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Tag Archives: ancient spiritual paths
Reconsidering Prayer (conclusion)
We conclude this lesson on prayer today. We’ve been looking at prayer from a different starting point. Instead of beseeching God to do things for us (even good, noble, selfless things), our starting point has been Jesus’ teaching about Truth setting us free.
From that starting point, our prayer practices look different, and the results in our lives are different. Today we conclude by considering the benefits that accrue to us as we take on this different kind of prayer practice. Continue reading
Posted in Reconsidering Prayer
Tagged ancient spiritual paths, forgiveness, Jan Johnson, prayer, transformation, virtue
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Reconsidering Prayer (part 6)
In this second-to-last week of this lesson reconsidered prayer we talk about what happens to us when we take on the soul-quieting, truth-seeking, freedom-finding, prayer practices we’ve been talking about.
And sure enough…
our souls find increased freedom….
we see and respond to the world around us differently.
We finish up with the practical pointer of finding a way of this different kind of prayer that is a fit for the unique fingerprint of each of our souls. Continue reading
Posted in Reconsidering Prayer
Tagged ancient spiritual paths, Augustine Ichiro Okumura, Jan Johnson, Marsha Sinetar, prayer, waiting on God
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Reconsidering Prayer (part 5)
“The discipline of casualness…”
That sounds contradictory doesn’t it?
But it’s the very foundation of this different kind of prayer we’ve been talking about. Continue reading
Reconsidering Prayer (part 4)
Today, as we continue our lesson rethinking prayer, we come to the mindset necessary for this “seeking-Truth” way of praying.
Self-discipline is necessary to this new way, but that term falls on hard times for many Christians. We’ve tried and tried to be disciplined with our prayer practices, but they returned so little to our souls.
This lesson talks about applying discipline in such a way that it returns an elevated understanding of Truth, awakens us to the Divine Presence that is always in and around us, and answers to the yearning to see the Divine in our daily lives.
Abhishiktananda, a French Benedictine monk who lived in India, said it this way…
Truly there is nothing in the created universe, in all time and space, which does not manifest God and reveal his glory to mankind. In creating us God made us us able to recognize his manifestation in the world and in events, so that we might respond to it in love. Continue reading
July 4th, 2010
Yes, we’re in the middle of a lesson on rethinking prayer, but the 4th of July calls for some appropriate remarks. We’re staying on the theme that will expand our understanding of prayer, but doing it in a 4th-of-July kind of way.
God bless you. Continue reading
Posted in Individual Lesson
Tagged 4th of July, ancient spiritual paths, freedom, liberty
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Reconsidering Prayer (part 1)
I thought about titling this message “Don’t Waste Your Time Praying” (since I just did a lesson titled “Don’t Waste Your Time Going To Church”), but that’s not exactly what this lesson is about.
When our images of God change as we progress on the spiritual journey, our ways of praying have to morph as well. I’ve noted that for many Christians, as this metamorphosis happens in their souls, they simply stop praying. I’m hoping that this lesson will restore to us, lives of prayer that are relevant, useful, and helpful. Continue reading
Posted in Reconsidering Prayer
Tagged ancient spiritual paths, images of God, knowledge, prayer, truth
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Don’t Waste Your Time Going to Church (conclusion)
Today, we conclude this lesson on the ancient exercises we do together on Sundays. We look at the exercise that includes stilling our hearts, becoming attentive, interpreting, and discerning.
This may be one of the only times you’ll ever hear a minister tell you to argue with him or her. Continue reading
Don’t Waste Your Time Going to Church (part 4)
We continue looking at the Sunday exercises, thinking about these ancient spiritual exercises.
Today, we think about the exercise of invoking in one another, sensitivity to Spirit. Continue reading
Posted in Don't Waste Your Time Going to Church
Tagged ancient spiritual paths, church, invocation
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Don’t Waste Your Time Going to Church (part 3)
We’re looking at the exercises we’ve been doing together on Sundays for centuries and centuries. As anything we do for an extend period, they can become rote, and we can begin to practice them without understanding or without a vested interest.
So we’re thinking together about the ancient practices, the ancient spiritual exercises.
Today, we think about the radicalized version of hospitality practiced in the first few centuries of the church, and how it served as political and social dissent against the norms of Roman society. Continue reading