The Mindfulness Examen : between this and that
Our examen teach us, above all, to live in the present. The monk Thich Nhat Hanh points out that we humans are great at planning and willing to sacrifice today to save for cars and houses tomorrow, “But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive.” So he exhorts us to the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, being fully and consciously aware (or mindful) of the present moment. Chris Lowney
left ear whispering
silence pulsing hush
unwavering whirrrrr
ringing my right
frost tip sniffer snoops
waning moon presides
Betelgeuse and Jupiter fading
Unicorn the Hunter chasing
winter spills sage scintilla
banding first snow summit
startled pup pauses
what does he hear?
that eludes me?
pine siskin and spotted towhee
untucking their beaks?
smoothing fluffed feathers?
but hours of darkness
are not done
hope is suspended
with dawdling sun
this moment this place
in the pale green seam
between dreaming
and welcoming morning
I linger
listening with my pup
left ear whispering
silence pulsing hush
unwavering whirrrrr
ringing my right
Words through Debra Asis, by the grace of Infinite Generativity
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Chris Lowney’s quote is found in today’s selection in An Ignatian Book of Days by Jim Manney is a series of daily reflections from the Spiritual Wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Throughout the book we hear the voices of St. Ignatius as well as many great thinkers and writers, long gone and present day, each uniquely revealing the way of finding God in all things. And that is my intention; to find God/Divine Presence/Ultimate Reality in whatever presents itself to me each day in 2024.
Each day I read, reflect and write on the selection, hoping to articulate the ways in which I come to know God/Divine Presence/Ultimate Reality via personal experience, impelled by the leading of my inner life.
INVITATION
Would you like to join me? The book is accessible on Amazon. Let me know in the comments to this post and sign up to get an email whenever I post. I would love to read your reflections too, public or private messages welcome!
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All words are generated by grace and the grit of a real human being,
Debra Asis writing challenge
