May 2012
8 posts
Spiritual Creatures
I’m convinced that we are all spiritual creatures—whether we are religious or not. To live a fulfilling life, I believe we must be mindful of the dimensions that make us human—the physical, mental/emotional and the spiritual. We can think of spirituality in terms of our inner life; while the way we engage the world is primarily through our outer life. When we bring our inner and outer lives into...
Connected to Love
If you choose to be a part of social and ecological change then you are someone who is connected to Love. That love may take the different shapes of compassion or justice, but it’s love all the same. You may not be a religious person, but regardless, if you care about making a just impact in in the world, you are driven by something greater than you—a powerful source of energy, optimism and...
Asleep to Our Unconscious Motivations
We are caught in a global web of unrighteousness and injustice and it’s a wonder any of us can do any good at all. If only we were more conscious, more mindful of the choices we make and the actions we take. It seems that we are often asleep to our unconscious motivations. Contemplative spirituality helps us wake up.
What Shameful Things Will History Write About Us?
I’ve spent nearly 20 years cultivating relationships and building community all over the world among children who are victims of AIDS, former child soldiers and war brides, abandoned widows, children who live on the streets and victims of human trafficking. Though there are many good things happening on behalf of people in need, I’ve also seen how some of the best intentions can breed violence....
Surface, Shallow Existence?
I’m convinced we cannot live and endure with real life-giving impact in the world without a deep spirituality. A surface, shallow existence has little effect on the world at best, and damaging consequences at worse.
2 Key Questions
Thomas Keating—a Cistercian monk and founder of Contemplative Outreach—says that our
spiritual life is marked by 2 key questions. At the point of initial conversion we ask, “What can I do for God?” And this initial question is what compels many of us into working for change. But, as Keating says, we don’t really begin the spiritual journey until we ask, “What can God do for me?” To sustain a...
How to Endure and Thrive in Social Justice Work
For years, I thought community was the very thing that would make it possible for me to stay faithful to my service in the world. But it wasn’t long before the face of community started changing. The same group of us that started the work together hasn’t ended up together. People come and go and relationships change. After several years of living in community and doing my best to respond to a...
Contemplative Spirituality Supports a Deep Life...
Contemplative spirituality supports a deep life journey. It is nurtured by Christian prayer practices such as lectio divina, centering prayer, breath prayer and prayer of examen and practices from other traditions like yoga and meditation. Contemplative spirituality addresses our divine humanity, supports us in making lasting moral impact in the world and begs 3 purifying questions of us:
Who...
April 2012
4 posts
Waking Up
I believe like the Buddha, that we live most of our lives asleep. I hope this blog in some part helps us wake up.
Identity :: Divine DNA
Our true or essential self is not defined by what we have, what we do or what others say about us. Our Divine Center, our Core Self, knows that we are liberated people with access to unending love and no life circumstance can deny us that. We have divine DNA. That means we are capable of exquisite creative work. That means that by the grace and presence of God, we really can change the world?...
Identity
One of the greatest spiritual writers of our time, Henri Nouwen, brought attention to Lies we often listen to and let define us. Drawing from the temptations of Christ, Nouwen illuminates that we too are tempted to define ourselves by 1) What we have, 2) What we do, and 3) What other people say about us. If we live these lies, we are subject to doing more harm than good. We exploit people and the...
“Enter into the Silence, into the Heart of Truth
For herein lies the Great...”
– Ps 132 paraphrase of Nan C Merrill from her book Psalms for Praying
March 2012
8 posts
An Interview on Fuel Radio about Contemplative... →
“Authentic God experience always burns you but does not destroy you. (Exodus...”
– Richard Rohr
“The ego self is the “unobserved self” because once you see it the game is over.”
– Richard Rohr
“Awareness is vitally important in the work of transformation because the habits...”
– The Wisdom of the Enneagram, 37
Another Ancient Prayer for Lent: Centering Prayer →
An excellent informative blog post on centering prayer and an interview at Hardin-Simons on Centering Prayer and Solitude, Silence and Stillness
February 2012
9 posts
“In all those dark moments, O God, grant that I may understand that it is you who...”
– Tielhard de Chardin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tielhard_de_chardin
Youtube Video that Went Viral :: Why I Hate... →
Then 22-year-old Jefferson Bethke, a churchgoing Christian and rap artist, voices what much of his generation is thinking. What do YOU think?
Inspiring Vege Dishes
Lentils with a Side of Wilted Spinach
Cannellini Beans with Sweet Potatoes, Veges and Italian Spices
Black Beans with Cinnamon, Spice and Veges
A’Part:: Reflections on Violence, Over-consumption...
I’ve been enchanted all year by the lyrics—almost a dirge—of a song called A’Part, by Elephant Revival, an indie acoustic quintet from Colorado. The last few lines are
…you are a part of me
a part of you is all you hurt
you see
Then I came across Richard Rohr’s reflection in The Naked Now on the US response to 9-11.
We actually operated against our own self-interest, but the mind not...
The Science of Yoga →
Curious about the controversy surrounding William Broad’s book The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards? Be informed by listening to this interviewing about the risks and benefits of practicing yoga.
Cauliflower, Green Peas and Potatoes in Spicy Herb...
(from Yoga Journal Oct 2011)
Oh my goodness. I made this for the first time tonight and am in love! This is so easy and sooo delicious. The recipe called for 3 t of koshser salt. I used 2 and that’s plenty. I aslo used chopped green pepper for some more veges. I served it without rice and a side of plain nonfat yogurt. Out of this world! Enjoy!
Makes 6-8 servings
1 sm head of...
Change Your Mind :: Dual vs. Nondual Thinking
Change is the cornerstone of Christian life. In Jesus’ first message recorded in the Gospels, he called us to “repent” or “change.” The Greek word metanoia quite literally means “change your mind.” Somehow we didn’t capture the meaning of this then or now. Being stuck in our dualistic religious and cultural paradigms, when Jesus says “metanoia” we hear “change your behavior.” But...
Repent
Jesus’ first message in the Gospels, usually translated, “repent,” “convert,” “reform” is the Greek word metanoia, literally meaning “change your mind.” Has your mind changed on any important matters of faith, culture, religion or politics? If not, you might ask yourself what place repentance has in your life. Change is inevitable to growth. If we’re not changing, we aren’t growing. Learn from...
Day 4 of the Detox
So it’s Day 4 of eating off my personalized detox meal plan. The first couple days were the hardest. I was feeling very hungry and a bit sluggish. But I’ve been sleeping like a baby and this morning I felt GREAT. I had such clarity and energy and I felt unusually happy. Yep, I know that’s hard to believe for all you meat-eating-loving friends, but I really did. And those happy thoughts took...
January 2012
12 posts
“It is a humorous paradox that in a faith that speaks about the...”
– Richard Rohr, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See, p.85
7-Day Personalized Detox Meal Plan for Winter
I’ve always been a little intimidated to get serious about detox diets. I tried something once—an over-the-counter powder of some sort to mix with water. The instructions were to drink only that 2-3 times a day for 2-3 days. By the end, my tummy felt really messed up. After that bad experience, I thought my body just couldn’t handle a rigorous detox. So I opted to just eat...
What Does the Crucifixion of Jesus Have to do with...
“Sinner signifies not moral inferiority so much as people who do not know who they are and whose they are, people who have no connection to their inherent dignity and importance.” (The Naked Now, Richard Rohr p. 21)
In Ephesians chapter four it’s written,
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption…be kind to one another, tender-hearted,...
“The soul is made of love and must ever strive to return to love. Therefore, it...”
– Mechthild of Magdeburg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechthild_of_Magdeburg
Contemplative Activism as a Model for Mission →
Featured at Lausanne World Pulse
Click on the title to read the full article
“When we are least connected to our contemplative center, our life is most tense and chaotic and more likely to breed violence and exploitation. When we are anchored in contemplative spirituality, the active, exterior expression of our life is more peaceful, purposeful, and effective.
In a reality plagued by...
WatchChristians in Vancouver Embrace Yoga
We stand on the edge of a new day. Let me tell you how we’re stepping across the threshold here in Vancouver.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul paraphrases Isaiah 52:7 saying “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
It’s a wonderful summary for the vision behind this yoga ministry that blends together the art of Christian storytelling...
“We do not exist for ourselves alone, and it is only when we are fully convinced...”
– Thomas Merton
At the End of the Year (and beginning of a new... →
a poem by John O’Donahue titled “To Bless the Space Between Us” from one of the most inspiring blogs http://www.pixiecampbell.com/
THIS JUST IN:: $120,000 Raised to Help Fight Human...
A Letter from Chris Heuertz, International Director of Word Made Flesh
to all the WMF community,
well, i write to you with a heart bursting with gratitude and a soul that is overwhelmed.
as many of you know, in january 2011 the Passion movement (louie giglio, chris tomin, matt redman…) helped us raise $90,000 for [our] project in bolivia. they raised more than 3 times what we had...
From Absurdity to Obedience →
Featured in The Cry, Fall 2011
Click on the title to read the full article
“Lives obedient to love transform violence, oppression and injustice and make way for a new heaven and a new earth.”
December 2011
7 posts
A Busy Extroverted Mama Longs for Quiet
by Andrea Baker
Word Made Flesh Field Director
El Alto Bolivia
Typically, it’s the quiet, reflective, “holy” ones who write about the beauty of contemplation and long silent prayer with the Lord.
Problem is, I’m not one of those types. Honestly, I’ll rarely have the luxury of days on end, alone & quiet. Nor do I hardly want that.
My life is chaotic. I have 4 little boys under my...
Contemplative Activism as a Model for Mission →
Featured at the Q Blog
December 2011
Click on the title to read the full article
“A commitment to contemplation leads to radical action.”
Making the Journey from the Head to the Heart
Last year around this time, I returned from 16 days of intense yoga training. It was an extraordinary experience. Even though I travel the world and find home in some of the roughest, most heart-breaking places on the planet, somehow going to this unfamiliar yoga institute nestled in an isolated beach front in Baja, Mexico, threatened nearly every comfort and security by which my life is shaped.
...
Is My Personality Compatible with Contemplation?
Some personality types resist contemplation, claiming it’s not for them. They are usually the very out-going, extraverted, intense types. But intensity can be a form of distraction (Richard Rohr) and is often a substitute for presence. And presence is what enables us to live the bursting abundance of now. Contemplative disciplines teach us presence as nothing else can. We cannot experience God in...
The future, the unknown is frightening because it is mysterious and unpredictable. So we build paradigms of certainty, protection and predictability, which gives us a sense of peace and control.
"Programs for Happiness" by Liz Ivkovich
I have always believed that God shows up in our daily lives, not just through Scripture or attending church, and that God uses our daily experiences to help us grow as Christians and as people. However, in college I remember having an experience and then thinking “Oh, someone did not see that situation the way that I saw it. Maybe the way that I saw it (gasp) wasn’t the whole story.” My...
November 2011
6 posts
An Advent Cocoon
As Advent and the Christmas season approaches, I can’t help but think of Christ’s model of surrender—The Pachal Mystery—suffering, dying and being resurrected to new life. Surrender is a central theme for Christians—the turning point to transformation. It’s unfortunate that there aren’t more teachers who help us learn how to surrender. Great sermons can be delivered about surrender but...
WatchPhileena Heuertz, author, speaker & Word Made Flesh co-director on her journey from Protestant to Catholic.