From an early age, I was an activist. I was deeply committed to justice, and caught up by politics and causes. I ached to respond to the people and the needs I saw in the world all around me. I have always been organized and strategic, a natural campaigner. More recently, I have become more […]
What is an Activist Contemplative Leader? Read More »
Is it possible to be on Twitter and to be contemplative at the same time? That was one of my main concerns about Twitter before I started. Before that, Twitter seemed like the opposite of contemplation: writing without thinking, words without reflection. It is not unusual for some of the contemplative people I know to
Contemplative Tweeting? Read More »
You may have noticed that I usually call Benedict “Benedict,” not “Saint Benedict.” Part of that is my Protestant heritage. Recognized saints were not really part of my background. When I applied to become a lay oblate at New Camaldoli, Father Robert tried to explain to me that many people chose their saint’s day
In Take This Bread, Sara Miles tells her story. She writes about how working in restaurants in New York deepened her love of food. She writes about working as a journalist in the midst of armed conflicts in Central America. She writes about the birth of her daughter. She writes about being raised without spiritual
Book Review: Take This Bread Read More »
While I was in high school, my parents bought a new chair. It was definitely a piece of a specific point in time, almost designed to be out of fashion as soon as possible. At the same time, it was a solid example of Midwestern craft; it was built to last. The chair remained with
At times, I have clearly been more of an activist than a contemplative. At other times, I have relied more on the contemplative aspects of whom I am. More and more, I see these two strengths coming together. Much of my life has been shaped by my deep commitment to getting things done. Achieving things
Active Contemplation and Contemplative Action Read More »
When I tell people that I am a leadership coach and a spiritual director, there tends to be some questions. Some people have a general idea of what a leadership coach does, but there are quite a few people who have very little idea of what a spiritual director might do. It does not help
So, What is a Spiritual Director? How is that Different from a Leadership Coach? Read More »
We tend to understand our lives as having ever-increasing level of complexity. Nearly instantaneous access to information from anywhere in the world at almost anytime shapes, and shatters, our thoughts and feelings. We connect with ever-growing networks of people who live in distant places; more and more diverse perspectives influence our own. We live in
Sometimes Life is Simple Read More »
I spent some time near the ocean last week; the ocean is like God. The ocean is vast and powerful. It seems to ebb and flow, sometimes calm and peaceful; sometimes crashing on the shore. The ocean is buoyant, and lifts me up. The ocean can be overwhelming, and I can feel like I am
The Ocean is Like God Read More »
Wilkie Au and Noreen Cannon Au are people who get to the heart of things. They are people of deep emotional intelligence; not “touchy-feely,” it is more that they are in touch with the emotional parts of their lives. The way they write, and the way they live their lives, helps me understand and find
Book Review: The Grateful Heart Read More »
