Spirituality | Art | Contemplation | Ideas |
A blog for people to walk the spiritual path together.
BYO RedShoes.
Sunday, 8 December 2013
Now For Something Completely Different!
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
An Unhealthy Obsession.
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Youthful Prophets
For more go to www.contemplativejournal.com by following this link - http://bit.ly/18pEMw6
Sunday, 20 October 2013
The Widow and The Judge
To read more go here http://bit.ly/1i5Ddcl
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Living the Monastic Life - My Mother and Dementia
For more on this go here: http://bit.ly/1at8nMr
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Thomas Merton & Young People
Sunday, 8 September 2013
The Elephant In The Room
My first reaction when I began to write this article was to go looking for the scholarly professional papers on the subject of grief and loss. What do the professionals say? What does the research have to contribute? What can I learn off the grief and loss help sites?
Then I stopped. Why is it that we seek out professional help when none is needed? Why do we want to know what 'they' say (whoever they are) and why is their opinion of more value than mine, or the young people I stood beside in this latest experience of death? Why do we not listen to ourselves and those who have experienced death up close and personal without running it through some theoretical paradigm, which we hope, will render death harmless?
For more follow this link, http://bit.ly/13uKkay or go to www.contemplativejournal.com.
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
The Lord's Prayer - A Rubric for Life
- the relationship between father and son, which is justice;
- the relationship between mother and son, which is compassion,
- the relationship with the parents, which is filial love;
- the relationship between elder brother to younger brother, which is friendship;
- the relationship between the younger brother and the elder brother, which is respect.
Saturday, 20 July 2013
Abraham, Sarah & Trayvon Martin
Monday, 8 July 2013
Natural Beauty of New York City
I think I will just sit right here! Is that o.k. with you? |
Why, helloo! I remember you from........ |
I know, we are beautiful! |
Bubbles, bubbles, everywhere! |
Well, go on, take my picture! |
See, I'm a professional on the catwalk! |
Don't shoot now, you fool! What will my fans think? |
A vegetable garden in Battery Park |
The vegetables |
Now that's relaxing |
My name's Fern and I'm on border control! |
The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. A must see! |
Friday, 5 July 2013
Baseball - at the NY Mets Thru An Aussie's Eyes!
Now the baseball. What happens? Nothing much for a long time, then something for a very short time, and then nothing. It's like a 16 yr old boy looking for a girlfriend; he takes a lot of swings, hits a lot of foul balls, strikes out most of the time, occasionally gets to first base, may get to second base, and only rarely, very rarely hits a home run! And when he does, the crowd goes wild!
Now having said that, it is difficult to hit that little white ball with a round stick when the bowl is travelling at 97 miles per hour and is thrown from around 20 yards away directly at you (less than a cricket pitch)! I admire the skill of those who can, such as the Mets captain David Wright who hit a home run last night. Their pitcher, Matt Harvey, throws at 96-97 mph consistently. His slow ball is in the mid to late 80's!
The crowd, the noise, the excitement and the hopeful expectation gets you in, and you find yourself yelling just as much as the die-hard fans when something great happens.
It was a great night out. Thankyou @Mets.
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Thomas Merton: Innocent, Playful, Learner, Teacher!
Friday, 21 June 2013
Wyclef Jean "The Carnival Begins"
Last night in New York had the privilege of being in the audience for Wyclef Jean's "The Carnival Begins" at B.B.Kings in Times Square. Wyclef, for those unfamiliar with him, is a Haitian rappper and hip hop artist who recently ran for President of Haiti.
The show was a powerful expression of the musicality and poetry of rap and hip hop. While the high sound and energy sometimes masks the sophistication of the art form, the talent required to transmit it to his listeners is evident for those who listen closely. Wyclef encapsulates the highest form of his art.
Wyclef's stage presence, professionalism and synchronicity with his audience explodes on stage. Yet his generosity in sharing the stage and deflecting the focus on to his co-performers, artists he is mentoring and guiding, is examplary. Watching the stage, his genuine concern for these young artists is visible on his face and in his eyes in unguarded moments.
The presence of the Haitian soccer team was a coup. Great show of national pride and support. It was an example of the man's heart for his people which no doubt endears him to all who get to meet him.
For me, this was so far from where I live, a room full of people whom I would appear to have little in common with yet with whom I share a deep sense of longing and hope. Humanity may be a little crazy but there is a better day coming!
Thanks @Wyclef for a great experience.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, 17 June 2013
An Epistle from New York
The "whispering gallery" is located on the Grand Central Terminal dining concourse. Here, the acoustics of the low ceramic arches can cause a whisper to sound like a shout. Sound impossible? To test it out, you and a friend stand in opposite corners of the large arched entryway. You face the corner and whisper. Your friend will be able to hear your voice as if you were right next to them, not whispering into a far-away corner in a very busy and noisy train station in New York
Discernment, or the ability to hear what God is saying to you about your life and future, is not always an easy task. There is a lot of noise in our lives. Not just physical noise but the noise of activity, stress, relationships, busyness, deadlines and expectations. These shut out our capacity to hear what is going on within, the place where the still smal voice speaks.
Just like in the "whispering gallery", we have to turn away from our crowded lives and listen for the voice of our friend across the way in the privacy of our own hearts. It is a voice no one else hears but you, and it wants to be heard. Whether we hear it or not is up to us and our capacity to step away from the centre to the edge of our lives and listen, a skill we may have yet to cultivate.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Rogers Ave,New York,United States
Sunday, 16 June 2013
ITMS 2013 - The Conference
The plenary sessions introduced us to key Merton ideas and iconic texts such as Chris Pramuk speaking on 'Haggai Sophia', Merton's celebrated prose poem; Michael Higgins entertaining us with his paper on 'Merton As the Public Academic' and Elizabeth Dryer challenging our understanding of Merton. This mornings panel session with a range of speakers sharing insights into Merton and Henri Nouwen was both entertaining (Fr John Bamberger, the former Abbott of the Genesee Monastery kept the laughter coming) and insightful.
I enjoyed the workshops with Christine Bochen on 'Teaching Thomas Merton', a practical workshop on curriculum and teaching which will be useful for future classes! Watch out students, Thomas Merton comes your way!
At the heart of the Sacred Heart University sits the University chapel, which is a must visit site for anyone who ventures into this part of Connecticut. The mosaics on the sanctuary wall is to be hold (watch this site for future photographs).
Tonight we will listen to celebrated author and spiritual guide, Ronald Rollheiser. I am looking forward for this.
Tomorrow the conference closes and I catch the train back to Grand Central station before heading to my new 'home' in Brooklyn.
Friday, 7 June 2013
New York - Here I Come!
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Peter the Reluctant Learner Comes Alive!
Acts 2:1-21
- He is aware - of what is happening, of who is there, and of the importance of the occasion;
- He applies reason - 'These men are not drunk' - and asks those listening to take this situation seriously,
- He is contextual - he remember's the prophets words and quotes them as the reference for this moment in history.