Having mentioned in an earlier post that I'm currently enjoying my first read through Thomas Moore's "Care of the Soul" you, as a regular reader, might have been expecting me to start quoting from his book and indeed I've been itching to do so. (I've also discovered a wonderful site that reviews Moore's work regularly and offers many resources for learning more about his life and theory - http://barque.blogspot.com - I recommend a visit.)
Care of the soul is not a new thought for me but I find it reassuring to read words of encouragement regarding the subject. Without conscious effort to nourish my soul with prayer, spiritual reading, reflection and silence, I believe my soul will not perish but neither will it flourish as I grow into the autumn/winter of my life. Growth being my word for the 2009, care and feeding of this part of my life is not a burden to be counted in carefully orchestrated minutes but a pleasure to rest in on a daily basis.
How about you - do you nourish your soul on a daily basis, if not daily, then on a monthly basis? Oh, come on, you never consciously nourish the gift of your soul? Think about it - it's another one of those crazy gifts that God saw fit to give us - reflection on what I'm doing with mine, I find is a good thing for me. How do you care and nourish your soul?
Care of the soul is not a new thought for me but I find it reassuring to read words of encouragement regarding the subject. Without conscious effort to nourish my soul with prayer, spiritual reading, reflection and silence, I believe my soul will not perish but neither will it flourish as I grow into the autumn/winter of my life. Growth being my word for the 2009, care and feeding of this part of my life is not a burden to be counted in carefully orchestrated minutes but a pleasure to rest in on a daily basis.
How about you - do you nourish your soul on a daily basis, if not daily, then on a monthly basis? Oh, come on, you never consciously nourish the gift of your soul? Think about it - it's another one of those crazy gifts that God saw fit to give us - reflection on what I'm doing with mine, I find is a good thing for me. How do you care and nourish your soul?
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Hmmm. Meditation. Writing. Messing around with clay and paint.
ReplyDeleteHard to do though, sometimes. Sometimes I have to force myself to do those things my soul is craving.
I meditate and pray, and work constantly with my way of thinking, turning it around, turning it around. But the most impactful is art, I am closest to the Divine when I paint. When I was close to Joseph Raffael, I would come into his studio and rave about his beautiful work. He would smile this elated smile and say "look what God is doing through me!" That's how I feel when I am in the flow. Thank you for the question.
ReplyDeleteSue - Great ways you "nourish" - I agree the trick is to habituate those good habits. I too can get myself in a corner, forgetting what a good sound feeding with do for my soul. Thanks for your reply!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I'm learning more and more each day through my long-forgotten art discipline that it is truly food for my heart, head, and soul. Thank you for taking the time to read and reply!
Best to both of you!
by rising early to watch the sunrise! and lighting candles of offering. See: http://mindwhisperingsphotography.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-i-remember-by-heart.html
ReplyDeleteHi Sunrise Sister! I don't see a way to e-mail you on your blog so I'll just use this space...
As I mentioned, I'm working on a project about Lent and I'd like to include some personal "interviews" (though not Q & A, just personal reflections) for my field ed. component. If you're still up to it and have the time, I'd love to include a few lines about what Lent means to you. It wouldn't have to be much, perhaps a brief reflection on how your practice changes during the Lenten weeks, or how you experience it in the context of the entire liturgical year etc., and/or a verse or poem that expresses your experience of Lent...
My projects not due until the 14th of May but I'm trying to get my work done by the beginnning of May so that I can concentrate on the move to PA. So the sooner I hear from you the better though I don't want you to feel pressured; I'm simply thrilled to have you on board!
Have a lovely weekend,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth - o.k. I'm on board and will be getting something to you within the next week. Sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteCare vs. Cure. That's one of the hardest things for pastors to learn. Pastors are care givers not cure givers. Oddly enough, the early term for a pastor was curate, but it meant one who was invested with the cure, or charge, of souls in a parish. Later it meant a priest who was not in charge but only assisted. Now it generally means a newly ordained priest serving something like an apprenticeship.
ReplyDeleteCP