In ancient times, wise men and women fled out into the desert to find a place where they could be fully present to the divine 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 5, 2023 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, we are 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, December 11th email and at the bottom of each Sunday following).
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ENTER BY JANUARY 5th!
- One person wins a space in our Lent retreat on A Different Kind of Fast
- Three people win a space each in their choice of self-study retreats
- Five people win their choice of one of our digital albums
- Seven people win one of our Dancing Monk Medallions
Please share your word with us in the comments below
(and it would be wonderful if you included a sentence about what it means for you)
Subscribe to the Abbey of the Arts newsletter to receive ongoing inspiration in your in-box. You can choose daily, weekly, or monthly. Share the love with others and invite them to participate. Then stay tuned – on January 8th we will announce the prize winners!
475 Responses
Presence
I am feeling called to embody the word “presence” in all of my encounters.
I see you dear friend. Presence has been my word before. Blessings this year.
My word is Hole… Hole as in Hafiz’s poem about the flute. I want to be an empty hole to be filled with the Divine.
My word is Hole… Hole as in Hafiz’s poem about the flute. I want to be an empty hole to be filled with the Divine.
Holiness
Opens while
Listening in
Emptiness
my word for 2023 is QUIET. this word came to me as I was contemplating another word.
Curiosity—seeking to learn and being open to the answers
My word for 2023 is “Allow”
My word is trust. This promises to be a year of transition for me and a year of continuing to cross new thresholds. Today I rose to dance with the first sunrise of 2023 but I doubted the sun would burn away the fog that greeted me as I rolled up my blinds. But to my surprise Light pierced the darkness and beauty rose and shined. And I danced with delight! My inner voice laughed with me at my doubting and said, “dear one, trust is your word for 2023.”
My word is “emptiness”. Emptiness in order to receive.
“Mystery” has been calling for a long time. Now seems to be the time to surrender to it.
My Word for 2023 is Wisdom. I have been attending an Orthodox Church and several times during the service, the priest calls out “Wisdom! Let us attend!” Divine Wisdom is understood as being the source of all creation and of al our creative endeavors. True wisdom is inherent in God alone and so I listen for and seek the fountain of true wisdom. My ears have been perking up every time I hear “Wisdom! Let us attend!”
Here is my poem:
Wisdom is the source of God’s creation;
In it I look to God for all,;
Silently listening for my soul’s call.
Divine wisdom, true wisdom is what I seek
On bended neck, and posture meek
May I attend when the Holy One speaks.
Soft….this is the word that is inviting me to live my life with an intentional focus on being soft. Bristles of harshness, negative thoughts & rumination don’t feed me well. Soft is going to lead me into 2023.