Blog Archives

Practicing passivity in place of activity

8/30/2024

While on retreat at the SSJE monastery last month the brother with whom I was receiving spiritual direction suggested that I consider taking some time to live with passivity, not activity. What? Be passive? Not active? I had no idea how to express this idea, much less live by it. Then he gave a card with this message
After immense activity one passes into a phase where passivity is the only way. I pray that you may be finding this passivity as—the way in which the soul serves GOD, not by doing this or that but by passively receiving the great stream of His love and compassion.
-Michael Ramsey (Archbishop of Canterbury)

It has taken me a month to ease my way into this idea of what passivity might mean for me. To even consider being passive, doing nothing, is a challenge. And yet, I rather like the possibility, offered to me by two Christians that I respect and trust. So why not give it a try--sit and be. How's that for a start? A form of meditation.

0 Comments

Feeling joy, a fruit of the spirit~

8/24/2024

0 Comments

'Joy' is the second of the fruit of the spirit that Saint Paul shares in his letter to the Galatians. I love joy! "Joyful Leaning in Kindergarten" was the title I chose for the book I wrote for teachers. And now as a Christian I am feeling joy at the direction Kamala Harris wants to lead this country.
I don't mean to get political. No, I just want to stay faithful to what Jesus calls me to do. To quote Barbara Brown Taylor: Wash feet. Give your stuff away. Share your food. Favor reprobates. Pray for those who are out to get you. Be the first to say, "I'm sorry."

0 Comments

Is it necessary--To talk, to have an opinion about everything?

8/9/2024

0 Comments

8/9/24 Here is what I shared on my cottagebythesea.net blog. What follows is my prayerful response.
Every year one of my daily readings reminds me of the three sieves, a set of questions attributed to Socrates, who reportedly asked an man who was about to tell him a story if he had put it through the test of the three sieves.
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?

I'm wondering what percent of the stories and information passed along among family and friends fit through such a sieve. I'm wondering about my little world, just little me sharing stuff, passing along information, letting folks know what going on. When I consider this, or for a moment actually practice it, I sense that I become rather boring, uninteresting, and passive. I have little to say; I disappear, at least from the social scene.
   Hmm, it's rather appealing.
     It's what monastics do. I observe that the brothers at SSJE follow something similar. They don't talk very much; they listen. Their primary communication is with God.
      When someone talks, it takes practice and commitment not to respond with more talk, which usually includes giving an opinion. Some people need to talk in order to figure out what they believe about a given topic; they need a dialog, a conversation with someone else. Others prefer writing.
    Thought and language. As a kindergarten teacher I get that. But let's put that aside. Perhaps some of us don't need to have ideas and opinions about everything. Perhaps we long for less to put through the sieve. When we start to put 'Is it necessary?" through, perhaps we might consider, "Is the topic even necessary?" Conversation with God doesn't need a sieve.

0 Comments

Practicing passivity in place of activity

Feeling joy, a fruit of the spirit~

Is it necessary--To talk, to have an opinion about everything?

Archives

Categories