contemplation

Beside still waters

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This pond which is a short distance from my home is one of my frequent haunts when I’m out walking. Lately with the need for more social distancing I find myself here more often because very few people come here. It’s on the edge of Mount Prospect Cemetery and not many people walk in the … Read more

It cannot be learned or taught

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I remember when I used to look for all I could read about meditation. Imagine writing a book about Zen. Zen seems to be the antithesis of definition. When this quote came in today’s mail, it struck a chord with me. Contemplation cannot be taught. It cannot even be clearly explained. It can only be … Read more

Waiting to hear

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This is another good thought from Thomas Merton. Contemplation is essentially a listening in silence, an expectancy… In other words, the true contemplative is not the one who prepares his mind for a particular message that he wants or expects to hear, but who remains empty because he knows that he can never expect or … Read more

Illusion

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This came in today’s mail from the Merton Institute and there is a profound truth here. All we are with all our noise, war mongering, power struggles, ego drives are illusion. Those who love their own noise are impatient of everything else. They constantly defile the silence of the forests and the mountains and the … Read more

As they are

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This week has been a week of seeing in a new way. Since Fr. Lou’s homily on Sunday I’ve been looking at how and what I look at and seeing it a new or nuanced way. This has been a week of sadness too as one of the members of our Secular Franciscan Fraternity passed to a new life yesterday. Death of some one close often has a way of helping me to see what is and what might be. A couple of quotes have gotten me thinking in a new way one is from George Bernard Shaw and the other from the Talmud.

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Hosea

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I will lead you into the desert, and there I will speak to your heart. Hosea 2:14 Campaign 2008 and the news media in general have driven me into the desert. I’m really blessed because the onslaught of media both print, internet and televised has driven me to silence and contemplation.  It’s been a gradual … Read more

His agent

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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, pondering and meditating lately. I live a life of active contemplation. Despite this or because of it I am blessed. My recent decision to apply to an MBA program has been born of this contemplation. At the same time I am given to pondering the imponderables and wondering if I’m doing the right thing. Everyone including one of my spiritual advisors have suggested that I should pursue this thought with more action.

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