Each month on Thursdays, I plan to write about a specific theme that helps us discover and explore people and practices that tend the holy. Spending several weeks on a topic will add depth to our spiritual walk. I call it Tending the Holy Thursdays. One week the background story about the person and/or practice (the who and what) will be given and then followed by a post with practical tips on how to implement the practice or a practice known to that person (the how and why). The third week will be a reflection of what I learned and ideas on how you can apply this to your walk with God. The last week I will share quotes, prayers and resources related to the topic. Sound interesting? Let me know in the comments if you like this idea and if you have a person/practice you would like to be featured. Let’s discover and explore together in our journey of tending the holy within us all. November – Tending the Holy - Desert Mothers and Fathers Who are the Desert Mothers and Fathers? … [Read more...]
National Gratitude Month – November
Did you know November was National Gratitude Month? Makes sense with Thanksgiving being celebrated in the U. S. the end of this month, but anytime we practice this essential habit will enhance our spiritual journey. Gratitude is a powerful practice. Researchers have found that practicing daily gratitude can enhance our moods, decrease stress and drastically improve our overall level of wellbeing. Grateful people tend to be happier, healthier, more physically fit, have a higher income and have much more satisfying personal and professional relationships. But even more importantly practicing gratitude helps us turn our heart outward, focusing on God and his gifts. We find hope, light and strength in gratitude. “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” Ps 118: 24 During this November on Tuesdays, I plan to write about gratitude. Today I want to share a great quote to ponder by Thomas Merton: “Gratitude is more than mental … [Read more...]
Pay Attention to the Sparks – October’s Monthly Musings
“Pay attention to the sparks.” I heard Problogger Darren Rowse share this wisdom on a periscope yesterday. He was referring to making note of all those gems of ideas that come along, often unexpectedly, nurse them and they could just be the “next big thing” in your life. What is periscope you ask? It is live streaming video. You can check out my somewhat awkward attempt at broadcasting in this new medium at this site: https://katch.me/Jeanwise Paying attention to the sparks is also a way to live a more reflective life – a great spiritual practice - and to capture those moments/tips/words of wisdom that mean so much to us, but we often forget. This method appeals to me because it is so hard to capture and remember good moments when life is moving so quickly and with so much noise. Each month I share insights, tidbits of wisdom, resources I have discovered and life in general that I have observed in this feature called Monthly Musings. Monthly Musings – October: Lessons … [Read more...]
Spiritual FAQ’s
FAQ’s. We see this term at the end of articles, in instruction booklets, and following complicated explanations. Ever wonder about spiritual FAQ’s? What do people of faith commonly ask? What do you ask? I reviewed my readers’ survey and comment sections for FAQ’s and here are some I discovered: How can I deepen my relationship with God? How do I experience God in my daily living? How do I incorporate spiritual practices into real life? How do I live in the present and give my future to God? How do I keep prayer fresh? How do I make the best decisions in the transitions of life? How do I get through those tough times of life? How do I get my priorities straight to seek God first? How can I understand God’s timing better? How do I keep my focus on God with so many distractions and challenges? As I wrote these out I was amazed that all started with the word “how.” Sure a few of them could be written with a different word, but I think they express the … [Read more...]
Literary Landmarks and Spiritual Spaces – New Resource Page to Healthy Spirituality
Don’t you love finding new resources and ideas to feed your curiosity? To nourish your soul? To stretch your mind? Learning new things energizes my spirit. I am excited to showcase a new resource page on Healthy Spirituality. If you look above at the page tabs you will see the new addition: Literary Landmarks and Spiritual Spaces. I love to travel and often on trips will seek out special spots - ones with history of fellow writers – the writers’ homes or the settings that inspired them – and I also love visiting the “thin places” - spiritual spaces where heaven seems a little bit closer to earth. Fun and educational places to visit and explore. Literary Landmarks – I hope to personally visit areas where writers lived and drew inspiration and feature them with photos and information. The first post for today is from a stop we made a couple of weeks ago at the Mazza Museum in Findlay Ohio about one hour north of Columbus. The Mazza Museum showcases original work of art from … [Read more...]
Letting Go – The Prayer of Release
“Let It Go” from the Disney movie “Frozen” was the hit song last year. Everyone was singing the words from youngsters to advertisers and comedians to pastors and flashmobs. Letting go can be a type of prayer too. Often it is called the prayer of release or the prayer of relinquishment. Sounds simple but often, in reality, quite challenging. I turn to God for help with a burden or a concern about a friend/loved one. I worry. I am afraid. Anxiety drives my prayer. I give my distress to God….then take it back. Leaving it in his hands is difficult. What type of things can we let go into God’s care? Our attempt to control Our will Concerns, worries, fears Physical and emotional burdens, life circumstances, discernment and distractions Friends and family Attachments that come between us and God When trying to let go in a prayer, I come to God, quiet myself, offer my prayer, often picturing placing the concern into his hands. But after a few minutes or hours, I … [Read more...]
What Symbols Encircle You in Your Portrait?
Imagine arriving at the artist studio to have your portrait painted. You would poise in a typical stance, hold your hands in your customary manner and hope the end result showed your true self. What symbols would the artist paint around you to represent your life? I attended a workshop last week where we explored this question. Two Benedictine sisters shared the story at St. Benedict and discussed his legacy and his Rule. They introduced his biography by showing a common artist rendition of what he may have looked like including items that described his life. St. Benedict holds in one hand a book representing his most important contribution – The Rule of Benedict, the foundation of many religious orders' guidelines and still used today. His other hand grips a shepherd staff, symbol of his pastoral role for many who followed him. Most portraits and statues of Benedict include a raven, sometimes with a piece of bread in the bird’s mouth. Legend tells that Benedict tried to … [Read more...]
National Face Your Fear Day
Did you know today is National Face Your Fear Day? Ever think how your life would be if you did face a fear that was holding you back in an unhealthy way? Can you even list your fears and which ones are the most detrimental to your spirit? I used to think I didn’t have a huge list of fears – I like pubic speaking, don’t shriek too loud at spiders and absolutely love thunder and lightening storms. I don’t like heights. And I definitely don’t like to open those cans of biscuit that explode unexpectantly with a shocking boom. I am discovering though, that fear is the foundation for many of my negative emotions. Never realized that years ago. Discouragement - Fear of not being good enough Anger – fear of being powerless or insignificant or worse yet – unloved. Guilt – fear of not being included or accepted. Too much to do/read/learn – Fear of Missing Out ( FOMO) So I found it interesting we had a National Face Your Fear Day and the opportunity to … [Read more...]