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May 2023

May 02, 2023

What Is a Strategic Monk?

What Is a Strategic Monk? People ask me quite a few questions about the name...

April 2023

April 25, 2023

Getting Out of Our Own Way

Getting Out of Our Own Way Listening to sacred stillness is more than just being...

April 20, 2023

Where Do We Go When We Need Worship?

Where Do We Go When We Need Worship? Most of us do not think we...

April 18, 2023

Wishing You a Contemplative Earth Week

Wishing You a Contemplative Earth Week How are we recognizing Earth Week this year? A...

April 11, 2023

April Morning Stillness

April Morning Stillness I walk out the door just before dawn breaks in on April...

April 04, 2023

Easter Reveals Itself to Us

Easter Reveals Itself to Us It might be obscured by many distractions, but this week...

March 2023

March 28, 2023

Hope on a Morning Late in March

Hope on a Morning Late in March The sun dawns a little earlier each morning...

March 21, 2023

When Time Stands Still

When Time Stands Still There are moments when time stands still. They may be captured...

March 16, 2023

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

Spiritual Spring Cleaning We tend to accumulate stuff. There are seasonally-specific things we only use...

March 14, 2023

What Do Spiritual Directors Actually Do?

What Do Spiritual Directors Actually Do? It is not unusual, when some asks me what...

March 09, 2023

Centering Prayer for Lent: Practices From the Inside Out

Practicing Centering Prayer for Lent Centering prayer is one of my contemplative practices. It is...

March 07, 2023

Paying Attention Like a Monk: Monastic Strategies

Paying Attention Like a Monk Focus is one of my strengths. Concentrating is not generally...

February 2023

February 28, 2023

The Stillness of Lent: Listening to Sacred Stillness

The Stillness of Lent Are we listening to the stillness of Lent this year? Last...

February 23, 2023

There is Even More: Spiritual Direction

There is Even More We stand on a beach looking out over the expanse of...

February 21, 2023

Open to Something New: Practices From the Inside Out

Open to Something New Does spiritual life help us become open to something new, or...

February 16, 2023

What is Lent All About?: Spiritual Direction

What is Lent All About? I am a member of a church where one liturgical...

February 14, 2023

Valentine’s Day is Not All About Sex and Romance

Not All About Sex and Romance Valentine's Day is not all about sex and...

February 09, 2023

Our Rituals Make Us Who We Are: Monastic Strategies

Do Our Rituals Create Us or Do We Create Them? Are we creatures of our...

February 07, 2023

Are We Ready to Emerge From Hibernation?: Listening to Sacred Stillness

Are We Ready to Emerge From Hibernation? Some days feel like it is all too...

February 02, 2023

Do We See Our Own Shadow?: Practices From the Inside Out

Do We See Our Own Shadow? Groundhog Day is one of my favorite traditions. Do...

January 2023

January 31, 2023

What Are We Going to Do For Lent This Year?: Spiritual Direction

What Are We Going to Do For Lent This Year? The liturgical season of Lent...

January 26, 2023

Looking for My Epiphany: Monastic Strategies

Looking for My Epiphany I am looking for my epiphany. My liturgical church tells me...

January 24, 2023

Turning Dancing Into Mourning: Listening to Sacred Stillness

Turning Dancing Into Mourning I live in Southern California, close to the cities of Alhambra...

January 17, 2023

Can We Make a Difference?: Spiritual Direction

Can We Make a Difference? How do we know when we make a difference? There...

January 11, 2023

Speaking Truth to Power: Practices From the Inside Out

Speaking Truth to Power It is easy for us to be confused about Martin Luther...

January 10, 2023

Monastic Strategies: The Value of Remote Places

The Value of Remote Places Many of us believe there is a special sacredness in...

January 05, 2023

Listening to Sacred Stillness: Epiphanies Reveal Themselves in Stillness

Epiphanies Reveal Themselves in Stillness Epiphanies reveal themselves in stillness, drawing us into deeper understanding...

January 03, 2023

Practices From the Inside Out: We Begin to Prepare

We Begin to Prepare Why is it such a challenge for us to begin to...

December 2022

December 29, 2022

2022: A Contemplative Review as This Year Becomes Last Year

It is a challenge to write a contemplative review of any year, and 2022 is...

December 27, 2022

Spiritual Direction: The Final Week of the Year

The Final Week of the Year This is it. The week at the end of...