Blog Archive
Contemplation in Action – Community – Prayer – Listening – Spiritual Direction – Nature
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Contemplative Grounding in the Midst of Overwhelming Challenges
Article by Margaret Benefiel (in the October eNews) In the face of bitter political division, environmental degradation, police shooting of black men and shooting of police, the refugee crisis, wars, world hunger, and international political tensions, I sometimes find myself feeling helpless and even hopeless. Over dinner with friends, when the topic turns to such…
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Voting From Our Spiritual Heart
Today’s post is by Tilden Edwards From where inside do we listen when we decide for whom we will vote? From where do the candidates listen? The greatest contribution a contemplative orientation can bring to such a question is its invitation to listen from a deeper place than those that might first show up, the…
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Flirting with Leadership
We were 25 women standing in a large circle, arms outstretched, only touching one another by our fingertips. In the center of the circle stood Flirt, a 1200 pound horse. It was our job to keep Flirt inside the circle. It was Flirt’s job to get out. Guess who won. Flirt gave one little flick…
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Going Deeper Begins With Me
There were days in my parish ministry when I wondered if there was anything “spiritual” happening in our church community. We often seemed to be caught up in preserving the institution, instead of deepening our relationship with the Holy One and each other. In looking back, I am aware of the Spirit’s quiet nudge to…
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Silence, Seeing, Solidarity, Salaam
Last fall I was in Iraqi Kurdistan with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT). CPT has been a peaceful presence in Iraq since 2002, first from Baghdad and since 2006 from Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, at the invitation of and in solidarity with local people of peace. To see what makes for peace is…
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Soul Assignment
Today’s post is by Susan Rowland. This is a transcript of her audio testimony highlighting her experience in Shalem’s Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats Program. You may also listen to her tell her story by clicking on the video above. My experience with the Shalem program “Leading Contemplative Prayer groups and Retreats”…