In the northern hemisphere, when Fall settles in, at some point, the winds shift and a cold force pierces the air. I know many people who enjoy a cup of hot coffee or tea as they engage their rhythm of morning prayer. Sometimes, especially when the cold pierces, it is good to remember that prayer is warmth.
Prayer is Pleasing
In the same way that the vivid colors of fall leaves pleases the eyes and the gurgling of water in streams and falls pleases the ears, just as in the natural world, prayer also pleases the heart in the spiritual realms. It is no coincidence that the Psalms often beseech the seeker to listen with the eye of the heart or to see with the ears of the heart. To name paradox in prayer often points to something worthy of our attention, and in the eyes and ears of the heart, the pleasures in our prayer point to its devotional quality, and the devotional delights of pleasure point to relationship.
Topics:
Contemplative Practice
Prayer Comes and Goes
Each fall, as the leaves begin to drop, I remember the annual rhythm that I can observe through the Oratory window. In summer, green leaves were full and I could barely see into the forest. In winter trees will be bare with no leaves, and the nakedness of the forest reveals so much!
Topics:
Contemplative Practice
