Share your Word for 2015
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 below by Tuesday, January 6, 2015 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. . .
As in past years, 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. Even if you participated last year, you are more than welcome to register again.
Sign up here and you can start your mini-retreat today. Once you subscribe you will receive the first email within an hour and then one email each day for 12 days. Your information will never be shared or sold.
Win a Prize – Random Drawing Giveaway on January 6th!
I am delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey and friends and supporters of the Abbey’s work:
- One space in the upcoming online Abbey retreat Illuminating the Way: Epiphany and New Year Retreat with Monks, Mystics, & Archetypes (a fabulous way to begin the year!)
- A copy of Dana Reynolds‘ fabulous gold medal winning novel Ink and Honey
- A 6-week self study course from Dana Reynolds: Your Sacred Life Artisan’s Book of Wonderment
- A New Year Sacred Reading from the Ronna Detrick (let a woman from scripture accompany you into the new year!)
- A copy Betsey Beckman’s fabulous dance of The Creation on DVD (be inspired to dance into the new year)
- A copy of As I Lay Pondering from Kayce Hughlett (a wonderful book of daily reflections to accompany you into the new year)
- A 2015 calendar from Stacy Wills featuring her alcohol ink paintings (be blessed with Stacy’s stunning images each month)
- A copy of Richard Bruxvoort Colligan’s new album Love Stands With, with songs based on justice-oriented Psalms (be moved by powerful music to inspire your heart to prophetic action in the coming year)
- 4 people will win a copy of Sick and You Cared for Me: Homilies and Reflections for Cycle B with one reflection by Christine, plus also Richard Rohr, Rob Bell, Jan Richardson, and many more!
- 4 people will win their choice of self-study online classes from the following: Creative Flourishing in the Heart of the Desert: A Self-Study Online Retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen, Soul of a Pilgrim: An Online Art Retreat, Seasons of the Soul, Lectio Divina: The Sacred Art of Reading the World, or Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Contemplative Practice.
So please share your word (and it would be wonderful to include a sentence about what it means for you) with us below. Subscribe to the Abbey newsletter to receive ongoing inspiration in your in-box. Share the love with others and invite them to participate. Then stay tuned – on January 6th I will announce the prize winners!
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804 Responses
My word was waiting for me on my doorstep – HOME
My word is RELEASE.
In many ways this has been a deeply sad year for peoples across the world – here in Australia, we’ve recently experienced a siege from a man seeking retribution for perceived injustices, we have seen a mother slay 8 children. In the US we’ve watched the scenes of protest against authorities not held responsible for the death of young black people, and the attempt to “balance” that with today’s news of the death of 2 white policeman. In Pakistan, children and their teachers have been slain, in Syria and Iraq, the war continues and people are driven from their home, in Africa the ebola epidemic has taken lives and medical personnel work tirelessly to reverse this. In Australia, we still refuse asylum to people fleeing war and persecution and we incarcerate them in appalling conditions. The spiral of violence seems endless. We need release from all this. Let us pray for a more peaceful 2015
My word is “knowing.” It has come to me through many paths and so I embrace “knowing” for 2015.
Threshold/Still
Trusting.
Trusting the Knowing.
Knowing, as in that deep heart knowing that comes from God, and from our intuition, from our connection to all that IS. Knowing and trusting the Knowing. I thought my word was Knowing, but it is really Trusting. The act of trusting and believing in that knowing with my whole Being is the key action that is so evasive sometimes. Trusting the co-creative process that we are in this life with God.
My word for 2015 turns out not to be Pilgrimage, which was what I was working on. Apparently it is “Resonance”. Ever since I decided on this word, it keeps appearing in my life. It first came in the title of a newspaper article. A friend used it in her conversation with me about her understanding of what I said regarding the change in my energy. Today, I found I made a comment on Facebook which used it as a verb (“it really resonated with me”). I have been working on regaining health this past year and one of the pieces of me that not only has returned, but in fact is superior in many ways is my personal Energy level. The quality in my returning energy differs from before. I had trouble describing it to others, that is, until I found a great descriptor. One way I found to describe more fully my new energy was to try to say what those differences are. The “resonance” of my renewed energy has become higher, denser, faster and sets me up for more creative ideas. It tends to be short-lived, but when I engage with this new kind of energy, my whole body feels lighter, my mind works faster and better, my mood elevates almost to ecstasy and always with joy. It is the magical way of being in resonance with me that has made this energy more charged and vibrant. I keep this word because I can work with it on so many levels. What has it in store for me? I guess I will just have to wait and find out what will open up for me. It could be a suprising ride! Whoopi!
My word is believe. Mary Englebreit/Polar Express kind of believe.
My word is “heart home.”
Ripening………recently received this word in a reflection/meditation and it’s been in my thoughts daily as I work on my life as a “senior”.
This word has definitely chose me! I didn’t know what it meant nor how to pronounce and I don’t like the implications of it. EQUANIMITY: Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation. The last phrase is what has me nervous.