Soulistry: Artistry of the Soul

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once wrote “If we could see that everything, even tragedy, is a gift in disguise, we would then find the best way to nourish the soul.”

Some have reflected that my experience with heavy metal toxicity (mercury poisoning to be preceise) was a tragedy. To me, it has been a “gift in disguise” in many respects for it has been a deeply soul-nourishing time that resulted in many blessings and a sense of what I am next “to do”.

So, as they say in the movies … drum roll please … a spiritual birthing announcement .-) Soulistry is delighted to announce the launch of Soulistry Retreats / Workshops / Courses connecting creativity and spirituality.

Here’s the descriptive “blurb”

… Re-awaken your creativity through an exploration of artistic expressions intended to enrich your spirituality in new ways and help release your playful nature. An open heart, mind and a willingness to explore, play and create are the ingredients of Soulistry: Artistry of the Soul sessions.

The workshop/retreat/course sessions are for … those who haven’t any/much art training … those who are in a period of creative stagnation … those who may not yet have discovered their artistic abilities … and those who would like to play, create and grow spiritually.

I delight in seeing the light from within each Soulistry participant emerge and evolve. A rich background as published author, educator, spiritual director, minister/chaplain (ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada) and creative spirituality artist combine to nurture an abiding awareness of the Holy in all aspects of life. I have a deep conviction that everyone has received the gift of creativity in some way and I seek to bring an enthusiastic and gentle approach to each Soulistry Artistry of the Soul session.

For more information about Soulistry: Artistry of the Soul, please contact junemaffin at gmail dot com

how do i know
when god speaks

is god
the voice deep within
the thought that flits through my head
the heartbeat that races
the questions
the answers

is it any of these
none of these
all of these

is it really
god - holy other - creator - spirit
or is it simply
me

when god speaks
do i know for certain
what i must do
am i certain
it is god who speaks

not really
and yet
yet
i cannot remain
inactive
unresponsive

life
god - spirit - holy other - creator
invites me to live
to risk
to move forward
to respond to that quiet inner voice
to trust the source whose name seems hidden
in mists of confusion
in voices of doubt
in shadows of uncertainty

expectant that what lies ahead will
nurture
challenge
bless

believing that
the true voice of spirit
will not lead me to chaos
or confusion

Some people think that shadow times are to be gotten through quickly - to be endured - to be survived. I don’t. I think that such moments are to be “lived” and that they serve a purpose.

My mother was an artist. A blank canvas would become majestic mountains, resplendent flowers and appealing landscapes under her creative touch. From her, I learned many of life’s lessons. Even her artwork taught me. I remember one day when she explained the importance of the shadows around an object (the dark areas) for they brought out the form and general shape of an object, “Shadows”, she said “are just as integral as are the highlights.

What is true in art so often is true in life. The dark, shadowy times of our lives can be just as instructive as can be the positive, joy-filled times. Surely it takes both sorrow and joy, failure and success, mountain-top and desert, struggle and endurance, shadow and sunshine experiences to make life full and meaningful resulting in profound spiritual growth - creating the painting that is our life?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Desmond Tutu
There is nothing you can do that will make God love you more, there is nothing you
can do that will make God love you less.

Desmond Tutu (1931) is a South African Anglican bishop (Primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa) and activist whose involvement in the 1980’s as an opponent of apartheid brought hime worldwide recognition. Many perceive him to be South Africa’s moral conscience - the voice of the voiceless. Recipient of many awards (Nobel Peace Prize in 1984; Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism in 1986; the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2007), he has written a number of books which compile his speeches and quotes.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:

* If there is nothing more you can do to make God love you more than you are already loved, what motivates your life?
* If there is nothing you can do that will cause God love you less, in those moments of self-doubt, anxiety, sinfulness, etc., what can you do to bring about an deeper awareness of God’s love and presence?

“I don’t hesitate to punctuate the ephemeral with the specific.“
Gloriamarie Amalfitano

Gloriamarie Amalfitano:A daily struggle with the effects of clinical depression and an intimate spiritual connection, Gloriamarie felt the call to be “more
accountable and more in community” about her faith and family
responsibilities so moved to San Diego, CA to be close to her aging
mother and began the process towards becoming an Anglican religious
Solitary which she notes “is nothing special in a religious vocation;
it is just another call … the closer we come to God, the more we
become our true selves.” She follows “the Rule of St Benedict with a
good dash of Franciscan thrown in” and her vital Prayer Shawl ministry
helps support her local parish’s outreach ministry. A member of
several internet lists, including AWCC (Anglican Women CircleChat)
where she posted the above quote in response to a discussion on
prayer, she blogs through YahooGroups KnitternunMeditation and
Episcopal Solitaries.

Soulistry Journal Prompt Questions
* What are some ‘ephemeral’ examples of a spiritual life?
* What are some ’specific’ examples of a spiritual life?
* Would you consider yourself to be more ephemeral or specific in your prayers?
* What would you change / add / subtract to “punctuate the ephemeral with the specific” in your prayers?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Anne Sexton
“There is hope. There is hope everywhere. Today God gives milk, and I
have the pail.”

Anne Sexton (1928 - 1974) was born Anne Gray Harvey and in response to her lifelong battle with bipolar disorder, she resorted to writing poetry as part of her therapy. Soon after connecting with this creative part of her being, she was able to make her living as an American poet and writer. Later, a collaboration with some musicians resulted in the formation of ‘Anne Sexton and Her Kind’ - a group committed to putting music to her words which many deemed as ‘confessional.’ A Roman Catholic priest once told her that God was in your typewriter” which motivated her to continue writing.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* Is your soul open to hope - “hope everywhere”?

* How has God/Higher Power/Holy Other given milk in your life?

* How have you responded?

* How can you live your life so that you are ready to receive God’s milk of hope in your spiritual pail?

* Are there things in your spiritual pail you need to empty before being able to receive?

* If so, what are they?

* What can you do to prepare your spiritual pail to receive God’s “milk”?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Willa Cather
“Miracles … seem to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always.”

Willa Cather (1872-1947) was an American author of novels, poems, short stories and non-fiction. Keen observer of life, she received the Pulitzer Prize in 1922. Her talent with words made her the celebrated author she was.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* What would constitute a ‘miracle’ for you?* When have your “perceptions (been) made finer” so that “for a moment” your eyes can see and your ears can hear “what is there about (you) always”?

* Reflect on a time when you or a loved one experienced a miracle. Did you share this experience with anyone?

* If so, what was their response?

* If not, why not?

* If you need a miracle in your life, have you been open to receive it?

* If not, what do you have to do to make your heart ready to receive that miracle?

An aside: Soulistry JournalPrompts on this site are a growing repository of quotes, brief biographies and starter-reflection questions to encourage spiritual growth in one’s life. To access earlier Soulistry JournalPrompts, scroll down the page and click “older posts” several times until you begin to find them. Some - but not all - can be found by clicking on Soulistry JournalPrompts in the *Categories* section on the right side of this site.

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson, (1803 - 1882) has been a prolific essayist, philosopher and poet. He made his living as an educator, continued his studies at Harvard in divinity and was ordained as a Unitarian minister following in his father’s and other family members footsteps, but resigned four years later after a dispute with church authorities. His first son, Waldo, died of scarlet fever, ultimately resulting in two significant writings about his grief. Many find similarities between his writings and that of Henry David Thoreau. Emerson’s contribution to the world of writing lies in his elaborately indexed journal-keeping which he began while a teenager at Harvard. Many consider him to be one of the great orators of his time and many phrases he used in his speeches and writings have found their way into today’s culture as noteworthy quotes.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* How would you define “miraculous” - “miracle”?

* Do you believe in miracles - the miraculous?

* What are some examples of miracles that you’ve experienced / heard others speak about experiencing?

* When was the last time you saw “the miraculous in the common”?

* Reflect on that time and note the specifics of the “common” and what the “miraculous” was that you observed.

* Are you comfortable speaking about “miracles” / “the miraculous” in your life?

* If not, what do you think prevents you from speaking about this?

* If so, when was the last time you did speak about the miracle(s) you’ve observed / experienced?

* Reflect on this time and who it was you spoke to about this - the situation which brought about your comments.

Soulistry Journal Prompt … Leonard Cohen
“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

Leonard Cohen, Canadian-born-and-raised poet, novelist and singer-songwriter, examines issues of sexuality, spirituality, religion and power in his dual careers in music and literature. In the mid 1990’s, he began five years of seclusion at the Mount Baldy Zen Centre and in 1996, was ordained a Buddhist monk, adopting the Dharma name, Jikhan, meaning ’silence’. However, he still considers himself also a Jew: “I’m not looking for a new religion. I’m quite happy with the old one, with Judaism.” Having suffered from depression much of his life, his writing is reflective of this subject and in recent years, social justice are war are enduring themes of his work. In 2003, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:

* In explaining the above quote, it’s been said that Cohen is stating that human imperfections bring whatever transcendence can be attained. Is this how you would interpret this quote?

* If it is not how you would interpret this quote, how would you?

* What do you understand to be “the light” that is let in?

* Reflect on some of the moments in your life (”cracks“) when “the light” has entered. How has that light been let in?

* How have you responded?

* The Sanskrit greeting “Namaste” has various meanings, one of which is: “I honour the light within you.” This ‘light’ can be interpreted from the universal concept of *spirit* to the *light of one’s faith.* If you were greeted in such a fashion, how would you interpret that “light” that is honoured within you by the other?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … attributed by some to Chief Seattle
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”

Chief Seattle ( - 1866) while not an authentic hereditary chief among Puget Sound Indians, Chief Seattle’s leadership skills and his ability to understand the intentions of the white settlers, combined with his oratorial skills led him to be recognized as a spiritual leader.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:

* Reflect on the “web of life” metaphor. How do you see yourself as “but one thread within” the web of life?

* Do you agree that “whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves”? How so?

* If so, reflect on a recent action that you have taken - or not taken. How might that action or lack of action have affected others … family, friends, strangers, enemies?

* Reflect on your connection with the “web of life” vis a vis stewardship of the earth … conservation of water / electricity, recycling, ‘natural’ vs synthetic products, choice of vehicle. What impact might your action / lack of action in these areas have on your life - the life of your family - the life of the next / subsequent generations?

* Reflect on Chief Seattle’s statement: “all things are bound together … all things connect.” How are you / humankind connected to the earth, the seas and oceans, the animals, the plants, your neighbours?

* Who are your neighbours - only those around you (family, friends) or can you extend the meaning of neighbour? If so, how - to what extent?

* If your understanding of neighbour includes those in distant lands, those you have never met, those who have a different (or no) understanding of a Higher Power / God / the Creator, those who are not-yet-born … how does that understanding affect your belief about other religions, abortion, same-sex blessings/marriages?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Joan Chittister
“Nothing we do changes the past. Everything we do changes the future.”

Joan Chittister, Benedictine nun for more than half a century, is a best selling author of more than thirty five books and an international speaker on a variety of topics most notably spirituality, women’s issues, human rights, peace and justice. Though she often clashes with Roman Catholic authorities because of her outspoken views on these topics as well as on ordination of women and the American political scene, her “From Where I Stand” column has a growing readership among people of many faiths.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:

* If “nothing we do changes the past,” what is it that keeps you in the past around a certain issue / specific problem?

* What is it that has you unable to move beyond any painful memories of the past and forward into healing of the hurt, resentment, anger?

* If “everything we do changes the future,” what can you do to change

- your future?

- the future of this world?

- the future of your community?

- the future of your neighbourhood?

- the future of your family?

- you?

Soulistry JournalPrompts
… Author unknown
“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there in no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”

… Black Elk
“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

… Lao Tzu
“If there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between neighbors, there must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart.”

… Jill Jackson
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God our Creator, family all are we. (alternate sentence: With Earth as our Mother, her children all are we) Let us walk with each other, in perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now. With every step I take let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Copyright 1955, Renewed 1983, by Jan-Lee Music (ASCAP). International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.

Author Unknown: Efforts to locate the author of this quote have been unfruitful. Whoever the author is/was, it is my hope that s/he will be pleased to know that it is being used by people around the world to grow in their self-understanding and spirituality.

Black Elk - Hehaka Sapa - (1863 - 1950) was a highly respected Medicine Man / Holy Man of the Oglala Lakota Sioux. After the death of his Roman Catholic wife Katie, he embraced Christianity and continued to serve as a spiritual leader among his people, seeing no contradiction in embracing what he found valid in both his tribal traditions and those of Christianity. Toward the end of his life, he shared a number of sacred Sioux rituals which later were published and he claimed to have had several visions in which he met the Spirit that guided the universe.

Lao Tzu (570-490 BCE) An ancient (4th or 6th century B.C.E.), Chinese philosopher reputed to be very wise, he was supposedly the author of many quotes and credited with being the founder of Taoism. Many legends revolve around his conception, birth, life and longevity thus any biographical statement would be conjecture.

Jill Jackson (1913-1995) Jill’s early childhood was fraught with difficulties resulting in her becoming a ward of the court and foster child. Recovering from her suicide attempt of 1944 and its resultant paralysis, Jill realized the presence of a Higher Power in her life, found her faith and received the inspiration for “Let there be Peace on Earth.” Peace and the personal power and responsibility of each person in creating peace in the world became the focus of the rest of her life which was one of empowerment and inspiration.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:

* How would you define ‘peace’?

* Would your definition change if the question had been worded “how would you define world peace?” or if it had been worded “how would you define inner peace?” If so - how?

* Are you at peace where you are in your life in relation to your family? your job? your health? your finances? your relationships? beliefs?

* Consider a moment/incident of stress in each of those areas (family, job, health, finances, relationships, beliefs) and reflect on how you might be “calm in your heart” (how you might experience the presence of peace) while you are in the midst of the stress.

* As you reflect on Black Elk’s understanding of “the first peace … is within each of us”, what are your thoughts?

* As you reflect on Lao Tzu’s comments about world peace (peace in the world) arising from the peace within (peace in the heart), how might you be a bearer of peace in today’s world?

* As you reflect on Jill Jackson’s song, how might people “walk with each other in perfect harmony”?

* Are you ready to make a “solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally”?

* How can peace begin with you?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Thich Nhat Hanh
The well is within us. If we dig deeply in the present moment, the water will spring forth.

Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced Tick-Naught-Han) has been a Vietnamese Buddhist monk since he was 16. Working tirelessly for reconciliation between North and South Vietnam, his lifelong efforts to generate peace moved Martin Luther King Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. Living in exile in France (where he founded a retreat centre) from his native Vietnam since he was 40, he is a prolific writer (more than 75 books of prose, poetry and prayers), renowned scholar, world leader and spiritual guide - championing a movement which intertwines traditional meditative practices with active nonviolent civil disobedience. His teachings revolve around respect for life, generosity, responsible sexual behavior, loving communication, and cultivation of a healthful life style. His meditation technique (mindfulness) which encourages adherents to take care in the present moment while being profoundly aware and appreciative of life, helps people in their desire for wholeness and inner calm

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* What do you think the author means by “the well is within”?

* How have you dug “deeply in the present moment” in your life in the past?

* What growth / learnings / self-discoveries resulted?

* How might you “dig deeply in the present moment” now?

* Are there things in your past / present / that you’re fearful of in the future which prevent you from looking at the well within you?

* If so, name / journal them / talk them over with a counsellor / spiritual director / soul friend so they no longer have any power over you restricting your ongoing tapping of the “well within.”

* What “water” do you anticipate / hope “will spring forth” from such self-examination?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Ambrose Redmoon
“Courage is not the absence of faith, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

Amrose (Hollingworth) Redmoon (1933 - 1996), American writer and manager of the rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service was the pseudonym of James Neil Hollingworth. Born in Ohio, United States, he spent the last thirty years of his life as a parapalegic as a result of a car accident. The above quote is taken from an article entitled “No Peaceful Warrior” published in the Fall 1991 issue of A Journal of the Western Inner Traditions.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* How would you define ‘courage’ to another?

* Reflect on the last moment in your life when courage was needed. Was it a moment of “judgment that something else (was) more important than fear”?

* If so, what was that “something else”?

* Reflect on several moments in your life when courage was needed. How was courage expressed?

* Was courage expressed the same way each time?

* Do you understand emotional courage, physical courage, spiritual courage to be the same / have similar characteristics?

* If so, what would those characteristics be?

* If not, how would they be dissimilar?

* Is courage something everyone can evoke from within when needed?

* Or is courage something only certain people have?

* What in your life today, will take courage for you to face / do / believe?

* What is it?

* What prevents you from having the courage to face / do / believe?

Soulistry JournalPrompts … Anthony D’Angelo
“When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.”

Anthony D’Angelo (b. 1972) is a man filled with a sense of curiosity, wonder and vision. That vision propelled him to interview over 500 college students and 1,000 university professionals so that he could discover what was missing from most students’ college/university experience. His research led him to believe that the ‘degree’ rather than the education is the goal of most college students. From these results, he founded a number of organizations which empower college students, educators and administrators from over 2,000 North American college campuses. CNN dubbed him as the “development guru” of his generation, comparing him to motivational speaker Anthony Robbins because of his passionate focus on empowering youth and because of his one sentence quips of wisdom such as this Soulistry JournaPrompt.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* Reflect on the two problem-solving methods D’Angelo suggests: leaf-hacker and root-digger. How would you explain these two methods?

* What do you believe are the advantages of each?

* What are the disadvantages of each?

* How do you solve problems that come up in your life?

* Is there a difference in your problem-solving method depending on the problem? If so, in what way?

* Does problem-solving have an impact on your spiritual life?

* If so, how?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Sri Chinmoy
Spirituality is constant inner mountain-climbing.

Sri Chinmoy (1931 - 2006. Born in east India) was an internationally renowned world harmony leader, spiritual teacher, writer, athlete, artists and humanitarian who devoted his life to the pursuit of a dream of a world of peace. He credits his Inner Pilot (his term for God) for all that he was and achieved - he was an ardent supporter of the United Nations (serving as the leader of the Peace Meditation at the United Nations) - was deeply respected and loved worldwide - his philosophy for world peace which embraced and encouraged people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities to work together for peace was manifested through a wide array of activities ranging from literature to art to sports to music. A modern day renaissance man, he wrote over 1600 books of prose and poetry, composed nearly 21,000 pieces of music, and performed more than 750 Peace Concerts worldwide - all offered free of charge. He was an avid runner, tennis player and champion weightlifter. When Sri Chinmoy died, Nobel Laureates, national leaders of countries around the world, UN officials, religious leaders of all faiths, political figures, humanitarian workers, renowned musicians and world-class athletes from all around the world paid final tributes to the beloved spiritual teacher.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:

* How would you define spirituality?

* What do you understand “constant inner mountain-climbing” to mean?

* What “inner mountain-climbing” have you experienced?

* With what results?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … St. Francis of Assisi
May you be blessed with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart. May you be blessed with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May you be blessed with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy. And may you be blessed with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all children and the poor.

St. Francis of Assisi was born at Assisi in 1182. Many Christians honour him as the patron saint of animals (the Sunday closest to October 4th is a day many set aside for the Blessing of Animals) as well as the patron saint of ecology. When blindness limited his sight, he wrote the “Canticle of Brother Sun” - a canticle that shows his love of creation. Born to wealth, his life emphasized and reflected that of simplicity and poverty. Many followed him and in time, Roman Catholic and Anglican religious orders were established which follow the rule of St. Francis - today’s Franciscans.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* How might you welcome blessings of discomfort “at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships so you may live deep within your heart”?

* How might you welcome blessings of anger “at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace”?

* How might you welcome blessings of tears to shed “for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy”?

* How might you welcome blessings of foolishness “to believe that you can make a difference in the world so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all children and the poor”?

* Franciscans follow a lifestyle of simplicity. How might your life be a reflection of that lifestyle?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Sanskrit Proverb
Look to this day for it is life, the very life of life! In its brief course lies all the realities and verities of existence - the bliss of growth, the splendour of action, the glory of power. For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day.

Sanskrit is one of twenty two official languages of today’s India. Its origins were in ancient times - as early as 1700 BCE. Sanskrit writing is multi-dimensional: poetry, drama, philosophy, religion, as well as scientific and technical texts and has been widely used as a ceremonial language (in the form of hymns and mantras) in Hinduism, Buddhism and sometimes in Jainism. Sanskrit writings are noted to be wonderful repositories of wisdom.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

* Would you identify yourself as one who expectantly looks to each day as “the very life of life!” or are you more a person who looks to each day with dread?

* If the latter, what can you do to be more a person who celebrates life?

* It’s not just Buddhism/Hinduism/Jainism/Sanskirt proverbs which espouses this philosophy (Look well therefore to this day) of celebrating life. Jewish people often shout “L’cheim … To life!” at special celebrations and Jews and Christians find solace in the Deuteronomist’s encouragement to “Choose life!” Are there some little things you can do to make “every tomorrow a vision of hope” beginning today?

* What would those be?

* How committed are you to taking those little steps?

* If you are serious about changing your attitude about life, are you willing to share this decision with another - a spiritual director, a family member, a soul friend?

* If not, why not?

* If you are willing to share this decision - with whom and when?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Thomas Merton
“To hope is to risk frustration. Therefore, make up your mind to risk frustration.”

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was an acclaimed monk, poet, spiritual writer, social activist and proponent of inter-religious dialogue which led to meetings with the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh. A prolific writer (over 60 books), he was influenced by the writings and life stories of poets William Blake and Gerard Manley Hopkins. He speaks to the hearts and minds of people searching for answers to life’s questions - the essence of spirituality. His writings take people into deep places within themselves and offer insight to the paradoxes of life. While Merton struggles with how one can be contemplative in a world of action, his belief (apart from God there is the experience of alienation and desolation) leads him to conclude that God must be discovered as the centre of one’s being to which all things tend and to whom all activity must be directed.

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions

BG: Merton’s words (To hope is to risk frustration. Therefore, make up your mind to risk frustration) echo that of others (It’s how you get up after you have been knocked down that counts; Smooth seas never made a skillful sailors; Seven times down, eight times up), the Chinese proverb (The glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time you fall) and the story of Lasse Viren (the 23 year old Finnish police officer and athlete who stumbled, fell halfway through the 1972 Olympic 10,000 meter finals, calmly got up, started running again, won the gold medal and set a world record as well).

*When have you “risked frustration” in order to hope and live a better, more spiritually / emotionally / physically fulfilling life?

* Take some time to reflect on the moments when you didn’t “risk frustration” - didn’t “get up” after you were knocked down (be that emotionally, physically, spiritually) - didn’t “rise” when you fell. What blocked your ability to “risk frustration”?

* Is there a pattern that emerges in your ability to “risk frustration”?

*What can you do to “make up your mind to risk frustration” so that hope can re-enter your life the next time life hits you with a bitter pill to swallow, an unfair situation, an injustice?

Soulistry JournalPrompt … Verna Dozier
“What difference does it make that you believe?”

Verna Dozier (1917 - 2006) always wanted to be an educator and her life was a wonderful testimony to a ‘call’ to teaching. She began as a high school English teacher; moved on to serve as a school administrator and curriculum developer; and mentored countless men and women at the local, national and international levels of the Episcopal (Anglican) Church. Her conviction - that laity needed to claim their authority in the world - undergirded her ministry. There is a story circulating that when the Diocese of Washington was considering a successor for Bishop John Walker, several people, citing the historical precedent of Ambrose of Milan, suggested Verna be nominated. Her reply was reflective of her strong belief in the importance of laity - she responded by saying that at her stage in life, she was “not willing to accept a demotion from lay person to bishop.”

Soulistry JournalPrompt Questions:
* For many people, the question *What* do you believe? is important. For others, it is not as important as is Verna Dozier’s question What difference does it make that you believe. Which is more important for you … *that* you believe or … that believing makes a difference in your life?

* Why?

* Reflect on these questions from a variety of perspectives - *what* do you believe and what difference does it make in your life that you believe what you believe:

- abortion
- adherance to a particular faith perspective
- capital punishment
- same-sex blessings/marriage
- prayer
- the existence of God / Holy Other / Higher Power
- voluntary euthanasia