SHARE YOUR WORD FOR 2017
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, 2017 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 the Sunday email).
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ON JANUARY 6TH!
We are delighted to offer some wonderful gifts from the Abbey:
- One space in our upcoming New Year’s online retreat – Spiraling Inward: Seven Celtic Spiritual Practices
- One signed copy each of Illuminating the Way, Soul of a Pilgrim, Eyes of the Heart, The Artist’s Rule, and Water, Wind, Earth, and Fire.
- One space in our online program Sacred Seasons: A Yearlong Journey through the Celtic Wheel of the Year
- 4 people will win their choice of our self-study online retreats
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!
316 Responses
I have twice posted my word and it has twice disappeared. My first time I had the word bloom (because we have it within us but it is time to open up to the world); but having lost this post I was glad because BLOOM has now moved to FLOURISH–in the face of all that is so troubling around us, flourishing is the greatest contribution we can make.
My 2017 word is “believe”. Believe in me. Believe in the Divine Indwelling Presence within me…and in everyone.
My word is ‘ponder’. “Mary pondered these things…..”. I am shortly to be age 78. A ‘child of the 60’s…in America, I have lived a full and sometimes chaotic life of healing, hope and prayer. ‘To dream the impossible dream’? if you will. The word ‘done’ has been the word shimmering in my being for some time. Now that word has faded and I am called to hold it all in my heart and soul as God wills, and….ponder.
I love your word! I believe the world would be a better place if more people would ponder ?
My 2017 word is JOY. As in this paraphrased prayer…’Make me an instrument of your JOY.’ This is the first year my word has been ‘other’ oriented. I already feel joy in my life. My intention this upcoming year is to share bits of that joy with others.
My word is “structure” – it is about creating some structures that will support my deepest desires.
No thoughtful days of retreat this year to discern a word. My 2017 word leapt into my mind one day as I was reading dancing monk’s posts in Facebook. These past months there has been so much suffering – politically, globally and personally but there has also been great creativity, gratitude, praise, support, beauty and so much more goodness happening within this community.
The word that so exploded within me is PAXTION! Not in any dictionary so here is the definition: peace action. This is my commitment this year to take peaceful action to promote well being in the world. Only our Divine Creator knows how this may manifest throughout the coming months. Amen.
My word is solitude…space to listen and grow.
I thought that my word was “wholeness.” Kind of like maybe reaching a wholeness in the journey. Then I was reading something last night and the word “vulnerable” jumped out at me. Okay, so that is the word. Vulnerable. I have been feeling particularly vulnerable since the U.S. elections, I imagine this has something to do with that. I will see how it unfolds.
I have been amazed as I listen and wait for a word to emerge how it has evolved over the past few weeks. I think it has arrived and here it is: attentive. loved reading everyone’s words. Inspiring.
My word for 2017 is “cultivate.” Friendships, my yard, my talents and interests.