Articles on Contemplation in Action

  • Shalem in Transition: A Time for Discernment

    Beloved, Grace and peace to you as we stand together at an important threshold in the life of our community. In Celtic tradition, thresholds are holy places. They are neither the place we have been nor yet the place we are going. They are liminal spaces—thin places—where the Spirit often feels closer, more active, and…

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  • Ongoing Hope for Better Days – Part II

    Last year at this time, I shared how Shalem’s Vision – Our Ongoing Hope – helps me live with abiding hope for better days to come.  I won’t repeat myself.  Suffice it to say, at the time I wrote that piece I had no idea what we would face – what I would face –…

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  • Where Does Gratitude Fit in the Spiritual Life?

    With Thanksgiving approaching we might ask: Where does gratitude fit in the spiritual life?  The following is a meditation on the place of gratitude in Ignatian spirituality. The traditional first step of the examen, the end-of-the-day prayer that St. Ignatius Loyola told Jesuits never to omit from their day, is gratitude. You recall the good things that happened to…

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  • How Can I Keep from Singing?

    As faculty and associates of Shalem’s Spiritual Guidance Program share our experiences of sitting with directees during our current political and socio-economic season, a line from Psalm 139 nudges its way into consciousness, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song / Upon an alien soil?” (Book of Common Prayer, Psalm 139:4) During this current season,…

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  • 2025 Shalem Picks for Contemplative Resources

    44 Poems on Being with Each Other by Padraig O. TuamaOne of my favorite podcasts is Poetry Unbound from the On Being Studios in MN. This is the second book inspired by the series. All of the poems included are meditations on human relationships, understanding, and communication. A book to be savored. If you read…

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  • Eastertide Leadership

    On Good Friday, no one anticipated Easter. The disciples, in shock and grief, hid away in fear. Neither the disciples nor Jesus’s enemies expected resurrection. And then the resurrection came. Unbelievable. How could this be? Still in shock and grief, the disciples weren’t ready. Even after Jesus appeared to the disciples, they kept hiding in…

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Mission

Our mission is to nurture contemplative living and leadership.

Vision

In 2025, Shalem will be a dynamic and inclusive community, empowered by the Spirit, where seekers engage in transformation of themselves, their communities, and the world through spiritual growth, deep connection, and courageous action.

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