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
My word this year is BREATHE. I have made my sign to post on my mirror already- I have found over the course of the last year that some of my stress in work and family has left me breathless. By giving myself time to BREATHE, I can center, reflect and focus on what my oblate self “should” be doing in any certain situation.
My word for this year is “butterfly”. Butterflies can have many layers of meanings-when I was feeling somewhat “jaded” awhile back, I encountered a black butterfly which I had never seen before. Glistening black-violet wings reminded me of the beauty, magic and hope waiting to be discovered.
I really enjoy hearing about the words expressed by others. My word for the coming year is OPEN- HANDED. I am feeling called to do less pursuing but to be more open to the gifts that present themselves; new things, new opportunities, new people…. And I also see that in order to receive I must also be willing to let go and release certain things. So I will go open- handed into this coming year.
My word is “Released” I was trying on words such as renewed, restored, replenished and returned. We are leaving this island after 12 1/2 years of being in what I have considered exile because I have been cut off and isolated from community is so many, many ways but every word I tried on didn’t fit. The shoulders were too small, the arms were too long, the waist constricting, the length not right and then in the midst of the chaos and explosion that goes with trying on garments from the verbal closet, there it was…the perfect accessory to tie all the other words together into one cohesive outfit. This is the year I am released. Released from isolation, from sorrow, from making do, from restricted thinking. Released to heal, to restoration, to joyfulness, to possibilities. Released from everything so I can be released to everything…
My word is completion
The word that chose me is COURAGE. For the choices I need to make in the upcoming year, I will need courage. In good times, the difficult circumstances, I will need courage.
I have just joined the Flickr group “Give Me A Word 2013” under the screen name
Fe 108Aums.
I look forward to walks alert for my word of the year: mindfulness, or to look through past photos/art.
My word for 2013 is “immerse.” Like a pot dipped into a well of water, I’m to immerse deeper into those things thing bring me life and then I can give out of the overflow; I realize by my fatigue level that I’ve been pouring out more than I’ve been taking in.
My most unusual word for 2013 is ” camel”. I’ve waited a week to share just to be sure and it has been confirmed several times. There is mystery with this so I await it’s unfolding meaning…
I love this exercise every year. It is so nourishing to pause in the stillness of the deepest winter darkness and allow a word or two to choose me. Several words have tugged at me over the past week or so but this morning I awoke to my word. It is COMPANION. I love that it is both a noun and a verb, suggesting attentiveness to all it can open up for me. There is much to ponder with my word and I am overjoyed to embrace it and all it may mean for me this year. Thank you Christine!
listen and walk
with the gentle companion
Emmanuel