Blessing of the Day

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blessing, comfort, God's grace, grateful, joy, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, tranquility

After an amazingly good night of uninterrupted sleep and fortified with my first cup of coffee of the day, I go forward into a large gathering of Sisters of St. Joseph. It a sort of “homecoming” that we have each October as close as possible to the remembrance of our founding date. I found a blessing that we used this summer at the larger, whole Congregation meeting that (with a few changes) seems appropriate for this day, not only for us but for all of God’s people.

O God of all Goodness, whose infinite wisdom has brought us to this time and place in our history, we ask you to bless us today. May our lives be blessed with the fullness of God’s grace, the deep challenge of Christ and the wisdom and wonder of Spirit. May the coming days be tranquil, grateful and filled with the joy and comfort of God.

Celebrating Helen

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blind faith, concentration, God's will, Helen Daly, perfect love, seek God, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, tranquility, trust in God, wisdom seekers, wisdom way

Today I am up before even a hint of sunrise, getting ready to travel again to New Hampshire just for today to celebrate the life of Helen Daly, friend and benefactor. Helen, her friends agree, died much too early but gifted the world with a legacy of wisdom. The Sophia Center is just one recipient of grants over the past six years that have seen the creation and continuance of programs for “Wisdom Seekers” far and wide. Before her passing from this world, I was blessed by her light over six years and since I have continued to sense that light that cheers us on in the work we have been blessed to share with others. I invite you who read this blog to give thanks today for Helen and other generous people everywhere who understand the importance of God’s call to seek and serve in the Wisdom Way.

Here is what Thomas Merton has to say about wise people like Helen.

This is what it means to seek God perfectly: To have a will that is always ready to fold back within itself and draw all the powers of the soul down from its deepest center to rest in silent expectancy for the coming of God. Poised in tranquil and effortless concentration upon the point of my dependence on God, to gather all that I am, and have all that I can possibly suffer or do or be, and abandon them all to God in the resignation of a perfect love and blind faith and pure trust in God, to do God’s will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Extraordinary Idea

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awakening, compassion, daily practice, Jan Phillips, mindfulness, No Ordinary Time, social awareness, spiritual, spiritual practice, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, tranquility

Today I’m meeting with Cheryl, my co-facilitator of our summer series on Jan Phillips book, No Ordinary Time. Jan’s workshop with us was so inspiring that Cheryl thought it a good idea to keep that awakening going and it seems that others – myself being the most enthusiastic – agree. (Check the “Events” page on our website for further information.) To prepare for our planning session, I decided to read a little of Jan’s Tuesday chapter. Here’s what she said:

Our spiritual practice tones our mindfulness muscles just as physical discipline might tone your abs. The results of mindfulness are tranquility, compassion, spiritual and social awareness, balance, bliss. I could go on. All this is guaranteed, but there is a minimal requirement. Daily practice. Hence, the word discipline…

We have disciplined ourselves to fasten our seatbelts, to put children in car seats, to stop smoking, for the most part, and these external disciplines promote our well-being. This discipline of interior practice promotes the well-being of our spirit and bodymind. And since we are to love others as we love ourselves, this is one way of fully loving ourselves… (p. 31, 33)

If you live close enough, won’t you consider joining us? If not, my suggestion is to gather a group yourselves and read the book together. I am certain that you won’t regret it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Basics

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balance, bliss, centering prayer, compassion, daily practice, disciple, discipline, Jan Phillips, mindfulness, No Ordinary Time, spiritual and social awareness, spiritual wisdom, tranquility

I’ve been getting a little “antsy” over the past few days. In an attempt to shake off the last vestiges of the virus that has held me hostage for over two weeks, I have been sleeping more and doing less, determining every night that “tomorrow will be better.” Yesterday I decided to “act myself into a new way of being” (an adage I heard long ago that makes a lot of sense to me!) so last night I set my alarm and rolled out of bed even before it rang this morning! My enthusiasm was short-lived – perhaps because it is another cold, rainy morning – so I turned to my friend, Jan Phillips for encouragement and this is what I read from her Tuesday morning thoughts in No Ordinary Time:

There are different ways of looking at the word “discipline.” One brings to mind spankings, standing in the corner, boot camp. Another, more tender reading brings to mind the word “disciple,” one who passes along spiritual wisdom…Our spiritual practice tones our mindfulness muscles, just as physical discipline might tone your abs. The results of mindfulness are tranquility, compassion, spiritual and social awareness, balance, bliss. I could go on. All this is guaranteed, but there is a minimal requirement. Daily practice. Hence, the word discipline.

Well, that was enough for me. Knowing the truth of what Jan expresses in these few sentences, I am at least motivated enough to finish my coffee, put a period on this reflection and move to my mat for centering prayer. That trio complete, I should have mined enough “spiritual capital” to get to the shower, to my car and to the office where the blessing of routine awaits! Happy Tuesday to all!