In the last post on this blog I shared about my Advent focus... about wanting to make the faith more real and daily in our lives. Well, I ask myself the question, how can this "head and heart stuff" show up in my life... and how can I help people walk their own path with more integrity and intentionality?
Well, I first have to practice this myself.
My faith journey has changed over the years. It's not the same as it was 10 or so years ago for sure. I would say I was more interested in things overtly spiritual back then - meditation, that kind of thing. Now I have to say I'm not so much drawn to that as much. But I still do have a strong sense of what I have called the Sacred Mystery - the deep knowing that God is present in my life and journey... and here's the other thing -- I really do have a sense that this life is a Sacred Journey. But more about that later on...
I've heard about those indigenous cultures that surround themselves with the sacred. From getting up in the morning to going to bed at night, they seem to be enveloped by the mystery of God.
Now maybe I'm idealizing these cultures too much... they also have their problems for sure. But the idea I'm getting at is that we may not have that same tendency of seeing God in everything we see and do... in what happens to us, in how the world comes to us.
There is a religious order out there... I think it's called The Order of Saints Martin and Teresa, out of Mercer Island, in Washington State... that calls the people in the group to three daily disciplines. One is to take a daily walk, more like a stroll -- this connects the person with nature, a daily time to slow down, to decompress, time to be reminded of God. Another discipline is to wear a paper clip somewhere on their clothes every day -- something as ubiquitous as a paperclip, but used as a means to remind the person of God's presence. The other discipline I can't remember. But these two I've remembered for a few years.
This group is actually a Lutheran group, started with Dan Erlander, the popular theologian and artist that has written and illustrated a number of great books on various Lutheran themes.
Maybe wearing something symbolic of your faith might work. Some people will offer a prayer as they put on this object in the morning - something around their necks, or a ring, or something else... like a paperclip. And seeing it during the day reminds them of what this object symbolises to them.
And I like the idea of a daily walk... to help us remember that God walks with us.
Many of us have some practice like that. Please share with us what yours are.
Here is another practice some people do -- check out this website http://www.loyolapress.com/prayerfully-reviewing-your-day-daily-examen.htm
It focuses on a practice made popular by Ignatius of Loyola - this involves taking time during the day to "examine" your own day, your path, what you've been doing, and how you've been doing it...
Do some of you do this? How does it work for you?
2 comments:
The other discipline of the OSMT is keeping a journal. Barbara DeGrote-Sorensen and David Allen Sorensen make reference to this Order on pp. 78-79 of their book, 'Tis a Gift to be Simple, published by Augsburg Fortress.
I wonder if anyone has more information on OSMT? I haven't been able to locate much.
Peace,
Sharron
Re OSMT I'd start with Dan Ehrlander... he has those books. I think he's out there in Chelan Washington.
I used to have a name and number of a woman here in the DC area who was a part of this group. I want to say this was back in 2002 or so. It was very interesting talking with her about this. But after asking her to send me some material for about... a year! and she kept blowing it off... I finally got tired of asking/waiting and dropped it. To her credit, she DID tell me this group was VERY unorganized. I hope it has gotten a bit more organized. I'm sure there are others that would certainly be interested in getting more info about this, and join as well.
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