Quietness
Inside this new love, die.
Your way begins on the other side.
Become the sky.
Take an axe to the prison wall.
Escape.
Walk out like somebody suddenly born into color.
Do it now.
You’re covered with thick cloud.
Slide out the side.
Die,
and be quiet. Quietness is the surest sign
that you’ve died.
Your old life was a frantic running
from silence.
The speechless full moon
comes out now.
-Rumi
For Trust in Abundance*Spirit of Generous Abundance,remind us there is always more than enough—enough food, enough love, enough time, enough resources.Help us to see how our disconnected patterns of livingamplify our scarcity.Bring us into the joy and challenge of communitywhere bread divided multiplies, where laughter
Christine Valters Paintner had a conversation on Creativity, Chronic Illness, and Contemplation with Mike Petrow on his podcast The Healer with a Thousand Faces (also available through audio podcast channels). Joins us in Lent 2027 for the retreat The Wisdom of Our Wounds: Chronic Illness
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to our Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Jaqui Eicher’s reflection and poem. After reading Christine Valters Paintner’s poem, “St. Gall and the Bear,” I responded in writing to the prompt:
4 Responses
This is my intention. I keep believing that I can do this slowly, one bit at a time, but sooner or later there needs to be an ending before there can be the new beginning. It is simple, but never easy. Thank you for posting this beautiful encouagement.
Oh my. Rumi always knows how to cut through the chaos and strike a chord in my hard. Tears streaming down my face makes it hard to type. Thank you.
I’m weeping, which I guess means I needed this.
Songbird, it made me weep as well, so I know it is speaking to my heart, glad it could speak to yours as well.