Share your Word for 2013
In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to God and to their own inner struggles at work within them. The desert became a place to enter into the refiner’s fire and be stripped down to one’s holy essence. The desert was a threshold place where you emerged different than when you entered.
Many people followed these ammas and abbas, seeking their wisdom and guidance for a meaningful life. One tradition was to ask for a word – this word or phrase would be something on which to ponder for many days, weeks, months, sometimes a whole lifetime. This practice is connected to lectio divina, where we approach the sacred texts with the same request – “give me a word” we ask – something to nourish me, challenge me, a word I can wrestle with and grow into. The word which chooses us has the potential to transform us.
- What is your word for the year ahead? A word which contains within it a seed of invitation to cross a new threshold in your life?
Share your word in the comments section by Tuesday, January 8th and you are automatically entered for the prize drawing (prizes listed below).
A free 12-day online mini-retreat to help your word choose you. . .
This year I am offering all Abbey newsletter subscribers a gift: a free 12-day online mini-retreat with a suggested practice for each day to help your word choose you and to deepen into your word once it has found you.
Sign up here and you can start your mini-retreat today. Once you subscribe you will receive a confirmation email with access to the mini-retreat content (and you are free to unsubscribe at any time). If you are already a subscriber, the invitation will be in this week’s email newsletter.
Win a Prize – Random Drawing Giveaway on January 7th!
Some wonderful friends of the Abbey have offered fabulous prizes to be included in this drawing held from all of the names who participate:
- from Christine Valters Paintner of Abbey of the Arts: a space in the online Lenten retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen
- from Kayce Stevens Hughlett of Diamonds in the Soul: a signed copy of her book As I Lay Pondering: Daily Invitations to Live a Transformed Life
- from Dana Reynolds at Sacred Life Arts: a space in her online class The Book of Wonderment and a signed copy of her brand new novel Ink and Honey
- from Ronna Detrick: a space in her online class Soulstice: Develop a Meaningful Spiritual Practice
- from Roy DeLeon of Now Praying: a signed copy of his book Praying with the Body and personalized body prayer for your favorite Psalm
- from Tess Giles of Pilgrim’s Moon: a print of the beautiful banner art by Rima Staines
- from Velma Frye: a copy of her CD “Seven Sacred Pauses” and “Take Heart”
- from Richard Bruxvoort Colligan: a copy of each of his Psalm CDs “Sharing the Road” and “Shout for Joy”
- from Trish Bruxvoort Colligan of River’s Voice: a copy of her CDs “Breath” and “Unfolding”
- from Mary Sharratt: a copy of her novel Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard of Bingen
- from Waverly Fitzgerald of Living in Season: a copy of her French Republican Calendar for 2013 and a copy of her New Year Dreams E-book
- from Betsy McCall of the Art Monastery: an original art print
- from Paula Huston: a copy of her latest book Season of Mystery: 10 Spiritual Practies for Embracing a Happier Second Half of Life
Pretty wonderful, isn’t it? Make sure to check out the links to their websites for all kinds of goodness and thank them for supporting the Abbey!
So please share your word (and a sentence about what it means for you) with us below. Subscribe to the Abbey newsletter for your free gift. Share the love with others and invite them to participate. Then stay tuned – on January 7th I will announce the prize winners!
844 Responses
As soon as I opened my mind for a word, “Nurture” came to me. So it will be my 2013 word. There are many, many ways I can approach it.
Tree – about the middle of last year, God told me I was a tree. I interpreted this as I am someone to whom others can come and sit or nest for awhile, perhaps a safe place for others. I work out of my home and so am mostly rooted right there. Anyway, I have been sitting with this word and wondering if it will continue to be for me in 2013. This morning I had a different sense about it, that “tree” is also about the many parts of my own self or “limbs and roots” if you would, that I need to become aware of and what that will produce, heal or prune I do not know yet.
Not at all what I had in mind….subtle, has found it’s way on to the page before me!! Today I think it speaks to being awake to every little thing, to the wisdom of the body and to not having to understand everything. However, I have learned that what I think is rarely what it is. Happy Subtle 2013!
My word is “create”! I’m excited about all the possible ways this word will unfold in my life in the coming year.
Thank you Christine for your gifts of wonderful word wisdom.you reach into my heart and awaken my soul to dance ,to experience, and to know the divine. I choose ” BELIEVE ” for my word in 2013. I am open to believing in miracles from me and from this life in all its many colors.
I am amazed at how this works. Every. Single. Time.
Perhaps it is BEing open to the word.
My word for 2013 is Enough.
Through 2012 and my word for it, Discipline, I have recognised that Enough is somewhere I find great JOY in BEing and Living.
I think, though I prefer simply feeling its rightness for me, that it will give me great encouragement to BE Present in my Life in each breath. No holding on, holding out, or holding back. Simply BEing “enough” in that breath.
My word for 2013 is “afoot” because I have heard it used several times in the last month and each time I hear it something inside of me stirs. The dictionary meaning is simply to go “on foot” or something is “astir”.
My word for 2013 is ‘stop.’
My word for 2013 is nourish. To nourish the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of my life.
My word for 2013 is CHOICE. My life thus far, is mostly about going along with what others choose for me. In 2013 I want to make choices just for me. To practice choosing in 10 second increments each and every day. Thank you for this lovely practice!
Coreyanna