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!
If this is your first time commenting at the Abbey, or you are including a link, your comment will need to be approved before appearing, which usually takes less than 24 hours.
712 Responses
Dignity. 2 difficult years have eroded mine. I intend to regain what I lost!
Hi there,
I think these two words have been mulling around in my thoughts for awhile now. “Coming out”. For a long time, I have kept myself safely behind a half-open door; a little bit of self protection I think. But in the last few months I have found that the door has opened wide and those reservations have fallen like stepping stones to walk on into open spaces. I look forward to the surprises and welcome which await me.
Lorrell
The word that came to me again and again remaining more constant than any other is TRUST. Growing up in a home with lots of fear as well as love, trusting has been hard for me. In this last year, I have begin to trust the kindness and abundance of God’s providing what I needed when I needed it, so timely helpful to end my fears of the future. At time, God’s providence was challenging because I needed it for my personal and spiritual growth. TRUST will be my word and theme for 2016 when I am feeling fearful or anxious, as thank you is my response when all feeels more harmonious.
Thank you, for this generous course, Christina and All
The word that has chosen me is “Abundance”. I am excited about this word because it is a word of hope.
My word is HOPE.
At a time filled with uncertainty, anxiety and fear, the word HOPE breathes calm, courage and strength into my heart.
My word for 2016 is awaken. Having spent most of my adult life as a wife and mother I felt that was who I was. When my kids grew up and left home in search of their own identities I was left feeling finished. Like there was no real reason for me anymore. Over this past year, 2015, I have started awakening to my true self. I’m just a few weeks from finishing a yoga teacher training and have found new meaning and joy in my life. I am beginning to realize I have much more to share with this world. The photo was taken on my recent trip to Australia and it just seems to be beckoning me to awaken to the new journey ahead.
YIKES! I thought I was changing my avatar picture with that link at the bottom of the comment box. SO sorry for that huge self-portrait. Oy vey. Please remove it if you can. Thank you.
Hello Diana… I did exactly the same and felt so silly – so glad I’m not the only one – hope you feel a bit better now you know you are not alone! :-)
The series was lovely and helpful – thank you so much! The word that came to me late on January 1st was this one – steady. And I’m deeply grateful for it. The last few years have held more upheaval than usual and I’m trusting that the one ahead will be exactly that . . . steady. If you’re interested you can read more about it here: http://dianatrautwein.com/2016/01/out-of-the-ether-oneword-2016/
My word for 2016 is “epiphany” which didn’t take too long to arrive because it had been slowly dawning on me for awhile. Instead, the “aha” moment was when in the aftermath of the choice it became clear to me that the “revealing” would not be the meaning/explanation of some disturbing personal circumstances but the revelation of God’s beauty, glory and amazing love. I already know that my journey will be one of choosing where to focus my inner eye . . .
My word is “Expand”. A year ago nearly to the day, I visited the Air and Space Museum in Washington,DC and saw the movie Journey to Space 3D. I was totally filled with awe as I watched the magnificent photos of the cosmos sent back from the Hubble telescope. I have been pondering my new awareness of the how immense creation is and how small my understanding of “God” had become. Old paradigms have been falling away and I am intrigued, skeptical, perplexed excited and not a little wary of this new part of my journey. My call to expand is requiring me to shed old skins that have grown to tight. Perhaps this expansion will lead to a bursting forth not unlike the Big Bang?