Feeding My Thought Life
"It is worthwhile, even necessary, to explore that which is underneath the surface of our daily actions, thoughts, and feelings."
Today I took some time to feed my thought life and readjust my priorities. I've been so busy with life lately that all I think about is the to do list which led me to the state of agitation. I decided that I needed to do something before I moved onto the anger stage. I felt the need to read a book so I chose a book by Henri Nouwen. As I was reading I realized that I have been neglecting my thought life in the midst of the busyness of living. No wonder I was feeling out of whack.
"I'd better start thinking a little more about my attitude toward work. If I have learned anything this week, it is that there is a contemplative way of working that is more important for me than praying, reading, or singing. Most people think that you go to the monastery to pray. Well, I prayed more this week than before but also discovered that I have not learned yet to make the work of my hands into a prayer.
I had just begun to realize how much my own life was motivated by self-glory: even going to a moastery could be a form of self-indulgence. My problem with work is obviously related to my tendency to look at manual labor as a necessary job to earn a couple of free hours to do my own work. Even when this work seems very spiritual, such a reading about prayer, I often look at it more as an opportunity to make interesting notes for future lectures or books than as a way to praise the Lord."
I wish I could make the work of my hands into a prayer. I also wish that I could make my work as a way to praise the Lord. How can I do this?
"My reading about the spirituality of the Desert has made me aware of the importance of 'nepsis'. Nepsis means mental sobriety, spiritual attention directed to God, watchfulness in keeping the bad thoughts away, and creating free space for prayer."
I think it's an interesting idea that we need to create free space for prayer. Strangely it makes sense to me.
"But the more I think about loneliness, the more I think that the wound of loneliness is like the Grand Canyon - a deep incision in the surface of our existence which has become an inexhaustible source of beauty and self-understanding."
I like this quote because I think there is nothing wrong with or shameful about loneliness.
"It is worthwhile, even necessary, to explore that which is underneath the surface of our daily actions, thoughts, and feelings."
Today I took some time to feed my thought life and readjust my priorities. I've been so busy with life lately that all I think about is the to do list which led me to the state of agitation. I decided that I needed to do something before I moved onto the anger stage. I felt the need to read a book so I chose a book by Henri Nouwen. As I was reading I realized that I have been neglecting my thought life in the midst of the busyness of living. No wonder I was feeling out of whack.
"I'd better start thinking a little more about my attitude toward work. If I have learned anything this week, it is that there is a contemplative way of working that is more important for me than praying, reading, or singing. Most people think that you go to the monastery to pray. Well, I prayed more this week than before but also discovered that I have not learned yet to make the work of my hands into a prayer.
I had just begun to realize how much my own life was motivated by self-glory: even going to a moastery could be a form of self-indulgence. My problem with work is obviously related to my tendency to look at manual labor as a necessary job to earn a couple of free hours to do my own work. Even when this work seems very spiritual, such a reading about prayer, I often look at it more as an opportunity to make interesting notes for future lectures or books than as a way to praise the Lord."
I wish I could make the work of my hands into a prayer. I also wish that I could make my work as a way to praise the Lord. How can I do this?
"My reading about the spirituality of the Desert has made me aware of the importance of 'nepsis'. Nepsis means mental sobriety, spiritual attention directed to God, watchfulness in keeping the bad thoughts away, and creating free space for prayer."
I think it's an interesting idea that we need to create free space for prayer. Strangely it makes sense to me.
"But the more I think about loneliness, the more I think that the wound of loneliness is like the Grand Canyon - a deep incision in the surface of our existence which has become an inexhaustible source of beauty and self-understanding."
I like this quote because I think there is nothing wrong with or shameful about loneliness.
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