I'm on the old calendar and so the fast just began for me yesterday. I made the commitment to eliminate my usual avenues of distraction as over the past year it has become more and more apparent to me that it is impeding my way along the path. Even one day in and immediately what bubbled up were my doubts about God, faith, religion, myse…
I'm on the old calendar and so the fast just began for me yesterday. I made the commitment to eliminate my usual avenues of distraction as over the past year it has become more and more apparent to me that it is impeding my way along the path. Even one day in and immediately what bubbled up were my doubts about God, faith, religion, myself. One single day of no distraction and so many dragons reared their heads. Thankfully I was able to express much of this to a loved one, but it amazed me. Even as someone who thinks he's made good headway into being mindful and present I realize I'm absolutely mired in the murk of distraction, maybe not drowning like most of our culture seems to be at present, but not much better off. I pray God reveals to me what needs revealing, to reveal what I have the strength to endure, to look with the eyes of compassion and loving-kindness towards my own feeble soul and for the courage to do the necessary work of bearing my cross and following the via dolorosa.
Eduardo- This is a beautiful reflection on the theme of silence and distraction. It gets to the core of it, I think. Thank you.
I have also found the same difficulties, struggles and stumbling blocks on the contemplative path. My guess is that for most of us this *is* the contemplative path. It is as you say well, the path of the cross. But because of this also a path of hope, because no matter how dark it gets it is also the path of resurrection.
Even though all of us are spread out around the planet., we can be in this together. Prayer is more intimate than geographical proximity.
I hope you have a blessed Advent and fruitful silence. -Jack
I'm on the old calendar and so the fast just began for me yesterday. I made the commitment to eliminate my usual avenues of distraction as over the past year it has become more and more apparent to me that it is impeding my way along the path. Even one day in and immediately what bubbled up were my doubts about God, faith, religion, myself. One single day of no distraction and so many dragons reared their heads. Thankfully I was able to express much of this to a loved one, but it amazed me. Even as someone who thinks he's made good headway into being mindful and present I realize I'm absolutely mired in the murk of distraction, maybe not drowning like most of our culture seems to be at present, but not much better off. I pray God reveals to me what needs revealing, to reveal what I have the strength to endure, to look with the eyes of compassion and loving-kindness towards my own feeble soul and for the courage to do the necessary work of bearing my cross and following the via dolorosa.
Eduardo- This is a beautiful reflection on the theme of silence and distraction. It gets to the core of it, I think. Thank you.
I have also found the same difficulties, struggles and stumbling blocks on the contemplative path. My guess is that for most of us this *is* the contemplative path. It is as you say well, the path of the cross. But because of this also a path of hope, because no matter how dark it gets it is also the path of resurrection.
Even though all of us are spread out around the planet., we can be in this together. Prayer is more intimate than geographical proximity.
I hope you have a blessed Advent and fruitful silence. -Jack