celebrating lives greatly full :: richard rohr

If we are so blessed, once in a lifetime, a writer comes along that opens up a whole new world for us.  Or maybe, as in my case, gives the world we knew a whole new meaning. We see it with new eyes. This is what spiritual teacher and Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr, did for me.

I first encountered Fr. Richard's teachings about 10 years ago, thanks to a set of CDs that were in the library at my silent retreat house. I listened to his words... and there was no going back.  I knew instantly this was a voice that spoke to my heart. (Listen to this short talk on Prayer as a state of communion - you'll see what I mean.)

R. Rohr, seated on the right

A few years ago, I had Hubby drive me to Boston so that I could attend a week-long series of evening classes with Fr. Richard at Boston College.  A year later, I had the pleasure of attending a weekend workshop with him here in the Ottawa Valley.  Then just last February, I attended a conference in Chicago where he spoke, along with Fr. Lawrence Freeman (World Community for Christian Meditation). His teachings remain relevant and challenging. Inspired and inspiring.

You can imagine the joy and gratitude I felt when I received an email from Fr. Richard, accepting my invitation to share his gratitude on this blog!  I am so honoured to share this post from my teacher and spiritual mentor. 

My Long Gratitude

Richard Rohr

Of the many daily, totally gratuitous things I am grateful for, the things I too often take for granted, I think my long standing gratitude is for the gift of the Christian proclamation so early in life—but precisely in a way that kept growing and unfolding throughout my life.

Yes, I was grateful as a little Catholic boy in Kansas to be a part of such a warm and even insular community, as it was in the 1940s and 50s.  It gave me ground, security, and a foundational happiness in being itself.  Then I was grateful to be exposed by the
Franciscans in Ohio and Michigan to a huge world of ideas, philosophy, art, poetry, culture, and theology that made me aware of how catholic Catholic should be, and this gave me a foundational happiness in my mind.  Finally, I am grateful that my role allowed me to teach all over the world from my home here in New Mexico, to meet so many beautiful human beings, discover new depths of communion through many trials and stages, and this gave me a foundational happiness in my very heart and soul.

Now I am just grateful that being an ordinary man can be more than enough, and it allows me to name, enjoy, and tell others about what I have been given to see. The message of Christ is not finally about him at all (which he seems to be quite happy about, since that is the whole poiint!), but a liberating message about us, the movement of history, and in fact everything.  Now I have much and even everything to be grateful for, and even the inner and outer trials that got me here.

be grateful... be quiet...

self-portrait by jag

The silence is there within us. What we have to do is to enter into it, to become silent, to become the silence. The purpose of meditation and the challenge of meditation is to allow ourselves to become silent enough to allow this interior silence to emerge. Silence is the language of the spirit.

— John Main, OSB in Word into Silence


In the fall of 2000, my life was in free-fall crisis.  I reached out to a friend and asked her if she knew of a place I could go and "hide" for a while.  I clearly remember saying: I need to step away from the world - even for just a few days.  She knew of a place... a silent house.  A place called Stillpoint House of Prayer.  It was small and welcoming.  Unstructured and affordable.  Easily accessible.  And when I called on that October day - at the height of fall colours season - they had a room available.  In hindsight, I believe that my Healing Place had been awaiting my arrival.

During that first visit - my first experience of unstructured silent retreat - I experienced unconditional love and acceptance.  I felt deeply that, no matter what would happen in the days ahead, I would be OK.  It was the beginning of an ongoing relationship with, and befriending of, Silence.  And that is a gift for which I am ever grateful.

This week, I will be returning to Stillpoint for a 5-day retreat into silent solitude.  I try to go twice a year, spring and fall, for a "spiritual tune-up".  No TV. No computer, iPad or iPhone. No radio.  Just me... Being. Attempting to become the Silence, to converse in the language of the Spirit.

Because I had both "gratitude" and "silence" in mind as I sat down to write this, I googled the two words together and, after a click here and a click there, I was lead to this video of Timber Hawkeye at TEDxHonolulu (2012).  In it, he states that the two concepts that will change the world are:

1. Be GRATEFUL
2. Be QUIET

I can attest that these two practices have changed MY world - I have no reason to doubt it could change yours too. 



gratefully yours,
jag

p.s.  Be sure to stop by the blog while I'm away - I've arranged to have some goodies delivered in my absence... :-)

celebrating lives greatly full :: paul harris

photo by jag

I am thrilled & honoured that my friend and spiritual mentor has agreed to share his gratitude with us today!  I first met Paul Harris around 10 years ago, in the early days of my Christian Meditation journey.  I had seen his name on many of the books on Christian Meditation and was surprised to find out that, not only did he live in Ottawa, but that he hosted a weekly meditation group!  I timidly showed up, was warmly welcomed, and have been attending ever since. 

Paul is a writer, a public speaker, a meditation group leader and teacher, a father, a grand-father, a social activist, and a friend. And at the age of 86, he shows no sign of slowing down!  Paul, you are an inspiration to me... Thank you for your friendship and your support. 

 

BLESS THE LORD O MY SOUL, AND  NEVER FORGET HIS BENEFITS

 
                                                                                  PSALM 102

It is not too difficult for me to answer the question "What are you most grateful for?" In fact I was reminded of all my lifetime blessings recently when reading the following item on the Internet:

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead ,and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of people around the world. If you have never experienced the fear of war, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are better off than 700 million people worldwide.

This was a great reminder to count my blessings and realize just how much I have been given in being raised in a middle class family and living in Canada.

But looking back on my life there is one incident that happened at 16 years of age that changed my life forever and for which I am eternally grateful.

One day a teacher in my high school class in Toronto announced that the school was looking for someone to represent the school as a reporter with a weekly paper distributed to all high school students, the Canadian High School News. He asked for a volunteer.

With no apparent writing skills and with great recklessness, I immediately put up my hand. I then looked around and no one else had responded. Little did I know that the seed of a future writing skill had been planted that would change my life forever. Writing became the skill and key that opened doors in a work career and retirement, that included being a sports reporter at the Toronto Globe and Mail, Executive Director of the Catholic Information Centre in Toronto,  Director of Immigration Public affairs with the Canadian government in Ottawa, and eight published books on the subject of spirituality and prayer.

Looking back I see that the simple action of putting up my hand and volunteering to do something I had no aptitude for, changed my entire life. Am I grateful? Yes tremendously. And I thank God on a regular basis for that one tiny action of putting up my hand. In addition I have always urged my children and grand children to put their hands up for any volunteer work. I've told them: "It may change your life forever"!

 

Paul Harris
Ottawa, Canada

the story of easter...

photo by jag

I was raised Catholic and I am grateful for the spiritual framework that has given me. I recently saw an expression that aptly describes me: it seems I am of the "jesus, yes - church, no" persuasion. That made me smile. :-) And it's pretty darn accurate, for today anyway.

More and more, Lent and Easter make me even more grateful for having been given this beautiful tradition. The narrative of the Easter story really resonates with me, all the more so if I take the time to step back during the season of Lent. This year was no different. Good Friday reminded me that all things come to an end. There is always a dying that is a necessary part of my life: death to my illusions, my ego-based expectations, my denial of what might be staring me right in the face. An ending. And Easter Sunday told me that every new beginning must start with that very ending.

Between these two extremities, there was Holy Saturday... a time of "darkness" where we are called to accept the loss. Call it grief, or surrender, or letting go, or acceptance. Yes, the message of Holy Saturday for me is that we need to sit in the unknowing sometimes. Most times actually. We need to befriend the darkness and trust the seeming absence of god. It's the time of "What the hell just happened here?! I don't know what to do with this!"

Did all this happen in 3 days?  Of course not.  And neither does the Easter story, IMO. It takes the time it takes.

This is powerful stuff. Good stuff.  I see that the Easter story is told in the very substance of my life. And most likely yours too. And this is what good sacred scripture is capable of doing - and for that, I am grateful.  Hallelujah!

gratefully yours,
jag

the practice of gratitude...

Today, as part of the "friday features" series, I wanted to share one of my favourite online resources.  Although I have been turning to Spirituality & Practice for inspiration and information for several years now, I feel I have only glanced at the tip of the iceberg!

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat have created a multifaith and interspiritual website devoted to resources for the spiritual journey.

The site's name reflects a basic understanding: spirituality and practice are the two places where all the world's religions and spiritual paths come together. While respecting the differences among traditions, we celebrate what they share in common.

Not surprisingly, one of the 37 spiritual practices they explore in great depth is Gratitude. I just love the way they introduce the practice:

The spiritual practice of gratitude has been called a state of mind and a way of life. But we prefer to think of it as a grammar — an underlying structure that helps us construct and make sense out of our lives. The rules of this grammar cover all our activities. Its syntax reveals a system of relationships linking us to the divine and to every other part of the creation.

Offering everything from poetry, to films, to journaling exercises, to music, art & prayers, I invite you to visit this rich and beautiful exploration of the spiritual practice of gratitude!

Do you have a favourite gratitude resource?

gratefully yours,
jag