tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35868115660824960832024-02-20T15:00:51.125-08:00Benedictine BeaconBeatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-43405212368796485842010-07-03T14:28:00.000-07:002011-03-20T14:34:25.027-07:00WELCOMEWelcome to the "Benedictine Beacon," which focuses on<br />how ancient monastic thought might impact upon the issues<br />and interests held in our own time. Likely it would be more<br />beneficial to go to the earliest input--which is the "Introduction"<br />and then move your way forward.<br /><br />[This blog is dedicated to the memory of an esteemed friend,<br />the late Rt. Rev. Leonard Vickers, third abbot of St. Anselm's<br />Abbey, Washington, D.C., and eighth abbot of Douai Abbey,<br />Woolhampton, England.]Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-34964787270933288662010-06-17T12:06:00.000-07:002011-05-23T16:20:08.392-07:00(63) School for the Lord's Service"The term 'school' as it is used in 'school for the Lord's service'<br />is misleading if it carries any suggestion of a formal education.<br />Originally the word was used for a room or a hall in which people<br />assembled for a common purpose, and in the Rule it's usage<br />means a group who have come together for the common purpose<br />of seeking God...But the learning process is more analogous to<br />that of apprenticeship by which one person learns a skill from<br />another."<br />[Esther de Waal, SEEKING GOD: THE WAY OF ST. BENEDICT, <br />the Liturgical Press, 1984, p. 130.]<br /><br />Comment: Esther de Waal is a well-known spiritual writer, who<br />has written several treatises on Benedictine Spirituality. Her<br />above paragraph hits upon a subject that has long interested<br />me, especially when it comes to my own experience.<br /><br />I can appreciate the idea that "apprenticeship" is applicable, <br />when it involves becoming a Benedictine monk. At first there's <br />the Novice Master, than there's more formal schooling by a<br />Master of Studies that focuses more on monastic and religious <br />studies, and later some monks might attend a special house <br />of studies or a university. <br /><br />And there's also the basics of the Rule, especially including <br />Lectio, Meditation, Contemplation (all related in a special way). <br />But most especially there's the education that comes living in <br />the close quarters of a monastery. That might be the hardest <br />part of an apprenticeship, getting up in the face of the other--<br />and keeping civilized, humane, humble, and sane.<br /><br />Most of us outside the walls don't really have this kind of <br />focused learning experience, which is basically learning how<br />to be a monk whose priority is Seeking God and growing in<br />God. But there are some who surely try, such as the oblates<br />attached to a monastery but who usually live outside.<br /><br />I have found the Oblate Formation program somewhat limited,<br />when it comes to any formal training within the monastery. It<br />usually consists of a few hours once a month, on a given Sunday.<br />There can be occasional seminars and retreats. And there are<br />handouts and book lists. More importantly, for some, is acquiring<br />a Benedictine spiritual director with whom one can meet more<br />directly at appointed meetings.<br /><br />Overall this "School" for those other monastics (oblates or<br />non-traditional) is somewhat tenuous--in that what one learns<br />are the *fundamentals* of Benedictine life. For some, perhaps<br />the fundamentals would seem enough; but, for others who wish<br />to move farther along in this special School, it's pretty much left<br />to their own volition as to how far they might wish to progress.<br /><br />There usually is the experience of some sort of community, <br />whether in a local church, or at the workplace, or other forms<br />of communal organizations. But if one learns in the School of<br />the Lord's Service, I should think a person would have to focus<br />on St. Benedict's specifics in his Rule--and somehow integrate<br />them into their behavior. That behavior surely carries out into<br />the world, into all those other countless communities beyond<br />the monastic confines. In other words this integration of the<br />monastic behavioral forms into one's own life is about <br />conversion, about becoming more a Benedictine soul that<br />can carry forth out in the greater world.<br /><br />As for the academic learning, like in the monastery there are<br />different steps. Some remain at one stage, others move on to<br />other stages. This, too, can be achieved outside the walls.<br /><br />There's always the huge repository of monastic books available,<br />wherein one can get a better grip on the Benedictine Way. <br />Beyond this, there's the "Seeking of God." How, where do we <br />find Such? There's Theology, Philosophy, and Religious Studies <br />available at all academic levels of learning. <br /><br />Most importantly, however, is the working "within." It's about<br />trying to find God through prayer, meditation, and contemplation.<br />And, just maybe, it's also about finding your True Self. This<br />term is oft used in monastic and religious circles. Sometimes<br />it is related to another term, "True North." From what I can glean,<br />it's about discovering your spiritual self or the Great Self of<br />depth psychology. It can involve one's "personal myth"--our<br />archetypal infrastructure--and following the flow of such. But<br />especially for those monastically oriented, it's the discovery of <br />the Spirit Within.<br /><br />Finally, at least for me, this special School is about where we<br />might be heading in this monastic process. Over the centuries<br />the goal has been defined, but in our own time we are once again<br />looking into new definitions that edge into our modern knowledge-<br />base when it comes to both outer and inner Reality.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-75352164055447538372010-05-13T11:41:00.000-07:002010-05-13T11:46:23.128-07:00(62) Being Eccentric"Paradoxically, though monks are said to be 'formed' into one way<br />of life, monasteries are full of people who feel free to be themselves,<br />often to the point of eccentricity..."<br />[Kathleen Norris, DAKOTA: A SPIRITUAL GEOGRAPHY, Tucker &<br />Fields, 1993, p. 115.]<br /><br />Comment: Kathleen Norris is an ecumenical Benedictine Oblate, <br />who writes about community and monastery in the Great Plains,<br />where she lives. Her spiritual experience is her own, like those<br />monks who "feel free to be themselves."<br /><br />As for eccentric monks, no doubt they are around. I haven't met <br />any personally, but I have read some of their ideas in books they <br />have written. There are monks who have expanded their spiritual<br />horizons to the point of being mind-boggling. Sometimes when I<br />read their material, I feel like an "old foggy." <br /><br />I must say that I feel better when I come across the occasional<br />(published) eccentric monk, mainly because I certainly qualify<br />towards attaining eccentric status myself. But whatever might<br />"eccentric" mean within a monastic environment?<br /><br />In a creedal environment, being eccentric can sometimes be<br />dangerous. Back in the bad old days, people could be burned<br />at the stake or condemned. Toeing the line still has its adherents.<br />But here now, in our own time, it would seem that we are in the<br />Days of Diversity. Lots of different outlooks, even in the monastic<br />world.<br /><br />One shift I began to notice quite awhile ago was what is called<br />the "Monastic Inter-religious Dialogue." Perhaps it started with<br />Thomas Merton, the great Trappist, when he was allowed to<br />study Zen Buddhism and meet with Buddhist contemplatives.<br />After Merton's death, this dialogue with Benedictines and<br />Buddhist monks deepened. I remember while attending a<br />ceremony at a nearby monastery, I suddenly looked up after<br />hearing the swishing of saffron robes. There they were in <br />living color, genuine Buddhist monks present in a Benedictine<br />monastery.<br /><br />This monastic dialogue has served to enrich Western monks,<br />especially bringing depth to their prayer life. <br /><br />Probably the dialogue with the Buddhists was the beginning<br />towards probing into other religious outlooks. For example,<br />there are Benedictines who have examined the shamanic <br />experience both in Asia and North America. Other monks are <br />"seeing" how the Spirit might extend into our world in a myriad <br />of ways and events, far beyond any creedal system. <br /><br />And, goodness, there's the occasional monk who fiddles in<br />the realm of Science Theory--toying with how new theoretic <br />insights might impact on our spiritual life. One spinoff is our<br />accruing knowledge of Natural Systems, leading to what is<br />now called "Eco-Spirituality." <br /><br />But, in the end, I have to wonder whether dealing with the<br />modern Diversity of ideas is actually "eccentric." Keeping up<br />with the New Knowledge Base would seem most intelligent<br />when it comes trying to discern Ultimate Reality or the <br />Godhead. <br /><br />On the other hand, the Benedictines are the keeper of a special<br />Treasure--their Monastic Tradition. Admittedly, this Tradition<br />rose up and out of Medieval Thought. And some of this ancient<br />thought is wise and smart. So it would seem the challenge for<br />our more eccentric monks and lay monastics might be how to<br />*integrate* their Past Heritage (of thought) with the Modern<br />Information and Ideas that beckon new ways of thinking--and<br />even of be-ing.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-86807994454743008342010-04-09T11:29:00.000-07:002010-04-20T14:10:54.545-07:00(61) Seeds of Calling"The vow of *conversatio morum* implies an intention and <br />desire to seek and to find God in the monastic life...in its <br />traditional wholeness, simplicity, and purity...as soon as the<br />vow of *conversio morum* is interpreted in the light of authentic<br />tradition, its inner meaning begins to be apparent. It is an <br />awakening to the sound of God's voice, calling us to the path<br />of life, to the way of humility and obedience..."<br />[Thomas Merton, MYSTICS & ZEN MASTERS, 1961, p. 156.]<br /><br />Comment: The great Trappist believed that once we understood<br />*Conversio Morum," as interpreted in the light of authentic<br />tradition, intimating the monastic life, all will become apparent.<br />And he said, also, outside this authentic tradition that the <br />"calling" might be misunderstood, leaving a person tangled<br />in chaos.<br /><br />At first I was inclined to dispute this approach by Merton, but<br />upon second thought I am now disposed to believe that he<br />might have been right.<br /><br />I believe that in some unique way that everyone in this world<br />is "called" to their own particular path of life. But like the famous<br />Seeds Parable of Jesus, well that calling drops on different kinds<br />of soil. Some of the seeds are able to unfold successfully unto<br />their fullness, other seeds only measured by the circumstances,<br />and some die upon arrival.<br /><br />The easy answer to this is to blame the person who cannot<br />bring forth their "calling". However, a deeper question might be <br />how aware is one to this calling, how much value do they place <br />in such?<br /><br />In this world of ours today, the seeds of calling might die<br />outright because of ignorance. Merton recognizes that there<br />is a need for structure that enhances a person's awareness to <br />their sense of calling.<br /><br />I don't necessarily believe that "authentic tradition" has to be<br />the monastic life when it comes to understanding more clearly<br />one's sense of calling, but it does seem need being enhanced <br />within a certain context.<br /><br />Speaking for myself, before I moved more into a monastic<br />understanding of life, I embarked on a life that emphasized<br />Nobility. No not inherited nobility, but rather a life nobly lived.<br />As to where I got such ideas, they came from a structure <br />called Classical Philosophy--i.e., Platonism and Stoicism,<br />both based on Virtue.<br /><br />I've been told by some Benedictines that forever so long, <br />the Order's monks have honored Classical Philosophy. Indeed<br />the Benedictines retrieved lost pagan books from the Muslims,<br />and saved them by copying them in their scriptoriums. It wasn't<br />only philosophy, but also naturalist and medical manuals that<br />they saved. And over time these earlier medieval Benedictines<br />started incorporating Classical Wisdom into their own spiritual<br />writings.<br /><br />But I digress! In the final analysis, I do believe it more profitable<br />following one's calling through a structure that can carry it forth.<br />Just a tidbit here, if I may. I once heard a football coach actually<br />talk about his particular calling that led to his personal vocation,<br />and within the NFL he found the structure in which to unfold the<br />seeds of his calling unto their fullness.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-80052180446071419562010-03-09T10:34:00.000-08:002010-03-09T10:38:23.408-08:00(60) Love Qualified"The longer I live, the more I am aware of a reaching out for the<br />intimacy of a man-woman relationship. I am not thinking simply or<br />primarily of physical loving, but of the more wide-ranging trust or<br />intimacy which is at the heart of companionship, which involves <br />our affective sexuality, but which is distinct from physical intimacy."<br />[Dominic Gaisford, OSB, "Cast Your Bread on the Waters," in<br />A TOUCH OF GOD: EIGHT MONASTIC JOURNEYS, St. Bede;s<br />Publications, 1982, p. 164.]<br /><br />Comment: "Love" is a word bandied about at so many levels of<br />human experience. Most of us love, fall in love, love in so many<br />expressed ways that such is hardly countable. On the other hand,<br />I have noticed in religious writings these tiers or categories of<br />Love as expressed by theologians, religious, and monastics.<br /><br />And Fr. Dominic had the courage to write about his need for a <br />certain kind of love. At the time he wrote this article, he had been <br />long a monk at Worth Abbey, in England, as well as having had <br />served in Peru for a time. In other words, he was a seasoned <br />monk who had worked in a number of monastic capacities.<br /><br />However, reading his sentences about his need for intimacy, it<br />was as if he were attaining towards a different kind of maturity,<br />not just going up the service ranks of being a monk. But because<br />he had declared living the celibate life, he needed to *qualify*<br />the terms of any love relationship he might hope to encounter.<br /><br />Being outside the walls, though I can never count myself "wise"<br />when it comes to love, I rather imagine that it would be difficult<br />for a man and a woman to love one another without some sort<br />of physical intimacy. It's accomplished, of course, but it's far<br />from complete. Underneath any qualified love between the sexes<br />there's the glow burning away.<br /><br />This *glow* stokes love, but under special circumstances I can<br />only presume that it's burn is controlled by a certain behavior <br />towards one another. No doubt it's do-able, but surely there <br />must be some sort of understanding between the two parties.<br />And maybe it's enough, though I suspect one side of the bond<br />will suffer more from the relationship than the other.<br /><br />But one thing for sure, Love is a need whether a monk or not.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-19744315812997274862010-03-08T10:40:00.000-08:002010-03-08T10:43:52.693-08:00(59) Work"Work...must be congenial and satisfying if the spiritual life is to<br />develop normally: it cannot be all Cross and austerity."<br />[Cardinal Basil Hume, O.S.B., SEARCHING FOR GOD, Paulist<br />Press, 1977, p. 94.]<br /><br />Comment: The late Basil Hume, once a Bendictine abbot, was<br />called to be the Catholic archbishop for England. He was well<br />loved, probably because he was gentle and wise. And I feel<br />quite lucky to have found this little pearl of wisdom as stated above.<br /><br />Like the countless billions of other folk on this planet, I have worked.<br />I'm old enough to have seen my way through two careers, and now<br />I am embarking on a third life phase. <br /><br />I have to admit to some considerable good fortune, in that my two<br />earlier careers were indeed "congenial and satisfying." But I have<br />to admit, also, that the times were right when I found myself in the<br />workplace. Coming from a small generation, too, I no doubt didn't<br />have the competition for positions that younger people now face.<br /><br />So probably "luck" plays a big part when it comes to our work<br />situation. But luck isn't always with every person. Bad luck can<br />give one a raw deal. On the other hand, bad preparation nearly<br />always guarantees a poor hand when it comes to work. But<br />not everybody has the inclination towards academic study. Still<br />there's technical or vocational training. However, this presupposes<br />that a person *knows* the kind of effort or work that best suits him<br />or her. School testing, other forms of personality tests might help--<br />if one wants to bead-in more expertly where their talents lie.<br /><br />Yet, not every one in this world has access to tests, to job availability,<br />etc. Our world lives on multiple tracks of existence, from the ultra-<br />urban to the agricultural realm to tribal societies. So finding that<br />good creative work that suits might be an impossibility.<br /><br />Nonetheless, Cardinal Hume is surely on the mark when it comes<br />to work and its impact on the spiritual life. We are not necessarily<br />talking Religion here, but really more about our own personal human<br />spirit. If our work is creative and pleasant--and especially meaningful--<br />then we possess a happy spirit. And usually happy spirits spread<br />and share their happiness!Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-57256729257702492552010-02-04T10:42:00.000-08:002010-03-23T12:31:58.107-07:00(58) Balance II"Balance is the word--and the way to Benedictine balance is<br />simply to live the life."<br />[Wulstan Mork, OSB, THE BENEDICTINE WAY, St. Bede's<br />Publications, 1980, p. 55.]<br /><br />Comment: At the time of publication, Fr. Wulstan was a monk<br />at Marmion Abbey in Illinois. And though he wrote this book,<br />and several other books, the one small sentence above carried<br />within it the whole of the Benedictine Way!<br /><br />I can only say that I am grateful, finally, to grasp this insight.<br />"Balance" can be very elusive, as I can well attest. Perhaps<br />the duration towards this condition might be easier inside the<br />monastery, where formation and fellow monks are there to<br />illustrate better their way of life. Outside the walls, the<br />challenge towards achieving balance surely is more demanding.<br /><br />Without going into the precise details of the Benedictine Way,<br />I believe that I have formulated--at least for myself--a scheduled<br />approach to my day. It's about taking time out for certain <br />procedures, if you will. This kind of balance can prevent the <br />little cracks of chaos that might seep into one's day. On the <br />other hand, this kind of balance relates to an ordered life <br />that--in turn--holds the possibility for positive creativity.<br /><br />However, there's a danger even here. I cannot presume for<br />others, but I (myself) have fallen afoul of *rigidity.* Living a<br />Benedictine life should flow as naturally as possible, gentle,<br />meaningful, satisfying. But learning one's way into living this<br />kind of balanced life might not only take time, but considerable<br />patience.<br /><br />Consequently, I found that I had to be very patient with myself.<br />And figuratively not slap my hand every time I failed to follow<br />specific forms of the Benedictine Way. What worked for me was<br />when I finally reached a point towards understanding that the<br />process was *beneficial* for me. At that point I started to realize<br />the flow of the Benedictine Way far more easily.<br /><br />Balance, too, lends very much towards Stability and Peace.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-73329600016665193542009-12-16T13:59:00.000-08:002009-12-16T14:10:31.636-08:00(57) Renewal"Wax and wane it will...the monastics say it this way:<br />A pilgrim was walking along a road when one day he<br />passed what seemed to be a monk sitting in a field.<br />Nearby, men were working on a stone building.<br />'You look like a monk,' the pilgrim said.<br />'I am that,' said the monk.<br />'Who is that working on the abbey?'<br />'My monks,' said the man. 'I am the abbot.'<br />'Oh, that's wonderful.' the pilgrim said, 'It's so good to<br />see a monastery going up.'<br />'We're tearing it down.' the abbot said.<br />'Tearing it down?' the pilgrim cried, 'Whatever for?'<br />'So we can see the sun rise at dawn,' the abbot said.<br /><br />To lose something is often to renew it."<br />[Joan Chittister, O.S.B., THE FIRE IN THESE ASHES:<br />A SPIRITUALITY OF CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUS LIFE,<br />1995, p. 77.]<br /><br />Comment: Sr. Joan is a famous Benedictine, belonging<br />to a priory in Erie, PA. She has authored a number of books,<br />and this particular book is about the decline of the religious<br />orders--in that their numbers are dwindling, and their average<br />age is rising. Sr. Joan has hope and ideas how this situation<br />might be curtailed. But it has been some time since the<br />above book was published, and the decline continues.<br /><br />I used to say "alas," after such a remark. But lately I have <br />been re-thinking this situation. First of all, the decline seems<br />"historical." It does not seem a temporary matter, though some<br />hoped it would be. It appears to be an on-going event (or<br />problem).<br /><br />However, viewed as "historical," I have to wonder whether<br />the Spirit is devising new ways to be a monastic or religious.<br />Perhaps the hope for "renewal" might eventually be placed far<br />beyond the walls of a monastery--even beyond a particular<br />group or organization.<br /><br />Still just pondering, but more and more there's continuous<br />emphasis on the religious life, the monastic, out-in-the-world.<br />Monastic forums, even back in the 1980s, talked about the<br />"New Monk" as described in Raimundo Panikkar's book<br />BLESSED SIMPLICITY: THE MONK AS AN UNIVERSAL<br />ARCHETYPE. Lots of ideas have surfaced during these <br />forums, and in monastic articles ever since.<br /><br />Whether devised or accidental, these past three decades<br />many of the best monastic minds have essentially been<br />writing for a wide consumption of readers, who live outside<br />the walls. In effect their books are explaining their Tradition.<br /><br />Once it was thought in Panikkar's forum that perhaps<br />monasteries could be like teaching facilities, enabling the<br />"New Monk" when it came to any serious monastic formation.<br />As far as I know, this hasn't happened in any depth--though<br />secular members of religious and monastic orders do receive<br />at least the rudiments.<br /><br />Regardless, I am beginning to believe--whether unconsciously,<br />whether consciously--Benedictine monks and nuns have<br />definitely been spreading their Tradition's teachings through<br />the written word. And, in the end, this may be the best course<br />to take!<br /><br />Not everybody can journey to a monastery, but they can <br />pick-up a book. Also, nowadays, we live in an expansive <br />world of Communications, where one can just flick on the <br />computer. In the old days one could trudge to the library or <br />the bookstore, but now it's easier switching to the Internet.<br /><br />Anyway, the Benedictines have been busy--long building<br />websites, attending Net discussion groups, putting their <br />articles and abstracts online, advertising their upcoming books.<br />They seem nearly a "natural" in this world of Communication.<br />Why not, these are the folk who started the whole thing--way<br />back--with their scriptoriums!<br /><br />In the end, these "historical" events could end-up strangely<br />surprising. Renewal is hopeful, but not predictable.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-61196925086712536362009-12-04T12:53:00.000-08:002009-12-04T13:00:35.913-08:00(56) A Book most WorthyAwhile back I came across a really excellent book, as put:<br />[Laura Swan, editor, THE BENEDICTINE TRADITION:<br />SPIRITUALITY IN HISTORY,Liturgical Press, 2007.]<br /><br />Comment: For now I am not going to focus on something<br />specific in this book, but rather generally approach it. Laura<br />Swan, O.S.B. is a writer and spiritual director, and a member<br />of a Benedictine priory in Washington State.<br /><br />As the editor of this book, she must have brought together<br />some of the best Benedictine minds when it comes to their<br />traditional history. The forepart of the book focuses on <br />those historical Benedictines who provided the supportive<br />foundations of their tradition. The articles are beautifully<br />written, very complete--and are also beautifully spiritual.<br />It's a good "read" all through!<br /><br />If I may, I'll list the contents:<br />• Benedict and Scholastica.<br />• The Venerable Bede, Monk of Jarrow.<br />• Romuald of Ravenna.<br />• Anselm of Canterbury.<br />• Bernard of Clairvaux.<br />• Hildegard of Bingen.<br />• Gertrud the Great of Helfta.<br />• Dame Gertrude More.<br />• Blessed Columba Marmion.<br />* Raissa Maritain.<br />* Bede Griffiths.<br />• Trappist Martyrs of Tibhirine, Algeria.<br />• Benedictines and the Chant Tradition.<br />• Conference of Benedictine Prioresses.<br /><br />And I especially appreciated the extensive treatment of the<br />"Chant." In recent years the Benedictine Monks of Santo<br />Domingo de Silos reintroduced the Chant to the world--and<br />from their CD sales, the world has loved it!<br /><br />One of my younger family members is a fairly accomplished<br />musician, mainly popular music. But once he heard the<br />Chant he was hooked. He could not get enough of it. So<br />it would seem there is something that is deeply attractive<br />about the Chant, drawing people unexpected into its quiet,<br />soft repose.<br /><br />Also, I liked the introductory and afterword remarks in this <br />book--because the writers realized that there is a "future" for <br />the Benedictine Tradition, in that in some strangely wonderful <br />way, the special spirituality of the Benedictines is also drawing <br />people unexpected.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-4746937462506728922009-11-30T12:53:00.000-08:002009-11-30T12:54:43.589-08:00(55) Canterbury PantocratorTalking about a window at Canterbury Cathedral,<br />"For it is there in the centre and from it the window <br />still continues upward. First, the ascension, then<br />Pentecost, until the final panel shows Christ in<br />majesty, the pantocrator, seated on an orb, his right<br />hand upheld in blessing. *Solus ab eterno creo, cuneta<br />creata guberno.* Alone from eternity I create all things<br />and govern creation. Christ dominates the window as<br />he dominates the Rule.<br /><br />"For the first offices of the day the light of the rising sun<br />would come streaming through that window. While this<br />for us today may be an aesthetic experience, for the<br />medieval onlooker it was much more. Of all the created<br />things which to them presented the image of the creator<br />in varying degrees, light was the most direct manifestation<br />of God. So not only did they stand daily in the presence<br />of a dramatic portrayal of the paschal mystery; they also<br />lived with the vision of the divine light transfiguring the<br />darkness of matter."<br />[Esther de Waal, SEEKING GOD: THE WAY OF BENEDICT,<br />Liturgical Press, 1984, p.80.]<br /><br />Comment: At the time of this publication, Esther de Waal<br />lived at Canterbury. She was the wife of the Dean of the<br />Cathedral.<br /><br />I was struck by her noting that the "first offices of the<br />day" were enveloped by the light of this window and the<br />great Pantocrator--the Lord of the Universe, the Cosmic<br />Christ.<br /><br />Not privy to our modern day technology and our current<br />understanding of Cosmology, I have to wonder how the<br />Benedictine monks at medieval Canterbury must have<br />pondered over the universe, their universe?<br /><br />The world-view back then was far different, set pretty<br />much in concrete by the Church. It was a layered universe,<br />with the Earth at its center. It was a fairly complicated<br />world-view that strangely supported the Church. Alas,<br />when this world-view tumbled--after scientists were<br />condemned--some executed--we now have our solar<br />system, Earth along with its other planets whirling around<br />our little sun, one of billions in our galaxy, which is one<br />of millions in our universe.<br /><br />So, where's the Pantocrator in all this? Big question, with<br />only a few modern takers trying to work through unto an <br />answer. But if we wish to continue the Benedictine quest<br />"seeking God," I imagine we might as well get started.<br />However, it might mean exercising our creativity in ways<br />unimagined.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-43543780886726890712009-11-23T18:49:00.000-08:002009-11-24T09:36:02.751-08:00(54) Intuition & Reason"The experience of the subtle world depends on<br />intuitive insight...It is important to remember,<br />however, that in these investigations we do not<br />discard our reason. The method is to open<br />ourselves through intuition to these deeper<br />insights and then to try to understand them, <br />to relate them and appropriately to systematise<br /> them through the reason. Reason and intutition<br />always have to be used together."<br />[Bede Griffiths, OSB (Cam), A NEW VISION OF<br />REALITY: WESTERN SCIENCE, EASTERN <br />MYSTICISM AND CHRISTIAN FAITH, Templegate,<br />1989, p. 266.]<br /><br />Comment: The late Bede Griffiths was a great<br />Benedictine soul, who spent many years in<br />monastic dialogue with Hindu thought. He<br />was steeped in contemplative experience, oft<br />based not only on meditation but also<br />intuition.<br /><br />Sometimes I wonder about our sense of intuition<br />when it comes towards our trying to understand<br />the Godhead. Probably if I really investigated<br />this as a project, I would encounter countless<br />paths--some familiar, most unfamiliar (at least<br />for me).<br /><br />However, Fr. Bede blends the intuitive with our<br />capacity for reason. And that saves the day for<br />me. I'm not one to go off the deep end, so to speak.<br /><br />On the other hand, reason can be too much of a<br />stern master--if we allow it. In the past, even<br />today, there was occasionally those who demanded<br />that Reason was the one and only! It was our new<br />toy, in that we had thrown our other capacities<br />aside.<br /><br />But, happily, we have tired playing just with this<br />one new toy. We have returned to our other<br />toys, and are even discovering yet newer toys!<br /><br />Okay--the "toys" are an analogy for our human<br />capabilities, wrapped in all sorts of potential.<br />And I do believe the spiritual milieu provides<br />a platform in which to play, play creatively!Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-45617043824090929662009-11-20T10:42:00.000-08:002009-11-20T10:48:38.341-08:00(53) Truthfulness"Realizing that we are always in God's presence, we strive <br />after truthfulness and reject deceit and hypocrisy."<br />[Guy-Marie Oury, O.S.B., ST BENEDICT, BLESSED BY GOD,<br />Liturgical Press, 1980, p. 39.]<br /><br />Comment: At the time of publication, Guy-Marie Oury was a<br />monk of the Abbey of Solesmes in France.<br /><br />The above little sentence speaks of something immensely<br />important. Deceit is about deception--not just only about <br />deceiving someone else in an unseemly manner, but about <br />deceiving ourselves! We probably engage in self-deception <br />more than we realize. (Me? I'm guilty as charged.) <br /><br />As to the "how and why" of self-deception, such remains a <br />private story for each and every individual. But when we do <br />engage in deceiving others, well that's another ball-of-wax. <br />There's all sorts of fraud. One that oft sticks out in our mind is <br />financial fraud. However, the one that sticks out in *my* mind <br />is spiritual fraud.<br /><br />We have had many cases of fraudulent do-gooders, who oft<br />cover up financial fraud by preying on the spiritual good will<br />of believers. And it's not only cushioned in Religion, but also<br />in questionable charities. This all points to yet another issue:<br />hypocrisy.<br /><br />People pretend to be who they are not, and such pretension<br />is usually connected with fraud. But this pretension, too, can<br />be connected with self-deception. In spiritual ways some of<br />us can presume a kind of "perfection" that gives them sway<br />over others, maybe even over themselves! Following specific<br />spiritual or religious prescriptions, we absolutely know that we<br />have "got it."<br /><br />Maybe this is why I like the old Benedictine message that we<br />"stumble and get up again, over and over." There's a sincere<br />truthfulness in this old observation. There's also a practicality<br />in this, as I see it.<br /><br />Being true to our self, admitting that we might stumble, reflects<br />our need to improve or to grow, to evolve. Via such truthfulness<br />we can become more conscious not only of our mistakes but<br />also of our potential.<br /><br />There's that biblical adage about Truth that can set you free.<br />Of course, to be biblically correct, it's about understanding the<br />Truth of Jesus. Yet this adage has long morphed into other<br />meanings. But baseline, I believe, is becoming better towards<br />understanding the Truth about our self, about who we are, <br />about how we relate in this world, etc. Might take a lifetime, <br />but monastics realize this.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-7290414087962720852009-11-18T09:29:00.000-08:002009-11-18T09:32:24.388-08:00(52) The Malcontent"My monastic Odyssey is not quite [an] edifying tale...I was<br />even as a boy, the sort of person who hid in a barrel and ate<br />green apples, as a man, the sort of official who quickly became<br />first mate and thought of mutiny. It has been my fate to stumble<br />constantly into the wrong camp; my life has been a continuous<br />political campaign, full of chaos and muddle."<br />[Dom Fabian Glencross, "Monastic Malcontent," a contribution<br />in A TOUCH OF GOD: EIGHT MONASTIC JOURNEYS,<br />Maria Boulding (editor), St. Bede's Publications, 1970, p.137.]<br /><br />Comment: I can empathize with the late Dom Fabian, a British<br />monk affiliated first with Downside and later with its spin-off, <br />Worth Abbey. He died in Peru, where Benedictines were yet<br />establishing a house in the "Third World."<br /><br />Continuing, Dom Fabian put: "I am going to step into this world<br />and leave the rest behind...I have taken off my sixteenth-century<br />monastic costume because I cannot meet poor men, ordinary<br />men in a real world, dressed like a sober character in *Star Wars;*<br />ordinary Christians deserve to be treated with greater courtesy<br />and consideration. I find more and more that the people I came<br />to help know more about humility in the face of adversity,<br />about courage and self-discipline amid real personal difficulty,<br />than I have..."<br />[Ibid, p. 151.]<br /><br />Just pondering, but maybe this malcontent monk might be the<br />face of the Benedictine future as it moves beyond the walls,<br />out into the world. Dom Fabian was an honest man, who did<br />not worship the forms but rather worked and lived in the *Real.*Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-70854449586830778272009-11-11T10:17:00.000-08:002009-11-11T15:59:33.061-08:00(51) Malleable"Unfortunately the Rule of Saint Benedict has been largely<br />lost to our time. While Benedictine abbeys and monasteries<br />still function throughout the world, their number and influence<br />are small. The Rule itself is written in a context and language<br />that means little to our secular culture. Very few of us share<br />the same world view or religious beliefs as Saint Benedict.<br />Almost none of us want to, or could, retire to a monastery.<br />Nevertheless, at the heart of the Rule is a core of truth about<br />the human condition. It contains a series of brilliant insights<br />concerning how one might make ordinary life into something<br />deeply fulfilling."<br />[John McQuiston II, ALWAYS WE BEGIN AGAIN: THE<br />BENEDICTINE WAY OF LIVING, Morehouse Publishing,<br />1996, p. 4.]<br /><br />Comment: As John McQuiston put, at the time his book was<br />published, he was a middle-aged lawyer who hadn't really<br />been very involved with spirituality nor the church. He <br />attended church, but it didn't seem to have an impact. Sounds<br />familiar. <br /><br />On the other hand, he had arrived at a point in his life where<br />he was looking for something "more." That sounds familiar, too!<br /><br />Due to a small variety of circumstances, Mr. McQuiston <br />stumbled over St. Benedict. He and his wife had made a <br />visit to England and toured through Canterbury Cathedral.<br />While there he met some people connected with a group<br />called the "Canterbury Trust," which is an American support<br />group of the cathedral--and especially focuses on the ancient<br />Benedictine roots of the cathedral.<br /><br />Upon return to the U.S., he kept in touch with the Canterbury<br />Trust--and through his association with the group, John<br />McQuiston decided to probe deeper into the Benedictine<br />Tradition by reading some of the recent books on such. <br /><br />Mr. McQuiston readily admits that he still is not enamored by<br />church, however it would seem he fell in love with the <br />Benedictine Rule! Nonetheless, he realized that the cultural<br />milieu--as well as the language--out of which it came can<br />hold back modern people. So John McQuiston decided to<br />re-write major parts of the Benedictine Rule, whilst careful to<br />keep the meaning intact. He re-worked the Rule for people<br />who were looking for meaning, for a reasonable discipline to<br />follow, that would enrich their lives, that would still reflect<br />the relationship with the Holy.<br /><br />For McQuiston, the Rule of Benedict can be transliterated to<br />be meaningful on an *universal* level, meaningful for anyone<br />who has eyes to see, ears to hear. So he set forth doing this,<br />and I believe successfully so!<br /><br />I read through his little book and came away feeling that<br />McQuiston did *not* take away from St. Benedict's Rule.<br />Via modern language he makes the Rule far more accessible<br />to people unimagined, people out in the world who not only<br />have never (or rarely) set foot in a church, much less thought<br />much of anything about monasticism. Nicely, McQuiston <br />has brought forth the truth and humanity that Benedict's Rule <br />embodies. <br /><br />After reading through his little book, I felt that McQuiston's<br />effort has done no harm and, at the same time, has widened<br />the net--so to speak.<br /><br />Maybe. as time rolls on, we will come to see that the <br />Benedictine Tradition can touch almost anyone, anywhere, <br />under any kind of circumstance. That's the kind of insight <br />that Benedict's little Rule provides. And it's malleable!Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-87663989806035118152009-11-07T11:16:00.000-08:002009-11-07T11:23:36.128-08:00(50) Pathfinders"Bede had a new vision of reality: to transcend the cultural <br />limitations of the great religions that he saw had become <br />"fossilized" and to find a wisdom, a philosophy that can <br />reconcile differences and reveal the unity underlying all their <br />diversities. The need is to reclaim the 'perennial philosophy,' <br />the eternal wisdom in each religion. Bede was a seeker of unity. <br />His life's work was that of calling us to see the necessity of the <br />marriage of East and West...Bede often said 'My monastery is <br />the world.'"<br />[Sr. Maurus Allen, OSB, "Book Review: Bede Griffiths: Essential<br />Writings."] [Also, see Post 31, "Bede's Vision," in this blogsite.]<br /><br />Comment: The late Sr. Maurus, OSB, was a member of the <br />Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, Alabama. She spent some<br />time at the Shantivanam Ashram in India studying the con-<br />templative tradition in Christianity and Hinduism under the <br />guidance of Bede Griffiths, a Camaldolese Benedictine monk. <br />At Cullman, she taught Christian yoga.<br /><br />It is becoming obvious that Benedictine monastics are surely <br />moving onto the "cutting edge" when it comes to their efforts<br />to learn, to seek spiritually. No doubt I will continue to come <br />across some of these "new" efforts as I work deeper into these <br />kind of Benedictine studies. (It's obvious that these efforts <br />towards monastic "unity" are now no longer new to pathfinding <br />Benedictine professed, but they are to me!)<br /><br />In my own case perhaps I could call myself a "pathfinder," but<br />in a different way. I have spent more years than I can count<br />working into an equally new realm: Science and Spirituality.<br />Some pathfinder Benedictines have forged into this new arena<br />as well. <br /><br />Fr. Bede was one, when he included a section called "Western<br />Science" in one of his books. Indeed, he welcomed Rupert<br />Sheldrake--a biologist from Cambridge University--to spend<br />some time at his ashram where he wrote his famous treatise on<br />morphogenetic fields. Such a new, cutting-edge concept, yet<br />Fr. Bede gave encouragement to the young biologist.<br /><br />Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB, and Fr. Thomas Matus, OSB (Cam),<br />were also pioneers when it came to an interchange with Fritjof<br />Capra discussing new explorations into Science and Spirituality.<br />No doubt as I plod along in the "Benedictine World" I will discover<br />yet more of these special Benedictine pathfinders!<br /><br />It's just that I wish I could have discovered these monastic<br />pathfinders into the NEW years ago. Probably reflecting my<br />earlier ignorance of these special people, I forged alone <br />walking my own path. Indeed I felt guilty most of the time, <br />because my walk took me into territories that somehow<br />I felt must be "beyond the pale." And now, only to discover,<br />that all along we have had these Benedictine pathfinders!<br /><br />My fault, no one to blame but myself. No longer, however.<br />Instead of blame, instead of wallowing in guilt, I will fully<br />enjoy tracking these "new" paths of the Benedictine <br />Pathfinders!Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-943657240215679512009-11-04T09:47:00.000-08:002009-11-04T09:48:53.448-08:00(49) Disciplines"Author Richard Foster categorizes the classical spiritual <br />disciplines this way.<br />• Inward disciplines--meditation, prayer, fasting, study.<br />• Outward disciplines--simplicity, solitude, submission, service.<br />• Corporate disciplines--confession, worship, guidance, celebration."<br />[Loni Collins Pratt and Father Daniel Homan, OSB, BENEDICT'S<br />WAY, AN ANCIENT MONK'S INSIGHTS FOR A BALANCED LIFE,<br />LoyolaPress, 2000, p. 196.]<br /><br />Comment: Loni Pratt is a lay devotee of the Benedictine Tradition,<br />and Fr. Daniel has been a monk for decades. They have also<br />written a book on "Hospitality," and maybe more that I have yet to<br />discover. This particular book is very practical, especially for one<br />who aspires towards living out the tenets of Benedictine spirituality.<br /><br />Browsing through this book, I was really pleased to find such a<br />succinct presentation of the "classical disciplines." It would seem<br />they are all there, in a nutshell. However, working through all<br />these disciplines involves a lifetime.<br /><br />I thought it might be interesting going to the dictionary and <br />reviewing what all these disciplines (words) might mean. <br />"Meditation" is about contemplating, pondering, musing on a<br />given subject. "Prayer" is a solemn request or a notation of<br />gratitude. "Fasting" is about abstaining. "Study" is about <br />devoting time and effort towards acquiring knowledge.<br /><br />"Simplicity" is being easy to understand or to do. "Solitude" is<br />about enjoying being alone. "Submission" is about yielding to<br />a superior force or authority. "Service" is an act of assistance.<br /><br />"Confession" can be an admission of one's guilt, or it can be<br />a statement of one's principles or faith. "Worship" shows <br />reverence and adoration for a deity. "Guidance" is about <br />counsel or direction. "Celebration" is about engaging in <br />joyful activity.<br /><br />Reviewing all the different meanings of these words (disciplines),<br />I have to admit participating in all of them. But I won't plague you<br />by going into any fine detail. I can only say that these disciplines,<br />if tried and shown true, are seriously a great helpmate towards<br />achieving successful living in one's life. Doesn't hurt at all<br />practicing these particular disciplines. They are useful.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-76828066610091798162009-10-31T12:28:00.000-07:002009-10-31T12:35:14.418-07:00(48) Peak Experience"...looking back I will so admit that at the moment of my Peak<br />Experience I was more truly and more fully myself than at any<br />other time. And so I find myself confronted with the strange<br />paradox that I am more truly myself when I forget myself. When<br />I lose myself, I find my Self."<br />[David Steindl-Rast, A LISTENING HEART: THE ART OF<br />CONTEMPLATIVE LIVING, Crossroad, 1984, p. 60.]<br /><br />Comment: Br. David is a Benedictine monk, affiliated with<br />Mount Saviour Monastery in New York. He was also trained<br />in art, anthropology, and psychology. And need I note that<br />he is a famous monk, who has been on lecture circuits, <br />leading seminars, on-line, as well as writing other books.<br /><br />I met him years ago during a day when he gave a speech. <br />Quite frankly I cannot remember what he discussed; but I do<br />remember that upon my mentioning being a Benedictine <br />oblate, he bowed and kissed my hand--like the true European <br />gentleman that he is! (Getting one's hand kissed can go a long <br />way for a woman.)<br /><br />As for the Peak Experience, I've read lots about it from other<br />sources. It seems like a connection with All that surrounds you.<br />You become a part of the landscape or the sunset or the music.<br />You are no longer your little ego-self, but rather are part of the<br />Greater Environ in which you have become. Maybe just for<br />a split second, this happens,<br /><br />It's evidently a special experience, which I have yet to experience.<br />I sometimes wish for this Peak Experience, but wishing doesn't<br />prompt it. I've read that some people feel that they can "prep" it<br />by following certain rituals or observances. But that doesn't<br />seem to prompt it either. From my studies, interviewing some<br />people who have had a Peak Experience, it just happens. You<br />can slip into it unawares, but it is boggling when it occurs.<br />I've also discovered that one doesn't necessarily need to be<br />"spiritual" either. And it can include all ages, young and old<br />alike, immature or mature.<br /><br />From my interviews, too, some emerge a little more enlightened.<br />Others can be disturbed. And worst of all, some shrug off and<br />completely ignore the Peak Experience.<br /><br />Br. David does reflect upon this special experience--as he puts:<br />"It matters little whether the experience...took place on a lonely<br />mountain, or, say, in the midst of a crowded concert hall. At the<br />peak moment you were alone in a deep sense. Not that you<br />were reflecting on it then and there, but reflecting on it later you<br />find that the word *alone* applies, even though there may have<br />been a crowd around you. You were in some sense 'the only <br />one.' You were, and this is even more important, not only<br />singled out but of a single mind and so you were 'alone' also in<br />the sense of being altogether with yourself, all of one piece,<br />'all one.'" [Ibid, pp. 60-61.]<br /><br />Besides Br. David's reflection on the Peak Experience, long ago <br />I found yet another who somehow connects with me. In his last <br />treatise, THE BOOK, Alan Watts carries forth that in "immediate <br />contrast to the old feeling, there is indeed a certain passivity to the <br />sensation, as if you were a leaf blown along by the wind, until you <br />realize that you are both the leaf and the wind. The world outside <br />your skin is just as much you as the world inside...they move together <br />inseparably. Your body is no longer a corpse which the ego has to <br />animate and lug around. There is a feeling of the ground holding <br />you up, and of hills lifting you when you climb them. Air breathes <br />itself in and out of your lungs, and instead of looking and listening, <br />light and sound comes to you on their own. Eyes see and ears hear <br />as wind blows and water flows. Time carries you along like a river, <br />but never flows out of the present; the more it goes, the more it <br />stays...[and] all space becomes your mind."<br /><br />My reflection: we are far more than we know.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-6826230451230115952009-10-28T12:50:00.000-07:002009-10-29T11:02:10.490-07:00(47) Spiritual Explorers"...I consider [Carl] Jung to be one of the great visionary and<br />spiritual explorers of our century, along with Pierre Teilhard <br />de Chardin and Thomas Merton."<br />[Donald Corcoran, O.S.B., "Contemporary Forms of Spirituality<br />and Monastic Life," an article in THE CONTINUING QUEST <br />FOR GOD: MONASTIC SPIRITUALITY IN TRADITION AND<br />TRANSITION, William Skudlarek, O.S.B. , General Editor, <br />Liturgical Press, 1982, p. 242.]<br /><br />Comment: Sr. Donald is a lady after my own heart. It has<br />been so long ago, but I actually remember when I first got<br />into Carl Jung's psychological philosophy. It was because<br />of some Benedictines, with whom I had traveled to Greece.<br />They belonged to an abbey out in New Mexico, and they<br />employed a lot of Jung's thinking both in their retreats and<br />in their Spiritual Direction school. <br /><br />Goodness! I had never heard of Jung before then. Freud,<br />yes, and I didn't like him. Anyway, I began to study Jung and<br />became a devotee. Not only did his teaching help me<br />personally, but it helped me better to understand our religious<br />projections and god-imagery. Most importantly, Jung's<br />ideas about individuation exhibited how so much of this <br />religio-spiritual symbolism dwells right in our minds. Somehow<br />discovering this, myself, it made the Spirit Within far more<br />real--because I had *experienced* it.<br /><br />Interestingly, later retraining as a philosopher, studying with<br />the Jesuits, I chose to focus on Teilhard. He, too, talked about<br />a Within--not only within ourselves, but a Within of the Universe!<br />Comparing Teilhard's theory of "Cosmogenesis" with David<br />Bohm's Implicate Order, I was able to modernize Teilhard,<br />linking him with the new scientific understanding of modern<br />Quantum Physics.<br /><br />As for Thomas Merton, well again I can trace my interest in this<br />great spiritual explorer via my connection with the Benedictines.<br />What I love about Merton was his willingness to evolve<br />spiritually, growing, moving into what might be called an<br />"Ecumenism of the Spirit." He dared to study other cultural<br />expressions about the World and God, i.e. Buddhism. Today<br />monastics from both East and West come together, teaching<br />and learning from one another. Merton helped get the ball<br />rolling, so to speak.<br /><br />But best of all was my discovery that Benedictines are *great*<br />spiritual explorers!Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-73380136284080524002009-10-26T11:11:00.000-07:002009-10-26T11:17:30.161-07:00(46) Universal Monk"The hermit, the sannyasi, freed from caste and family<br />responsibilities, is a sign of the Absolute for those still<br />bound to them, but he does not form the seed of a new<br />society; no spiritual community gathers around him. "<br />[Thomas Matus, O.S.B. (Cam), ASHRAM DIARY: IN INDIA<br />WITH BEDE GRIFFITHS, O Books, 2009. p. 47.]<br /><br />Comment: Thomas Matus is a well known Camaldolese<br />hermit, whose community in Northern California is part of<br />the Benedictine Order. An author of a number of books,<br />he is also a noted musician and is devoted to yoga and<br />religious ecumenism. And, especially, he spent lots of<br />time, over a number of years, in India--with the late Fr.<br />Bede Griffiths, also a hermit, who established an ashram<br />devoted to the life of the sannyasi.<br /><br />Frankly, the sannyasi--which is a kind of "universal" monk--<br />is a whole new territory for me, especially when considering<br />that some Benedictines have adopted this lifestyle. Yet,<br />Fr. Thomas does make mention that he still holds to his<br />Christian orientation. The late Wayne Teasdale, a lay monk,<br />also said the same. (See Post 30 in Benedictine Beacon.)<br /><br />I don't know if I ever will move into the sannyasi territory,<br />but I do know the appeal it holds for me. And that is<br />being a "universal" monk. As a lay person, monastically<br />oriented, I felt guilt over decades because I marched to a<br />universal drummer rather than to a institutionally prescribed<br />drummer.<br /><br />Perhaps on the fringe of the Benedictine world, I eventually<br />crawled away from my sense of guilt but nonetheless held<br />strong to Christ--even as his god imagery shifted into new<br />phases, as I continued to broaden my horizons.<br /><br />Anyway, it is such a relief to discover a sense of Benedictine<br />"universality," whether by monks involved in religious<br />ecumenism, in depth psychology, in studying new forms of<br />theology and Christology, and even in comparative studies<br />that try to relate modern science theories with spirituality.<br />And now comes the sannyasi! <br /><br />It's all about what I call the "Challenge of the New," or <br />sometimes the very old. I am always happy to find<br />Benedictines who are not afraid to be spiritual explorers.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-60642362725124825512009-10-03T10:55:00.000-07:002009-10-17T11:56:49.959-07:00(45) Peace & Place"We need to live at peace with the natural world around us, <br />and also with other men and women, our neighbors. If we<br />fail to do so, our temporal well-being and even our survival<br />will be at risk." <br />[Christopher Derrick, THE RULE OF PEACE: ST. BENEDICT<br />AND THE EUROPEAN FUTURE. St. Bede's Publication, 1980,<br />pp. 97-98.]<br /><br />Comment: From the cited book, I cannot discover exactly who<br />Christopher Derrick is or was. In the Preface there is mention<br />that this book was "originally written for the Association of St.<br />Benedict, Patron of Europe." Also there's mention that people<br />outside of Europe need not be excluded, in that the boundaries<br />of the Benedictine Tradition really do not exist.<br /><br />Reading through Derrick's book, it becomes obvious that he is<br />quite miffed by our modern technological civilization and would<br />love to harken back to a more ideal time. Won't happen of <br />course! <br /><br />But I certainly can understand his concern--especially recently <br />when I had occasion for a stay-over at a "casino hotel" in Nevada.<br />It was the only lodging in the middle of a desert. Night came on<br />quickly, and I had little choice. I don't gamble, so this occasion<br />was an eye-opener. The place seemed like chaos, machines<br />clanging, lounge singers moaning, glasses clicking everywhere.<br />The place was loaded with all sorts of people, talking, gambling,<br />drinking. The servers were obviously exhausted, thus rude.<br />It all seemed rather uncivilized to me. Thus I quickly retired to<br />my room, watched the TV weather, and went to bed early. I <br />left early, too! Glad to be rid of the place.<br /><br />However, this experience illustrated how really important it is<br />to gather peace within yourself and all around you. It can be<br />tough to do some times, but it's well worth being able to do this.<br />I suppose "peace" can be likened--scientifically speaking--to <br />making Order out of Chaos.<br /><br />On this trip I was returning from a remote canyon in Arizona,<br />a place of vast red-rock mountains, millions upon millions of<br />years in the making. Quiet, at peace in that place, I felt myself<br />surrounded by God's very own ancient temples. Within, there<br />was also a Indian ruin where the Sinaqua People once lived.<br />Sometimes they are called the Western Anasazi. These people<br />honored the Earth and the Spirit. <br /><br />Standing in the midst of this great canyon, I realized where these<br />ancient People were coming from. Maybe not high-tech folk,<br />having never lived in great urban conclaves, they were most<br />fortunate to live right there in the very center of these great<br />and beautiful mountains--of many shapes, looking truly like<br />glorious temples with a lovely river running through. Swaying<br />cottonwoods along the river lent to the peace that permeated<br />this place. I really felt a love, felt myself standing in the midst<br />of God's Garden of Temples.<br /><br />So, what a contrast--after this--having to spend a night of <br />casino chaos, if you will.<br /><br />Yet, I had the good sense to withdraw from the chaos, even<br />if it meant clearing my mind with the weather report. Looking<br />at the weather map, I kept looking to the place where my<br />red-rock canyon was--and, lo, there was a word placed over<br />it: Sunshine! That charged me, and I felt better. It was a place<br />of Life and Light, quiet, enormously peaceful, presenting its<br />beauty and power.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-57285911314083530032009-10-01T11:33:00.000-07:002009-10-01T11:39:10.156-07:00(44) Personal Integrity"It is at this point, we must face it squarely, that the <br />behavior of the externally 'good religious' who, in good <br />faith, unconsciously, certainly without guilt, has in fact <br />compromised with one of the most basic demands of his<br />humanity (the demand for authenticity and personal<br />integrity), is a scandal to those who are still deeply <br />aware of their need to attain to a fully human and<br />personal integrity..."<br />[Thomas Merton, CONTEMPLATION IN A WORLD OF<br />ACTION, Image Books, 1973, p. 83.]<br /><br />Comment: The more I read Thomas Merton, the more<br />I like this late great Trappist. Of course I suppose it's<br />natural to agree with people with whom you agree. And<br />speaking of "natural," I suppose this is a good time to<br />inject my appreciation of the Ancient Stoa.<br /><br />The Stoa was a school representing Stoic Philosophy<br />all over the ancient Mediterranean World--founded <br />some 2300 years ago by Zeno of Citium in Athens. <br />Interestingly, I encountered both the Benedictine <br />Tradition and the Wisdom of the Stoa nearly at the <br />same time. I won't go into detail about Stoic Philosophy, <br />only to say that a few of it's tenets correspond somewhat <br />with those of the Benedictines. (Indeed the early <br />Benedictine monks saved a lot of classical works, <br />including Stoic writings, by both securing them and <br />maintaining them by making copies in their scriptoriums.)<br /><br />But the point I want to make here is the Stoic emphasis<br />on following your personal nature. They were all about<br />coming to "know thyself." Good advice, because when<br />it comes to integrity we need understand our personal<br />proclivities, our natural inclinations!<br /><br />That does not mean we have to throw away the text <br />books or the rules or regulations, but rather see how <br />we can personally operate under their aegis. In some <br />cases, circumstances might be so extreme as to disallow <br />one from following some rules, some regulations. Here <br />it's about choice.<br /><br />And I must admit that occasionally I have worried when it<br />comes to my choice to hold close to the Benedictine<br />Tradition. When I first entered the Benedictine world, I <br />was about as "unconscious" as I could be. I was operating<br />on instinct, I guess. I was dying of spiritual thirst, and for<br />some odd reason I chose a monastic oasis.<br /><br />Interestingly, it was this encounter with the Benedictines<br />that I eventually strived to come to know myself, strived to<br />understand what made me "tick." I cannot even point to <br />what it might have been that jump-started me. I'm just<br />grateful that it happened.<br /><br />Slowly I learned how to mesh Benedictine wisdom with <br />my own natural interests and proclivities. But I must<br />emphasize the word "slow." Earlier I surely was a midget-<br />sized scandal, when I was trying to be a "good religious."<br />Rote, all rote, with little natural input. Eventually, from the <br />depths of me, I nearly walked away from the Benedictines--<br />thinking that I had made a mistake, thinking that they were <br />all wrong for me.<br /><br />But something just as deep in me, said "stay." And it was<br />at this point that I began accommodating the Benedictine<br />tenets with my own inclinations. It was not easy. I had to<br />get my head out of the box, so to speak. And that can<br />sometimes be disturbing. Because you think that you are<br />breaking the rules!<br /><br />It took me a long time to accommodate, seeing the <br />Benedictine tenets in new ways with new eyes. And <br />after years of inner struggle working to accomplish this,<br />I did. And guess what? After I woke-up, so to speak,<br />I discovered that Benedictine authors were writing about<br />the very same things over which I had struggled for so<br />long. <br /><br />There's room for personal integrity in the Benedictine world.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-58116387375596729412009-09-21T10:09:00.000-07:002009-09-21T10:13:55.766-07:00(43) Spiritual Authenticity"The important thing, always, is that our experience in the <br />spiritual life be authentic."<br />[Jean-Marie Howe, OCSO, THE MONASTIC WAY, St. Bede's<br />Publications, 1989, p. 12.]<br /><br />Comment: At the time of publication, Sr. Jean-Marie was the <br />abbess of a Trappistine abbey in Canada.<br /><br />I certainly agree with her sentence, quoted above. But what <br />can I say about "spiritual authenticity"? It's like saying that every<br />one is different. Yes, there are communal environments behind<br />the walls, but definitely in these places there's still differences in<br />approach. And beyond the walls, our spiritual differences are<br />surely up front in our lives. We might read books about any <br />given monastic tradition, we might try hard to live by rote the<br />rules and regulations of a monastic system, but in the end we<br />have to face our own spiritual experience. And if we don't, well<br />I suspect down the road we will be in for some pain.<br /><br />As for myself, well I felt the pain before I finally decided to get<br />on track with my own life's experience. And I hate to admit it,<br />but I was (and still am) a dreadfully slow learner.<br /><br />But one thing that I have finally learned is that the Spirit will<br />keep knocking at your door, demanding that you follow <br />through authentically--or sometimes playing, when you enter<br />into its flow, providing a good sense of enthusiasm for any<br />"right" effort.<br /><br />Sometimes when I am at peace with myself, I wonder why the<br />Spirit provides so many different ways for us to follow. Some<br />go inward, some lead an active life, and some (like the<br />Benedictines) strive towards balance when it comes to the<br />art of authentic living.<br /><br />I guess we have to learn our way through. It can take a lot of<br />time and keen observation when it comes to figuring what<br />the Spirit may be asking in our life. Me? Well I still am not<br />sure I am on the right path. It's only with a smattering of<br />hindsight that I can see more clearly. It's just the Present--<br />and occasionally the Future--where I oft feel unsure.<br /><br />Not speaking for others, but I seem to go through phases.<br />That's natural, I suppose, especially if you live long enough.<br />Indeed I have grown beyond even the development theories<br />put forth by academics and spiritual directors. We surprised<br />them by living longer.<br /><br />Regardless, the Spirit doesn't stop prodding. At least that's my<br />experience! I guess we have our duty, our calling, right up to<br />our last breath. And the quicker we can move from spiritual<br />rote to spiritual authentic, the better off we will be! And who<br />knows, but this process might portend a much larger story<br />than our own.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-65138527031558248262009-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:002009-09-18T11:21:11.384-07:00(42) Test of Maturity"Our ideals must surely be tested in the most radical way. We<br />cannot avoid this testing. Not only must we revise and renew<br />our idea of holiness and of Christian maturity (not fearing to cast<br />aside the illusions of our Christian childhood), but we may also <br />have to confront inadequate ideas of God and the Church."<br />[Thomas Merton, LIFE AND HOLINESS, Image Books, 1963, p. 46.]<br /><br />Comment: Perhaps we might be surprised by what the great <br />Trappist said above; but, thinking about it, not really. Years after <br />his death, volumes of Merton's personal notes were finally published--<br />and they were a real eye-opener. Not one to remain long in the <br />mundane, Merton took to task a lot of worn-out ideas held by both <br />Tradition and Authority. In his later years it would seem he just got<br />tired toeing-the-line, so to speak. Nonetheless he remained true <br />to his monastic vocation, though at times sorely challenged. <br /><br />Now long-in-the-tooth, I surely can relate to Merton's later years<br />of challenge and challenging. I had sad engagements and <br />disengagements when it came to religious Tradition and Authority.<br />Not very monastic, I suppose. But my spiritual childhood could not<br />prevail under the assault of spiritual maturity, no matter what the<br />rules and regulations might stipulate.<br /><br />Still I can understand that for the most part--when it comes to<br />Institutional Religion--there need be rules and regulations in order<br />to hold together, to keep order, to provide a socially safe haven for <br />the greater good of its congregations. Not everyone can be presumed <br />a *Mature Merton.*<br /><br />On the other hand, what happens when a person does begin to <br />mature when it comes to their religious or spiritual outlook? Where <br />do they go? Where are their companions going down a similar path?<br />Perhaps it is meant that each person in this situation need find their<br />own way. Some stay, some leave, when it comes to their familiar<br />religious environment. Some remain inside their old circle, some<br />seek other circles. For some it is a matter of "Accommodation," and<br />for others "Adventure." And for a few, it is somehow Both Together.<br />That's quite an achievement when it can be done, but Merton did it.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-87492108040213433992009-09-12T14:41:00.000-07:002009-09-14T11:27:55.486-07:00(41) Beyond the Pale"Leisure introduces into every activity an element of play, an <br />element of doing whatever it be also for its own sake...Thus leisure<br />provides the climate in which one can be open for meaning."<br />[David Steindl-Rast, O.S.B., A LISTENING HEART: THE ART OF<br />CONTEMPLATIVE LIVING," Crossroad, 1984, p. 26.]<br /><br />Comment: Interesting, but I found this little gem about leisure<br />and play providing some small insight into a trip I soon will take.<br /><br />Quite awhile ago I decided that I would no longer take any long<br />treks, far away, mainly because I felt that I had reached the point<br />where I might not be able to travel afar comfortably. Getting older,<br />so I was quite surprised when I decided to take this trip into a<br />remote canyon in Arizona. There's the natural beauty, of course,<br />but I was drawn to see yet another Sinaqua "ruin." Not a positive<br />known, but the Sinaqua are sometimes called the Western<br />Anasazi. They occasionally did occupy the same places as <br />the Anasazi.<br /><br />Anyway, I had to wonder why I had decided to take yet another <br />"Anasazi" trip, if you will. Over the years I had visited sites of <br />these Ancient One's in Utah, New Mexico, and other places in <br />Arizona. Years back, when in the Santa Fe area I had special <br />dreams of these ancient Indians-the Early Pueblans--dancing <br />within my mind. Not visions, but rather persistent dreams!<br /><br />In the midst of these encounters, I had special experiences as <br />well. So I have studied these mysterious Anasazi people--and <br />occasionally wondered why they were such a draw to me. I still <br />do not quite understand, but I am letting my "leisure" draw me <br />forth into this remote canyon.<br /><br />And one morning recently I woke early, and suddenly all sorts <br />of ideas stormed into my mind. I'm a story-teller, focusing on <br />different spiritual, philosophical, and scientific perspectives. <br />And somehow I manage to blend all these perspectives into my <br />own God quest. Fascinating--but these ideas, that morning, nearly <br />composed a complete story that circled first around the Anasazi <br />unto the modern period, featuring a monk-psycholgist focusing <br />on the Psi Sciences.<br /><br />These ideas storming into my mind leaped out-of-the-blue.<br />Mysterious, but fascinating! Strangely I felt strongly that this <br />forthcoming trip into that remote canyon, into yet another <br />stronghold of these ancient People, is somehow spiritually <br />significant for me.<br /><br />My particular "leisure" in this case is about both spiritual<br />Mystery and Adventure. And believe it or not, that's what <br />Benedictines do! Seeking God involves wondrous paths that <br />oft can take us Beyond the Pale.Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3586811566082496083.post-78486322058206127782009-09-03T15:43:00.000-07:002009-09-10T11:42:44.228-07:00(40) Death"Death had lost its sting. We are free in the face of death because<br />we have put our stock in the deeper, unending life of the Spirit."<br />[M. Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O., LIGHT FROM THE CLOISTER,<br />Paulist Press, 1991, p. 124.]<br /><br />Comment: Recently I read online the obituary of an old friend of<br />mine--a tireless priest, who not only served his Church, but also<br />his country as a military chaplain. But above all he served God.<br /><br />Born in 1918, he was just shy one month turning 91 years old. <br />He was an "old fashioned" priest, if you will--somewhat autocratic<br />in his ways. I never could figure whether it was because he was<br />a priest or whether it was because he was a "bird" Colonel (USAF, <br />Retired). Some folk did not love this priest, but incredibly I did.<br /><br />Thinking back, it was kind of an odd relationship--between this<br />old priest and me. He was really very ultra-conservative in his<br />religious outlook, and I was anything but. Still I had to honor this<br />priest, because he stuck to serving God in the face of a lot of<br />adversity. I won't go into the problems this good priest faced,<br />some his fault, most no fault of his own. Through it all, I think<br />he tried to be gentle with others who were not so gentle with him.<br /><br />But perhaps I was biased? Regardless, he has now passed on.<br />When he died, we were a continent apart. Having gone frail,<br />losing his eye-sight, we stopped corresponding. And at his age,<br />well the computer and e-mail were not part of his world.<br /><br />His obituary said that he was lovingly cared for in his last days,<br />by younger members of his family. And he still enjoyed his<br />clerical life, enjoying a weekly meal with priests in a nearby<br />parish. <br /><br />In an online "remembrance," I made mention that I enjoyed his<br />sermons/talks on Church History. Though he served as a parish<br />priest and military chaplain, he was most comfortable as a scholar.<br />He studied and received degrees from some fancy academic<br />institutions. This good priest got me started when it came to my<br />own interest in the history of the Church. (Warning, however,<br />history oft shows-up the blemishes as well as the bloom.)<br /><br />Anyway, my priest friend was not a Benedictine, not even a <br />monastic, though in spite of all his experience in the world, he<br />was a solitary sort of fellow. I think sometimes this might have<br />made it tough for him, kind of going against the grain. <br /><br />Now Fr. Bernie is gone, like so many other of my friends. Over<br />the years I have collected their obituaries--and the pile is growing<br />thicker. Of course this situation happens to all of us, sooner or<br />later. As for "Death," well it becomes more prominent. I cannot<br />say how I might respond when actually facing it myself. Yet I have<br />some good examples of these friends, who took their leave with<br />grace!Beatrix Murrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11311101719106506471noreply@blogger.com0