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 phrase (and action) for the New Year is “Honor my gift” which, for me, means getting back into my studio and drawing, painting, whatever and wherever the creative spirit leads me. I feel called to express my deepest spiritual beliefs in some artistic form. I have done this in the past and I need to get back to it.
My word last year was “Transition.” I made huge vocational and housing changes. This year my word is “Seeking.” I’m seeking a spiritual community and my way of walking with the Holy One in my new era of life.
Chanting
I want to thank you for this “Give Me a Word 2015”! I encountered your proposing this practice a few years ago and have since, each year, been engaging with this exploration, watching to see what word enters my awareness and whether its journey is to final selection.
A few weeks back, the word “power” began to hold my attention and I’ve been observing where/when/how/why it emerges into my foreground. While working around/on power issues has been a major life theme for me, individually as well as via relationship, I’m sensing that now is a major time of stepping up… stepping in… to actioning inner power and deeper “power with” energies. I’m looking forward to 2015 being another exciting and expanding year!
PS — The email with this PS is the correct one! ;-)
The word which has emerged for me is Attentiveness. My spiritual director reminds me of both the active and passive dimensions of attentiveness – the active dimension she likened to sitting on the edge of my seat, ready to respond to the invitation which attentiveness has stirred within me.
I am including an image which speaks to me of being attentive to divinity unfolding in the winter landscape, which I can at times receive as dry and empty. When I am attentive, it is anything but!
Peace, love and joy to you on the journey.
My word is WONDER! What a gift we have been given through the Incarnation! The WONDER OF HIS LOVE! I am hoping to increase my awareness of the Wonder of His Love in my daily encounters!
My word for this year is “Beannacht,” the Gaelic word for blessing. It is the name of my favorite poem which happens to be written by John O’Donohue and which he named a blessing for the New Year in his final book.
http://www.johnodonohue.com/fierce-remembrance
I wish to be a blessing as well as to find blessing in life this year.
Gratitude
Kindness
Being kind to ourselves and others as we live into our own gentle sovereignty.
My word is ‘Be Loved’…