinced our efforts earn us progress toward
Moving Forward by Standing Still Read More »
Morning is when we awaken. We open our eyes, remember who we are, and rise to greet the day. There are days when it takes us a little longer to wake up, and days when we remain asleep. If we choose to stay in bed with the blankets over our heads we risk missing the
Many of us assume monks are people stuck in the past, resistant to new ideas. We see monks as people committed to upholding old ideas in traditional ways. We believe monasteries exist to continue doing things “the ways we have always done them.” The monks I know do not think or behave in the ways
Monastic Innovation Read More »
