As a monk in the world, I am always seeking support for this path.  Yesterday I just started reading The Contemplative Heart by James Finley which is about how to live contemplatively in the world beyond the monastery and already in the first forty pages is a great deal of wisdom. Finley describes three aspects to contemplative living in the midst of busy lives and work which were articulated beautifully: The first aspect is being as fully present as you can to the task at hand.  When you are working on something be fully mindful to it as you engage it and do only one thing at a time. 

I just love this.  The line speaking to my heart today (keeping in mind my post from yesterday) is “Dance until you’re sweating, and beads of perspiration remind you of life’s best things, down your back like a brook of blessings.” How about you?  Where are you finding the solace of solitude these late summer days? How to Be Alone by Tanya Davis If you are at first lonely, be patient. If you’ve not been alone much, or if when you were, you weren’t okay with it, then just wait. You’ll find it’s fine to be alone once you’re embracing it. We could start

For the last two weeks there has been a funny thing happening with my calendar.  Each day when I open my Outlook program a notice appears just like all of the other appointment reminders except this one says “Sabbath: Now.”   I do have my Saturdays blocked off as Sabbath days and so somehow this entry has been logged in as a daily event.  When I press the “dismiss” button I am told that the program can’t find the entry and so I will continue to be reminded.  And so it is, each day I receive a message that Sabbath is

This past weekend I co-led our annual Oblate retreat with Sister Lucy, our Oblate director, on the theme of simplicity. Being with my fellow Oblates and supporting one another on the Benedictine way is always tremendous nourishment for my spirit.  Life has been so full these last few months and now I get to step into a simpler time and space myself.  My heart has been drawn to explore new ways of simplifying beyond just doing with less things, but to consider the way my thoughts and desires can clutter my heart. I often find my creative energy drawn in

I am heading out for some time of retreat by the forest and sea and dreaming of the year ahead. Thank you so much to everyone who already commented on last Tuesday’s invitation to share what you need for your own retreat time. Reading through them has been true refreshment for my own spirit. I encourage anyone who hasn’t yet, to stop by with a cup of tea and a journal and begin dreaming your next retreat into being. You can still add your comment until next Monday, May 10 and enter for a chance to win a set of

Last Friday and Saturday I was at St. Placid Priory leading a workshop and a retreat.   Much of my work is leading retreats – and while I spend a lot of time designing the flow of experiences, ultimately it is about creating and holding sacred space for others.  On retreat the invitation is to cross the threshold of ordinary awareness and enter liminal space for a few hours or days to receive the new questions waiting for us. This coming weekend I go on my own time of retreat to the place where the forest meets the sea.  This space