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
Wow! Yesterday I was talking to a friend whom I hadn’t seen for 15 years. We picked up the conversation where we left off, and I said I am looking for my word phrase for 2016, not sure yet, she reached in her bag and pulled out The Artists Rule. ! This is for you. ! After quickly scanning it before sleep, my word surfaced.
“Embracing Solitude”. Thank you so much for your gifts. Love and Blessings from New Zealand.
My word is “BRIDGE.” I pray to be a bridge to those places within myself that need connection and unification, as well as a bridge to others in my spiritual community to bring unification and healing there. And to be a bridge in ways I may not be aware of yet, that God may reveal to me in the coming year.
Illumination — my word relates to God’s calling for me TO BE an artist, not TO DO art things. I want to delve into a more contemplative prayer life and ponder the meaning of being an Illumination through my artistic gifts, just as Jesus was an illumination for the world.
Patience – Allowing for God’s timing..Ecclesiastes tells us of there being a “time and place” for everything. However, in waiting for God’s timing I don’t want to rush ahead so as to miss Gods gifts or wait until its too late that all bypasses me. Also, I don’t want to add to my collection of “wasted years”. Yes God does have a purpose for our lives, but it all comes down to waiting patiently for his timing.
Gratitude- Being grateful for the people the Lord has sent into my life that have helped me along the way especially during the rough moments. Being a grateful receiver of their love.
My word is enlarge. This has been z very busy year with Locke grandchildren. Theft oral went from 4 to 6 with the birth of twins late September. I’ve spent many hours helping in that family, now of 4 children aged 5, 3 and twins of 11 weeks. Next year I sense the desire and invitation to return some focus to myself, to enlarge my soul in some way yet to be discerned. I’ll still be an involved granny but will include this extra focus.
My word is SURRENDER. The letting go of what is useless–the fear, judging of others, attempts at control, stripping down and becoming naked before my God in silent surrender..
My word for 2016 is….beginnings. “As always we begin again. “
This morning I recalled the phrase “How would your life change if you looked at everything as gift?” My word then is gift and my focus is on looking at the gifts I receive, the gifts I give and the gifts I can be.
Looking forward to the word exercise Surely there’s something lighter than equanimity ? Sigh.