Dear monks, artists, and pilgrims,
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 6, 2024 and you are automatically entered for the prize drawing (prizes listed below).
WIN A PRIZE – RANDOM DRAWING GIVEAWAY ENTER BY JANUARY 6th!
- One space in our Love of Thousands online companion retreat to the book
- One space in our online Lent retreat on A Different Kind of Fast
- Two people win a space each in their choice of self-study retreats
- Three people will win a digital album of their choice.
- Three 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)
Winners will be announced on Sunday, January 12th.
If you would love a retreat experience to support you in listening for your word, letting your word ripen, and carrying your word into the year ahead, please join us for our Give Me a Word Advent and Christmas season retreat which begins today! I am joined by many wonderful guest teachers and there is a suggested practice for each day from now until Epiphany!
Join us tomorrow for our Contemplative Prayer Service where I will be joined by Simon de Voil and Polly Paton-Brown to reflect on the gifts of Mary for our journey.
With great and growing love,
Christine
Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, REACE
P.S. We are delighted to announce the release of Birthing the Holy: Dancing with Mary and the Sacred Feminine! This digital collection of 12 dances and companion teaching videos by Betsey Beckman and guest artists offers another beautiful resource for engaging with the gifts of Mary.
Image paid license with Canva
233 Responses
Welcome. I played around and tried on several different words but when this one arose, I knew it was right for this year. It feels like a commitment to welcome whatever comes my way: experiences, people, joy, sorrow…..
My word for the year is ‘small.’ I feel God leading me to discover God’s presence is the small things, ordinary things. I’m feeling drawn to have a small, simple life where God’s presence is what I seek in each moment.
My word is ‘nothing’ – I know it’s not challenging nor inspiring but I am tired of striving and working to be more – for myself and others. So this year I will relax and open my heart to see what emerges out of nothing.
My word is Viriditas
My word if the year is Fearless. I have lived much of my life in fear and worry. I believe God is telling me to be courageous and fearless in this year ahead!
SOFTEN – I want to soften so I am more open to the wisdom and the mystery, and encounters with the Divine.
Shammash – The candle that lights the other candles on the Menorah. May I be that light as I contemplate the one who lights me.
My word is presence.
My word (it pushed into my awareness) is Resilience. I can’t wait to see how it explains itself to me!
My word is PURPOSEFUL. I wish to make purposeful decisions; take purposeful actions; have purposeful conversations; name purposeful standards; live with a purposeful attitude; do purposeful work.