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February 2017

February 04, 2017

Embodying Spiritual Life

Some people are convinced spiritual life is about what we think. They believe it is more...

February 01, 2017

Monastic Life in the World

People tend to be curious when they meet me for the first time. Some...

January 2017

January 28, 2017

Practicing Hospitality

Hospitality has been woven into our story, my story, almost since the beginning. I am...

January 25, 2017

Monastic Reflection

What is so important about reflecting? What good does it really do us to be...

January 21, 2017

Practicing Comfort and Affliction

Some people are convinced spiritual life is supposed to be reassuring. They believe spiritual life...

January 18, 2017

Moving Forward by Standing Still

We drive ourselves to move forward. Our economy, our culture are based in growing, making...

January 14, 2017

Saving Time

We value time. Some of us believe time is money. We do not want anyone...

January 12, 2017

Monastic Mornings

Morning is when we awaken. We open our eyes, remember who we are, and rise...

January 07, 2017

Taking Our Next First Step

Every step is a new beginning. Starting each new year, each new day, even getting...

January 04, 2017

Monastic Innovation

Many of us assume monks are people stuck in the past, resistant to new ideas....

December 2016

December 31, 2016

Beginning Again

Each moment, each hour, each day, each week, each month, each year, we begin again....

December 28, 2016

Monastic Silence

Monasteries tend to be quiet places. Some monasteries are quiet because people go there to...

December 24, 2016

Welcoming Light

We grasp tightly onto the knot at the end of our rope, almost at the end of...

December 20, 2016

12 Lessons We May Have Learned in 2016

It is almost time for the stealth bombers to fly over the start of the...

December 17, 2016

So Much More

Christmas is almost here. Only a few more days. We may have certain requirements about...

December 14, 2016

Monastic Routine

I know people who go to the same place and do the same tasks every...

December 10, 2016

Spiritual Life for Everyday People

We get the impression spiritual life is only for certain people. Most of us know, even if...

December 08, 2016

Monastic Resolutions

Even as a child I made New Year's resolutions. Each year I committed myself to...

December 03, 2016

Living in Darkness

We are people living in a world of deep darkness, looking for light. The darkness...

November 2016

November 30, 2016

Monastic Activism

Several things I have read recently imply The time for reflection is over, now is...

November 26, 2016

Everyday Adventures

I am part of a liturgical church. We organize our years into liturgical seasons. A...

November 22, 2016

Monastic Explorers

We do not generally see monks as explorers. We think of monks as people who stay...

November 19, 2016

Practicing Thanksgiving

How do we practice thanksgiving? No, I am not talking about learning to deep-frying a...

November 17, 2016

Monastic Night

Night can be the most challenging part of the monastic day. Monastic days are organized...

November 12, 2016

Living Well and Dying Well

There is a woman, a friend of mine, who I see each Friday evening. My...

November 10, 2016

Changing the World

We all want to change the world, in one way or another. Some of us...

November 05, 2016

Spiritual Curiosity

Some of us like to believe we are open to new ideas, new experiences. There...

November 03, 2016

Celebrating Ambiguity

Many of us view monks as role models of calm and mindful assurance. If we have...

October 2016

October 27, 2016

Walking Toward the Light

I am hearing quite a bit about how this has been a hard year. It...

September 2016

September 13, 2016

Book Review: Indivisible

How do we begin each day to create healthy change and address the challenges of our...