Shakira
10/01/08 00:11
Came
across this picture of Shakira here -
isn't she wearing a Prayer Rope on her wrist? It looks like a brown
cross. Interestingly Shakira sings social justice songs - for
example Timor
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Silence and God not 'being there'...
02/12/07 18:21
A story about silence...A woman who had
been using the Jesus Prayer for fourteen years complained that she
had never had any sense that God was there. But when she had it
pointed out to her that she was talking all the time, she agreed to
take her stand silently for a few days. As she was doing it she
became aware that God was there, that the silence that surrounded
her was not emptiness, absence of noise and agitation, but that
there was a solidity to this silence, that it was not something
negative, but positive, a presence, the presence of God who had
made himself known to her by creating the same silence in her. And
then she discovered that the prayer came up quite naturally again,
but it was no longer the sort of discursive noise that had
prevented God from making himself known. (Living Prayer by
Metropolitan Anthony Bloom DLT 1966) I like it that God created the
same silence in the woman as surrounded her... Andrew
Taizé Podcast
04/09/07 14:34
Taizé
music is great for meditation and contemplation - just found out
there's a regular podcast now. You can find it just by searching on
the Apple iTunes Store or here on the Taizé website. Enjoy! AndrewRejecting traditional Spirituality? I think not...
30/06/07 00:46
Last night went to hear Ian Mobsby of
emerging church MOOT speaking at Blah Birmingham. Ian quoted
research suggesting that people are turning away from the
traditional spiritualities of the churches to alternative
spiritualities informed by New Age - I have to disagree - why?
because I don't see many churches actually teaching people how to
practice traditional christian spirituality. How many churches are
teaching people how to pray, to meditate, ways of contemplative
prayer, lectio and deep engagement with Scripture, really? What
people are turning away from then, is the shallower stuff that's
going on. I wonder what would happen if the discipleship practices
of the christian Tradition (with a capital 'T' rather than
'traditions') were being taught, practised and promoted? As Ian
said, it's the perceived traditional spirituality people are
leaving behind...
boazbands
12/06/07 10:18
I
came across these 'boazbands' - wristbands crafted by refugees
living in BOAZ houses in Manchester. They tell a
story...Grand-père Boaz sat warming his old bones in the hot
African sun.“Tell me a story,” said a little voice at
his side, “tell me the story of the
Kinsman-Redeemer.”“Oh yes, it is a great story,”
said Grand-père Boaz, “and it is a most important
story.”Running his fingers over his bracelet he began
–“When I see this blue bead I am reminded of ...Desert Monks Story
08/06/07 10:51
'Once Abbot Antony was conversing with some brethren, and a hunter who was after game in the wilderness came upon them. He saw Abbot Antony and the brothers enjoying themselves, and disapproved. Abbot Antony said: 'Put a an arrow in your bow and shoot it.'
This he did.
'Now shoot another,' said the Elder. 'And another, and another.'
Then the hunter said: 'If I bend my bow all the time it will break.'
Abbot Antony replied: 'So it is also in the work of God. If we push ourselves beyond measure, the brethren will soon collapse. It is right therefore, from time to time, to relax.' Celtic Daily Prayer
Story Beads
12/04/07 15:46
Hazel, introduced me to her new 'His Story' bracelet. Each bead represents something in the story of Jesus. It was moving to hear her tell me the story, pointing at each bead in turn - the story was somehow more real - there is something special about the physicality of beads :
'One night there was a bright star which guided three men, who were the three wise men, to the birth of Jesus who later in life became a carpenter and a fisher of men and souls. He had twelve apostles who spread the Word Of Christ but on one dark day of hatred, envy & death He was crucified. He shed His blood for us to purify & save us. He rose and is now in Heaven seated with the Father & the Holy Spirit. and He did all this because of His great love for us.
Let nothing disturb thee..
01/04/07 23:07
Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth. (from Celtic Daily Prayer Midday Prayer)
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth. (from Celtic Daily Prayer
Midday Prayer)
brand sense and 'Here's to the people behind the numbers'
16/03/07 12:58
The other week I went to listen to Simon Harrop, Executive Director of BRAND sense agency. He was saying that in the 70's people would remember around 25% of the TV ads they saw, now it's only around 5% - so he's promoting use of the other non-visual senses in advertising, particularly 'smell' and 'ritual'. Apparently people used to enjoy sliding their fingernail down the foil between two pieces of the KitKat chocolate bar to break into it - and that was a ritual - lost when the wrappers became plastic. Have you heard/seen the new Yellow Pages ad? It's both ritualistic and deeply spiritual; 'here's to the people behind the numbers' (watch it here) - slowly, repetitively, the advert honours different people - it's almost a prayer. And apparently, suggests Harrop, we use vision and audio to screen stuff out, but smell, touch and taste to engage. So why not include a little ritual and multi-sensory in your prayer times? Light some incense, use some oil to prayerfully anoint yourself/a friend, light a candle, begin your prayer time with ritual eg. 'In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit'. Seems there's some sense in the ancient traditions after all...
Spirituality of a Prayer Rope Maker
06/01/07 12:22
' has a
beautiful meditation which fits:
Cords of Love
Thank you, Lord,
for the cutting and weaving
for that first umbilical knot
you were shaping
and forming
all that I was to become.
Thank you, Lord,
for the 'ups' and 'downs'
the 'unders' and 'overs'
you were weaving
beauty and purpose
into my life.
Psalm 139: 'When I was woven together
in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.'
and as you hold the cord, hold the person before God:
We hold each other's lives
in our hands
What fragility and responsibility
Eathen vessels formed
from loving hands
So easily crushed
by clumsy words and actions
and only forgiveness can reassemble the parts
according to the Maker's instructions.
God loves in a nutshell
12/12/06 23:05
COTA's 'Ordo': music for the Jesus Prayer podcast
20/10/06 22:54
