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Tag Archives: Life Is a Verb

Oneness

23 Wednesday Oct 2019

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John Philip Newell, Life Is a Verb, lightning, oneness, solace, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

When things in the world seem dark and dreary and fragmented, we seek encouragement from any source available to us. Today it will be sunshine – if the predicted weather gives us one of those amazing October days. We hang on to “October’s Bright Blue Weather” as we know that winter will surely soon be upon us. As on the outside, so we hope for solace for our inner selves. I find it in the words of John Philip Newell today in Praying with the Earth.

All things are born of you, O God. We carry within us your light and your life. In the mystery of matter and deep in the cells of our souls are your longings for oneness. The oneness of the universe vast and vibrating with the sound of its beginning. The oneness of the earth greening and teeming as a single body. The oneness of the human soul a sacred countenance in infinite form. Grant us your longings for oneness, O God, amidst life’s glorious multiplicities. (p. 28)

One Thing at a Time

17 Tuesday Apr 2018

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challenges, intention, Life Is a Verb, one thing at a time, Patti Digh, practice, slow down, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, to do list

alistI woke up this morning at around 3:00 and realized about ten minutes later that I was not likely to go back to sleep as my mind had begun ticking off things on an already-made list and things that I needed to add for completion in the next few days. I gave up trying and, in a rare move, got up to read what was left of our “assignment” for the book club meeting tomorrow. I smiled at God’s sense of humor as I read the chapter heading: Intention: Slow Down. Sprinkled throughout the chapters of this book (Life Is A Verb by Patti Digh) there are activities which the author calls challenges. What I read before I was finally able to go back to sleep for two more hours certainly fell under that title. There were two parts to the challenge. I was happy to see the first part because I have recently begun such a practice – at least while I eat – but the second will, I think, be the more difficult process for me. Here is what Patti recommended.

  1. Today, for one hour, imagine that you can only do one thing at a time. If you are drinking coffee, you can’t check e-mail. If you are talking to your neighbor, you can’t be folding laundry. If you are walking to get your mail, you can’t be talking on your cell phone. If you are eating, you can’t be reading. One. Thing. At. A. Time. Try it.
  2. Write for five minutes without stopping in answer to this question: What is on my to-do list today? List every single thing you need to do today, those things that are past due, and those things that are coming up. Stop. Now write for five minutes on this question: What must I do or I shall die? Using your answer to the question, What must I do or I shall die, practice different ways to say no. For the next 37 days, when you are asked to add something to your to-do list, if it doesn’t match your do-or-die-list, say no.

How outrageous these thoughts are to someone with an overactive sense of responsibility! They did not, however, keep me awake. As a matter of fact, I went back to sleep rather quickly, so perhaps there is something in these “challenges” that I am called to consider. It can’t hurt…and might help considerably! I can only try…

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus Christ, Alive in Our Day

05 Thursday Apr 2018

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diversity, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., enlightenment, Jesus, Life Is a Verb, Patti Digh

abellThere are no ordinary days in life if we have the willingness and take the opportunity to look with extraordinary eyes. I am blessed to interact with extraordinary people every day in my work life and  elsewhere. I have become more aware of that fact lately because of a deeply meaningful – as well as often hilarious – book called Life Is A Verb by Patti Digh. I won’t even try to describe the book as it is so unique but I do know that it could be the prompt for a lifetime of journaling if one were serious and consistent enough to commit to it. We, the day and evening groups, are just touching the surface in eight sessions but are finding in our conversations a recognition of similarity among us as well as a welcome diversity that stretches us to new heights of understanding of each other and beyond. It is, in a wonderful way, an experience of enlightenment.

Yesterday, as I was waiting for the evening group to arrive, I had the privilege of encounter with another small band of brothers and sisters. Most of the names and faces were known to me – some for many years – as faithful witnesses and workers for justice and peace in our community. They had gathered at the First Congregational Church, the site of my office, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The ritual was simple and I was grateful for their welcome to join them outside for the ringing of the huge bell in the churchyard. We took turns striking the bell with a large mallet 39 times, Dr. King’s age at the time of his death. Each person then added a statement – as diverse as we are – about Dr. King’s influence and a hope for our country going forward. I was moved and honored to be among such an extraordinarily faithful people.

In today’s gospel, Jesus appears to his disciples in his resurrected body, assuring them that he is a real person, not a ghost. He showed them his hands and feet and asked for food which he ate in the normal way of a human. As I reflect on my experience of the marvelous companions given to me just yesterday, I have a certainty that I have met the face of Jesus, still shining in the bodily persons of those individuals. That is, for me, a true and recognizable awareness of the real and continuing presence of Christ in the world – the Easter mystery revealed in our day.

Alleluia!

 

 

 

 

 

Integrity

22 Thursday Feb 2018

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action, argument, gun laws, integrity, Life Is a Verb, Patti Digh, perspectives, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

lifeisaverbAt our always delightful book club* gathering yesterday the topic was Integrity. We spoke of it from many angles and found that many of the facets of this character trait are really “multi-facets” because life has become so complex. One of the areas that we touched on was religious law and practice. I will leave you to ponder the complexities of that topic yourselves; I’m sure the perspectives regarding that topic will be at least as diverse as conversation about gun laws. In the “Action” section that followed each story of the chapter, there was – for me – probably the most helpful idea. After recommending to the reader that s/he think of a recent argument s/he had, the author says: Now write for four more minutes framing the other person’s perspective as right. What a brilliant idea! Of course it would only work if one were really committed to going deep in telling the truth of the experience.

Since all the schools are closed today because of freezing rain and ice, maybe I’ll take a “snow day” and add that to my activities. Even if theoretically, it should be a fascinating exercise!

*Our book is Life Is a Verb by Patti Digh and is definitely worth the time and energy.

 

 

 

 

 

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