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Paul -- you're certainly very blest, in that Fr. Laurence's prophetic words proved to be true. Just think of the lives you've touched.
I am reminded of the man on Fr. Laurence's DVD, "Coming Home", who, after he retires, is looking forward to starting a meditation group in his home.
I appreciate your sharing.
peace and blessings,
Amie Ilva Tatem
Staten Island, NY
Hello Jim,
I was delighted to see the title of your entry on the meditators blog and then to read your review - like you I have enjoyed speculating about who Leonard is singing to and hear many of his lyrics as essentially prayerful.
I turned 50 last week and the Old Ideas CD was a present from the family that I was hanging out for. On the actual day of my birthday I sat by the CD player with the head phones on and listed to the album all the way through - just drinking it in and feeling by the end of it deeply satisfied. Since then I have listened to the album again numerous times and disconcertingly I have found some of the choruses and lyrics turning up in my meditation.
Anyhow thank you for your review - I love your categories especially whimsical minimalist Zen for Banjo - great!!
I don't know where I was in the late 1960's to have missed Leonard Cohen, but somehow I did until I read an excerpt of "Anthem" in....of all places...an advice column in the newspaper...I had to cut it out and then googled the name and found out about him and it seems that I constantly hear references to him, even here at WCCM!
Just in case you missed "Anthem"....the refrain is worth committing to memory.
"Anthem"
The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.
I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.
Ring the bells that still can ring ...
You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
I often wonder whether all those "thes" were in the original. To me it makes more sense to read it "I am Way, Truth and Life" We only come to God through Christ so He is our Way.Everything that exists is in Christ so he is Life in the widest sense.. The middle part, Truth, I have seen translated (perhaps more correctly) as Faithfulness.Hhe did say, after all, "I will be with you to the end of time...."
Meditation has brought many of the sayings of Jesus alive for me.
I have only recently discovered this blog and hope to check in more frequently in future.
Peace,Pearl
Thank you for your beautiful words of interpretation. My heart feels the truth of your words.
Thank you again.
Thanks Jim. I thoroughly enjoyed what you wrote. PAX Marie
I find groups have different "flavors" dependning on the leaders and its great to attend several to try out. But they're all in the family of Chritian Meditators as long as they follow the teaching of John Main. Meditation does build community in some mysterious way, if we let it !
Hi Stefan,
I resonate so much with what you have written about marriage and the monastic. Your insights and experiences placed ever so gently and unobstrusively reveal so much of the gentle sower you are, allowing the seed to grow in silence, we know not how.
Christopher.
Ricardo - what a beautiful and wise link back to the Rule. Thanks for this, and I return your brotherly embrace -
Jim
It reminded me of the chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict where he tells Cellarer "Let Him Regard all theVessels of the monastery and all ITS substance, as if They Were Vessels of the sacred altar." - Instead of creating a duality, creates a unit that avoids the mistake of "throwing out the baby with the bath water."
Thank you!
brotherly embrace
Ricardo d 'Arede (Brazil)
Very nice Jim! Thanks for that!
Fifteen years ago I read a review of a book on meditation written in the 'Tablet'. I bought the book and began practising Christian meditation. For the first five years on my own at home and then I found a group in a town nearby. I've just recently started a group in my own parish and though we are presently small it feels very worth while, and sometimes small beginnings are best. So thank you Paul for your book 'Silence & Stilness in Every Season' I'm on my second copy and if you ever publish a hard back copy, let me know; and thank you also for the words in your blog, I found them very encouraging, Kieran Murphy, Ballygorian Beag, Hilltown, Co. Down, N. Ireland.
Thanks so much for this. Another gentle 'breaking through' of the monastic life into the everyday of where it can go.
What a gift to be present for this gathering! I pray for all participants. Hope you share the fruits of the weekend. I thank God each day that I learned of the WCCM, and I continue to hope for people support - although I hae the written word and voice word support and that is gift. Dee
Another thought-provoking blog, Jim. St Augustine’s familiar words that ‘our hearts are restless until they rest in you’ come to mind. As you say, this ‘rest’ is not about ‘stopping doing something’ or our slightly neurotic escape into pastimes - even good ones. Without that deep rooted-ness in essential being we are always on a treadmill moving from action to distraction. Your last line sums up this engaged, dynamic God-filled ‘rest’ beautifully.
Someone said it is God’s joke that we have to go looking for this ‘rest’ in all the wrong places first. Or as Rumi cleverly put it:
You wander from room to room
Hunting for the diamond necklace
That is already round your neck!
This is wonderful. I was born in Clare and live in Cornwall UK now.
Bere Island and surrounding area is a place I visited many times whe I was younger and this is a wonderful way of going home to my roots to renew my weary spirit and replenish it from the deep wells of Celtic spirituality
Brilliant !
I have put a link to it on my blog too.
http://blueeyedennis-siempre.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Shirley - RK always magnificent.
I hope you find a copy of Magnolia - let me know what you think of it.
Love,
Jim
Thanks for this Jim - a great piece. Thinking on this idea of Open or Closed? - these words of Robert Kennedy strike a chord:
...a person is not a passive subject imposed upon by moments, events, and encounters; he is instead a subject who either limits or transcends every moment, event, and encounter in the uniqueness of his own consciousness'. (Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit p.68)
Perhaps, even in every moment, we transcend or limit our being - open or close the door to our true (Christ) consciousness.
Also looking out for a DVD of Magnolia....
Shirley L.
Hi Jim, good blog. Like the idea that it's about the opening of the heart...all else is superficial. Keep up the good work. Terry
A very nice article Jim! Thank you for your contribution to our Community!
Cheers!
Adriano
The seminar is also an experience of joy. Meditating together and entering into the silence with people from around the world. It is entering into the reality of the body of Christ, not as a theory but as a reality. Thank you so much for this expiernce of what chuch can be.
José
Wonderful experience thank you to all concerned, Ursula & kieran Murphy
Thank you for this great reporting. It brought the event close to so many around the community worldwide. What a wonderful gathering!