SHARE YOUR WORD FOR 2016
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 January 6, 2016 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.
Subscribe to our email newsletter and you will receive a link to start your mini-retreat today. Your information will never be shared or sold. (If you are already subscribed to the newsletter, look for the link in today’s email).
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ON JANUARY 6TH!
We are delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey:
- One signed copy each of Soul of a Pilgrim, Eyes of the Heart, The Artist’s Rule, and Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire.
- One space in Sacred Seasons: A Yearlong Journey through the Celtic Wheel of the Year
- 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 we will announce the prize winners!
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712 Responses
My word for the year is LISTEN. I have spent too many years being the one who does the talking and telling. Now is my time for listening to my life and see what it is trying to tell me.
Greetings fellow Pilgrims,
The word that is circling my heart this new year is “EMERGE”. While there are many words that are tempting, EMERGE seems to draw out many emotions from my inner self.
It is both powerful and soft, like an eruption of a geyser to the unfolding of petals on a rose. Within it is all the unknown, yet safely grounded in its natural course. Thank you for allowing me to share with you the new year of spiritual wisdom. ~ Anne
My word for 2016 is PAUSE………….take time to be aware of the meaningfulness of the moment and the Divine breath within.
Welcome
Stillness
Sitting in stillness in monk’s cell
Quietly listening for the heartbeat
Of the world.
MY WORD IS “RISE”.
My word for the year is hope.
I’m looking forward to the journey!
My word for 2016 Humility
I chewed on this word “Humility” for several days
but could not let it go,
it came back each day, caused me to ponder
and search within me
examine my walk with the Lord
I had forgotten that without humility, I would be unteachable
I would not bend like a pine tree, flow with the wind
enjoy and delight in the breeze,
Look at the world thru’ the eyes of a child
with all its innocence, in wonder and excitement
enjoying the surprises along the way
Appreciating what new things the Lord
was doing in my life, and just being grateful…
Humility
my word is listen. I am being called to sit in the vastness of silence and listen to my soul , to reconcile with my soul and to hear and feel wordless love.