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What Is Your Practice? Being Present To Your Life

The theme of this podcast is that a human response to Jesus’s call to live in God’s Kingdom is not a one-time thing. Response to God’s invitation is in fact a lifelong task, involving various practices over time. And that takes a lot of practice—in fact, our whole life becomes one continual practice.

That is why the hallmarks of contemplative spirituality—solitude, silence, and stillness—have never been more important for our society.  Adopting contemplative practice is crucial to living into transformation and wholeness.  The Christian Contemplative Tradition is a catalyst to true human flourishing.

Until we are present to ourselves, we can never be fully present to anything. We can never hope to know the presence of God or other people until we can be with ourselves in stillness, openness, and attentiveness.

Be Still and Know That I Am God.  Ps. 46:10

In the broadest sense of the word, contemplation means creating sacred space to be still, to rest in God, to reflect, to look inward; to attend to the inner life; to simply be with God in solitude, silence and stillness. Contemplation can also be understood as Parker Palmer describes: “anything that dismantles our illusions.”

I look forward to continuing on this theme in the weeks ahead!  I hope you will subscribe to my Podcast on iTunes. Subscribe To Podcast on Apple iTunes

You can also use the iTune sign up on the right side bar, as well as subscribe via Email to be notified of new posts.

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Thanks for taking the time to listen! I pray and trust that in some small way my words may give you helpful spiritual direction.

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

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Just This

Photo by Rob+ Austria

Welcome each day of your life.  As you awaken, go outside if you can.  Drink in the mystery of creation and your existence. Then say…

“This is a gift. I welcome your coming. Just this is enough. I have joy in your coming.”

And you will flourish.

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

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Garmish-Partenkirchen Bavaria and Austria. July 2018

“Beauty is goodness made manifest to the senses.”

We recently shared some wonderful time with family in this beautiful part of the world.

One dimension of flourishing in life is to behold the beautiful. The created world demonstrates the power, beauty, and glory of God. As Marilyn Robinson writes: “Whereveryou turn your eyes, the world can shine like transfiguration. You don’t have to bring a thing to it, except a little willingness to see.”

From time to time I will share some of the beautiful that I have seen that takes my breath away. Here is a glimpse of what my eyes beheld.

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Contemplative Practice and Flourishing

Photo by Rob+

Matthew 6:25–34, God cares for you, actively intervening in your life with infinite knowledge and wisdom, love and goodness, and presence and power. Contemplative practice helps you to deepen your love of Jesus, placing him at the center of your existence.

The truth that God is all-knowing, all-loving, and all-powerful, teaches us to pivot away from  distracting, worrying thoughts and towards his loving embrace. This is central to flourishing in the living of our lives.

I will be posting a new podcast episode on Contemplative Practice soon. In the meantime the Subscribe option for my Podcast on iTunes is back and active. You can click the link below or use the iTunes Icon on the sidebar to the right.

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(I also invite you to subscribe to my blog via Email to be notified of new posts. Use the email subscribe on the lower right sidebar.)

The peace of all peace
be yours this day
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

With you on the Journey!

Rob+

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My Podcasting Learning Curve

Dear Blog Friends:
I have had some issues with my subscription option for ITunes podcasts. Apparently I had a “feed” conflict. I hope to be back up and running in a couple of weeks for a restart.  In the meantime, any new posts will still be here to read or to listen to!  Sometimes flourishing takes patient work!

With you on the Journey,
Rob+

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Episode One: Cultivating a Flourishing Mindset

Welcome to my first episode: Cultivating a Flourishing Mindset!

What if the the story of God is a story that is truer, better, and more beautiful than we have ever imagined? What if the  story of Jesus is above everything else about inviting people into flourishing in God’s coming kingdom?

Our minds (not our brains) are the most important things about us. And the most important thing about our mind is what it is set upon. What you do with your mind is the most important choice you have to make every day of your life. Wherever your mind goes, the rest of your life goes with it.

In this podcast I will reflect on the following:

1. What it means to flourish.

2. The importance of your mind as the key to your life.

3. The challenge of cognitive fusion.

4. Fixed Mindset vs. Growth/Flourishing Mindset.

5. Created in the image of God we have the power to create and act for flourishing lives, ours and others.

6. The invitation to silence and the contemplative tradition of Christian spirituality as a way of healing and growing in acceptance and the openness of a flourishing mindset.

Hope you enjoy! Hope you subscribe!

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You can also find my podcast on Spotify: From Silence+Something To Say Podcast on Spotify

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Wisdom For Flourishing: An Examen At The End of Your Day

Questions to ask yourself at the end of your day: (author, John O’Donahue)
 
 
 
 
Where did my eyes linger today?
Where was I hurt without anyone noticing?
What did I learn today?
What differences did I notice in those closest to me?
Whom did I neglect?
Where did I neglect myself?
What did I begin today that might endure?
How were my conversations?
What did I do for the poor and excluded?
Where did I allow myself to receive love?
With whom did I feel most myself?
Who saw me today?
What did I avoid today?
From the evidence – why was I given this day?
 
 
*Take some silent reflection on these questions and perhaps journal what you wish to say to God. Pray for the grace to be more aware and present to God’s coming to you in the next day.
 
Rob+