Gratitude is one of the most powerful spiritual practices we can do. The longer I venture on this spiritual journey called life the more I am in awe of how being thankful radically changes not only how we see life but also adds to its depth, richness, and joys. One of this blog’s main focuses is focus on spiritual disciplines that turn our hearts to God and gratitude is certainly a great example of this type of practice. This time of year naturally turns our hearts towards gratitude yet we have to also be intentionally in its practice. I find the stress of the world, other’s expectations, and internal conflicts consume my positivity, yet when I pause, pay attention to my blessings and thank God for all his gifts, my spirit lifts.  “Gratitude is like a flashlight. If you go out into your yard at night and turn on a flashlight, you suddenly can see what’s there. It was always there, but you couldn’t see it in the dark.”   Dawn Markova My experience with … [Read more...]

Guigo II – do you know him?  I certainly didn’t until Jim Finley introduced him to me in the wonderful podcast Listening to the Mystics.  Guigo became a new lamplighter for me and one inviting me deeper into prayer, especially lectio divina. Lamplighter I learned the term lamplighter from modern day mystic Cynthia Bourgeault who described spiritual teachers in her life – both ancient and contemporary - as lamplighters, those  lighting the way for her path. I love this word and have learned like electric wires bring light into my soul I too have lamplighters even a few high-tension ones that boost my spirit beyond the ordinary. Highly charged lamplighters for me are Henri Nouwen, Teresa of Avilla, and Barbara Brown Taylor. Who are your lamplighters? Guigo II Guigo is a new mystic and teacher for me. Guigo II, a Carthusian monk who died in 1193, left two key writings, the Ladder of Monks and the Twelve Meditations. These two works found in one book are my current … [Read more...]

Advent? Already? Yes, this special time of year is coming soon. Advent begins November 28 and is one of my favorite seasons of the year. The candles, music, words, and themes stir my spirit and refocus my heart of the true reason for the season. Exploring Advent themes brings peace and depth to my walk towards Christmas. Advent is the four weeks before Christmas and is a season of waiting, expecting, and hoping. Advent prepares our hearts and minds for the coming, or “advent” of the Christ child at Christmas. How will you grow during Advent? I ask God and my own soul that question every year - how do you want me to grow, to prepare my heart for the new church year?  Yes, the new church year begins with this holy season too. Happy New Year! LOL GROW is a great acronym to guide us during Advent. G – God R – Read O - Open W –Word and Wonder ***************************************** G – God First, I begin with God. Duh! You would think this is obvious but … [Read more...]

Creating space for God – a special place to connect and just be with the Lord slows me down, opens my heart, and helps me enter a time to worship, listen, and be fully present to the Presence. Now I believe God is always with us, no matter where we are or the atmosphere surrounding a location.  But my humanness experiences him easier when the environment around me calms my spirit.  I call it the cathedral effect. The last few years I have intentionally arranged sacred spaces and identified other types of environments that are my sweet spots of prayer. I reorganized the corner of my office adding a place for my Bible, journal, and a small altar to create space for God. I savor my backyard deck in the warm months surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature that stirs my soul. I crave time away in silence and stillness of retreat centers. I savor my time at my soul spot – a white sand beach. We just returned from a short week to Florida and time to … [Read more...]

Autumn invites us to reflect. We sense the year wrapping up and we wonder where the time has gone. We remember what we wanted to get done and can no longer even find the paper where our hopes and dreams were recorded. We watch the leaves fall, urging us to also let go of busyness and burdens. If you are a long-time reader of this blog, you know I collect quotes. I love these tiny bits of wisdom. Words inspiring me to pause and ponder. Breathing in what others wrote that resonates in my soul. Here are a few of my favorite autumn reflections: At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.  Rainer Maria Rilke Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love - that makes … [Read more...]

Go is my word for the year. No one warned me in January that this tiny word would so powerfully weave its meaning into my world. Go stretched me in new surprising ways. My expectation with the word Go felt like a forward motion. I wrote out phrases such as Go with boldness. Letting Go. Get up and go. Go for it. Go the distance. All leading me onward, accomplishing, moving, crossing the finish line. Go transforms its meaning to me lately. Go invites me in a new direction.  Go deep. Go deeper. What does this mean? Go deep stirs up my imagination: descending into a dark damp cave. Entering a new eerie world full of unknowns and shadows and definitely out of my control, yet being led by the Light. Maybe pushing my roots, small shoots at a time, straining into crusty earth, new soil.  Leaving the safety of shallow waters and diving underwater, holding my breath, scanning the sea floor for hidden treasure. I sense I am working, yet not producing.  … [Read more...]

Reflection is an essential spiritual practice. The Enneagram offers insight and guidance in how we are motivated and how we see the world.  I know some people are suspicious of this tool but like any assessment if we remember it is only one way to gain self-knowledge. When we live a reflective life and the more, we grow in understanding ourselves, the more we discover the true self deep inside us created by God. I found the Enneagram helpful in peeling away the layers of false narrative covering my soul and leads to reflection. Recently I read the new book by expert Beatrice Chestnut and Uranio Paes titled The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up – Find your path, Face your shadow, Discover your true self.  This book presents a concise overview of the enneagram and chapters on each number. I do like how each chapter contains key patterns, and the strengths and shadows of each type. A good book for beginners and to add new insight for others who have studied this tool previously. The … [Read more...]

Go. Be nice. That simple phrase I heard in my prayers the other day. “But God. I am nice.  Or at least I like to think I try.” My initial response was more of an excuse than I willingness to follow. Adding the word, my word of the year, Go, to that phrase did add a bit of urgency and direction. So I prayed and pondered and found ways to practice being nice. The invitation is to be intentionally nice to those I meet. To remember all are struggling, carrying hidden hurts and unspoken wounds. To give grace. To do the most loving response at that time. Being nice may seem like an ordinary unexciting option, but we all appreciate people who are genuinely nice. Being nice isn’t most of our default mode, our natural instinct. It requires effort and energy.  I know many times I don’t want to be nice or take the time to go that extra mile. I sure can rationalize reasons to be nice later.   Then I learned today (October 5) is National Do Something Nice … [Read more...]