A few hours from now we'll be celebrating the arrival of the New Year, and I have a confession to make. Though I write military/political thrillers and follow the deployments of our carrier strike groups and track tensions across the Middle East, my heart resides with mystics. They often see the world more clearly than I might, but when they point to the truth, I know it to be so. I think we all do. Let's travel a bit...
Hidden away in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, at an elevation over 8,000 feet, is the small town of Snowmass. Some 2,000 people live there, along with a community of Trappist monks. Fr. Thomas Keating was a member of this community until his passing two years ago.
I've followed Keating's work for years. He was a prolific writer, beloved by many. He helped people learn the art of meditation and contemplation. Recently a friend introduced me to his Welcoming Prayer. I had not known of it until she read it to me. She proceeded slowly, pausing at each word, and as she did so, I felt my heart release. Because of this, I share it below.
Hidden away in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, at an elevation over 8,000 feet, is the small town of Snowmass. Some 2,000 people live there, along with a community of Trappist monks. Fr. Thomas Keating was a member of this community until his passing two years ago.
I've followed Keating's work for years. He was a prolific writer, beloved by many. He helped people learn the art of meditation and contemplation. Recently a friend introduced me to his Welcoming Prayer. I had not known of it until she read it to me. She proceeded slowly, pausing at each word, and as she did so, I felt my heart release. Because of this, I share it below.
Basically the prayer is a welcoming of life and a letting go of attachments. It's universal, especially if we understand God as Love. I'm sharing it today, because I find its simple ebb and flow to be very healing and comforting, and I need that right now. Perhaps you do as well.
Tomorrow we'll step into another year. Not much will have changed over night, but when we say our goodbyes to 2020, I'm hoping we're able to let it go. We've all grown wiser and kinder over this past year. We cry more easily, we love more broadly. Let's take those qualities with us. Our beautiful planet needs our wisdom, our kindness, our love - more than ever.
Happy New Year, dear friends! 💗
Tomorrow we'll step into another year. Not much will have changed over night, but when we say our goodbyes to 2020, I'm hoping we're able to let it go. We've all grown wiser and kinder over this past year. We cry more easily, we love more broadly. Let's take those qualities with us. Our beautiful planet needs our wisdom, our kindness, our love - more than ever.
Happy New Year, dear friends! 💗
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