Wisdom from the Hermitage

Monday night, while staying in the Julian of Norwich hermitage, I found a book on the shelf, Christian Mysticism East and West: What the Masters Teach Us. In it, author Maria Jaoudi references this quote by Brother David Stendl-Rast from his book, The Music of Silence: Entering the Sacred Space:

“The message is to live daily with the real rhythms of the day. To live responsively, consciously, and intentionally, directing our lives from within, not being swept along by the demands of the clock, by external agendas, by mere reactions to whatever happens. By living in the real rhythms we ourselves become more real. We learn to listen to the music of this moment, to hear its sweet implorings, its sober directives. We learn to dance in our hearts, to open our inner gates a crack more, to hearken to the music of silence, the divine life breath of the universe.”

This is my prayer – not only for these next few weeks, but for my life – to live the REAL rhythms. (Or, perhaps first, to discover what these really are for me.) It is quite the task for me – to live in the present moment. And, it is in the present moment where I meet God – in the people I encounter, the places I am, the gifts I receive through my senses, the stirrings of my heart.

I have much of the next 4 weeks planned, but I also left enough “empty spaces” to be drawn by the Spirit for encounters in the moment – for silence and stillness – for listening to the “sweet implorings.” May I be open . . . may I be courageous . . .

Pictures - Julian of Norwich Hermitage, Chapel where we sat for Centering Prayer, Stillpoint backyard with gardens and labyrinth.