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Cynthia Bourgeault, Fr. Thomas Keating, mystical hope, ordinary awareness, spiritual awareness, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It’s very dangerous to pull a couple of sentences out of a book without creating a context for what you want to impart to people. Once in awhile, however, it can seem imperative to do so because what you’re reading is powerful enough to take the chance that someone (at least) will hear it in a way that is worth the effort.

I was reading Chapter three of Cynthia Bourgeault’s book, Mystical Hope, last night. She was talking about Fr. Thomas Keating’s understanding of different levels of awareness – specifically of “ordinary awareness” and “spiritual awareness.” When I finished reading page 52, I wrote in the margin, “Read this aloud.” Please try doing so with what follows.

The only thing blocking the emergence of this whole and wondrous other way of knowing is your over-reliance on your ordinary thinking. If you can just turn that off for a while, then the other will begin to take shape in you, become a reality you can actually experience. And as it does, you will know, in a way you cannot presently know, your absolute belonging and place in the heart of God, and that you are part of this heart forever and cannot possibly fall out of it, no matter what may happen.

If you are even mildly moved by Cynthia’s words, I would urge you to read the book. About 13 years ago it set me on a course that included centering prayer and the hunger that it produced has changed my life. I know this path is not for everyone but I am, it seems, compelled this morning to share this. Therefore, if you’re so inclined, let me know how it goes for you in the next decade of your life.

When Words Are Not Enough

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flame of love, Fr. Thomas Keating, interior silence, pause, prayer, presence, silence, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I just picked up an issue of the Contemplative Outreach News (12/18) that I brought with me to this 2-week marathon gathering of Sisters of St. Joseph. Much of the issue was in homage to Fr. Thomas Keating who left this world last October but is still very present in the hearts of people the world over. Father Thomas was very skilled at articulating what was deepest not only in his own heart but in the hearts of all who listened to him as well. It was not just his words, however, that ignited the flame of love but his presence and his quiet enthusiasm for the love of God that burned in him and caught us up into a deeper place.

When I saw the above title in the newsletter this morning, I understood that whatever description was to follow in the article about Fr. Thomas, it could not capture the depth of the man or his love. I was not disappointed when I read the concluding paragraph.

In my ongoing work to fight homelessness, words are necessary. We connect with the suffering of our brothers and sisters through words. We change policy through words – spoken and written. We deepen our commitment to social justice through writing, reading and conversation. And yet, I will always be drawn back to Fr. Thomas’ teachings on the power of interior silence as the root of prayer and the foundation for our work in the world. (Jeff Olivet)

Yesterday the seven women who sat around our table in the midst of the 100+ Sisters wrestled mightily with the effort of expressing what is deepest in our lives: the meaning of our commitment to God, to one another and to our “dear neighbors” near and far. Several times during the session one of our two excellent facilitators called a “pause” to re-gather ourselves. Each time the silence in the room was profound and each time we began again, sometimes to struggle but also to know the presence of God in our midst as the meaning of all this holy work.