This is so insightful. How often do we miss the true meaning and purpose of religion. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation 27th September 2013 In the divine economy of grace, sin and failure become the base metal and raw material for the redemption experience itself. Much of organized religion, however,...
Heart Spirituality
Abundance – Hiroshima Day
Hiroshima Day Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations “How can I be more holy?” We don’t have to make ourselves holy. We already are, and we just don’t know it yet. In Christian terminology this inherent holiness is called the Divine Indwelling or the gift of the Holy Spirit. The awakening...
Why We Shout in Anger
A Hindu saint who was visiting the River Ganges to take bath, found a group of family members on the banks shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled and asked, “Why do people in anger shout at each other?” His disciples thought for a...
Incarnation
“Jesus has no hands but ours.” Teresa of Avila
Love – a way of looking
“Love is not a matter of looking at each other, but of looking together in the same direction.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Deep Silence
“Deep silence leads us to suspect that, in the first place, prayer is acceptance. A person who prays is a person standing with their hands open to the world. They know that God will choose to be revealed in the nature which surrounds them, in the people they meet,...
Obaudire
From; The Gift of Saint Benedict, by Verna A. Holyhead SGS and Lynne Muir. John Garrett Publishing, Victoria, Australia. 2002. Pp. 32-33 In contemporary life we may seem to spend much of our time listening, but often this may only take us across the threshold of ‘auditory over-load’ into...
Born to Love
My Vocation is Love
Beside myself with joy, I cried out: ‘Jesus, my love! I’ve found my vocation, and my vocation is love.’ From the Autobiography of St Therese Lisieux
Set Pools of Silence
“Incarnate Word, in whom all nature lives, Cast flame upon the earth: raise up contemplatives among us, men who walk within the fire of ceaseless prayer impetuous desire. Set pools of silence in this thirsty land” James McAuley 1917 – 1976 © Copyright Norma McAuley
Festival of the Sacred Heart
On Friday June 7, 2013, Heart of Life, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, and St Thomas Parish, Blackburn celebrated together the Feast of the Sacred Heart, with a 7pm Eucharistic celebration at St Thomas the Apostle Parish, Blackburn. Our Celebrant for the Evening was Fr. John Mulrooney MSC,...
Contemplation: the Axis Mundi
Father Teilhard de Chardin speaks in his book The Divine Milieu of a nun praying in a chapel in a desert place and, as she prays, all the forces of the universe seem to reorganize themselves in keeping with the desire of that tiny praying figure and the axis...
Enneagram: Adelaide 2013
Spiritual Dimensions of the Enneagram – Introduction A Weekend workshop introducing the Enneagram was held Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May, 2013 at Mary Mackillop Centre – St. Michael’s College Henley Beach, S.A.- The group of 42 participants were introduced to the Enneagram by facilitator Chris Chaplin msc. The Enneagram...
Mindfulness Prayer Day and Seminars – Heart of Life, 2013
Prayer Day – “Mindfulness and Meditation” Saturday 26th March, 2013 – 10am to 3.30pm Facilitated by Chris Chaplin msc —————————————- Seminars – “Mindfulness and Meditation” Five Wednesdays – February 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27, 2013 While there were five Thursdays and participants benefited from all five, each day had...
A Story on Communal Correction
I was recently told of an African tribe that does a most beautiful thing. When someone does something hurtful and wrong, they take the person to the centre of town, and the entire tribe comes and surrounds him. For two days they’ll tell the man every good thing he...
To Your Mother’s Eye, Behold
My mother only had one eye, (even though she wasn’t a Crow’s supporter). I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family. There was this one day during primary school where my mum came to say hello to me. I...
Awakening to What I have
“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. … Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I...
Understanding a Spiritual Crisis
by Gord Riddell and Kathy Ryndak The process of spiritual awakening is most often an uncomfortable and painful event. While many people may have an interest in the spiritual realms and in the history of world religions and spirituality true spiritual awakening is usually precipitated by an event in an...
Seminars – Heart of Life, 2012
Story Telling and Visual Images in Spiritual Direction June 25 – 29: An opportunity to work with an esteemed mentor presented itself to me in June when I joined Peter Malone msc to co-facilitate a week-long program of Professional & Personal Development for Spiritual Directors. The five-day intensive for practising...
Devotedness to God brings Perfect Contemplation
From Patanjali’s Meditation Yoga, Translation and Commentary by Vyn Bailey msc SUTRA 45 SAMADHI-SIDDHIH ISVARA-PRANIDHANAT From devotedness to god comes perfection of contemplation SAMADHI contemplation SIDDHI efficiency • attainment • perfection ISVARA lord • ruler • prince • king • God PRANIDHANA devotion • devotedness After a meditation session at...