Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Toward Discipline
I would like to become better at prayer, fasting (well, this one will have to wait until March or so), silence and meditation in an attempt to orient myself toward those things which truely matter. My heart is so cluttered with things that I either have no control over, that don't matter, or that I cannot do anything about at this moment anyway. These thoughts (namely, trying to figure out a balance between finances and being mom; do I need to get a new job? Do I work part time or full? How do I give Steve enough time off being a stay-at-home dad so that he can get his research done? Where is my career going?) distract me from thoughts of Him, from discipline that would ultimately bring me closer to Him. There is a place I'd like to be, and it is not where I now am.
So, friends who are more learned than I regarding those saints who have gone before us, can you give me any advice from their life? How does one work to become disciplined in prayer/silence/meditation? I read some of The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers this weekend and it was somewhat inspirational. Little tidbits to focus on which help reorient ones being.
I am not who I would like to be, nor am I fully who He made me to be. Any advice or encouragement would be appreciated!
I would like to become better at prayer, fasting (well, this one will have to wait until March or so), silence and meditation in an attempt to orient myself toward those things which truely matter. My heart is so cluttered with things that I either have no control over, that don't matter, or that I cannot do anything about at this moment anyway. These thoughts (namely, trying to figure out a balance between finances and being mom; do I need to get a new job? Do I work part time or full? How do I give Steve enough time off being a stay-at-home dad so that he can get his research done? Where is my career going?) distract me from thoughts of Him, from discipline that would ultimately bring me closer to Him. There is a place I'd like to be, and it is not where I now am.
So, friends who are more learned than I regarding those saints who have gone before us, can you give me any advice from their life? How does one work to become disciplined in prayer/silence/meditation? I read some of The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers this weekend and it was somewhat inspirational. Little tidbits to focus on which help reorient ones being.
I am not who I would like to be, nor am I fully who He made me to be. Any advice or encouragement would be appreciated!
Comments:
I always liked The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. It always has good ideas that you may even be able to use in your present state. I also like 'Being Jesus', which I think when published was called 'Escaping the Matrix:Setting your mind free to experience real life in Christ' by Greg Boyd. I really liked that one, I read it when I am down.
10lees.
10lees.
# posted by 
: 10/25/2006 11:34 PM
: 10/25/2006 11:34 PM
I could never be a Desert Father. But a Dessert Father, that I could be.
I also read the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I found it to be useful at times. Ignatius assumes that we are all pursuing spiritual disciplines under the authority of someone else. So step #1: Find a spiritual mentor, an older women, a church leader, a wise person to serve in this capacity. (Advice I have yet to take).
And you probably should hold off on fasting until a year from March. Fasting and breastfeeding don't mix. But, as our pastor informed us, pregnancy and breastfeeding have always been considered by the church to be a form of fasting, a spiritual discipline. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are ways of conforming the body and one's life to the service of another. It's a very serious spiritual discipline: the giving of self.
I also read the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I found it to be useful at times. Ignatius assumes that we are all pursuing spiritual disciplines under the authority of someone else. So step #1: Find a spiritual mentor, an older women, a church leader, a wise person to serve in this capacity. (Advice I have yet to take).
And you probably should hold off on fasting until a year from March. Fasting and breastfeeding don't mix. But, as our pastor informed us, pregnancy and breastfeeding have always been considered by the church to be a form of fasting, a spiritual discipline. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are ways of conforming the body and one's life to the service of another. It's a very serious spiritual discipline: the giving of self.
Along similar lines to the Spiritual Exercises, but maybe a little more accessible, is An Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales.
He wrote it for laypeople, when he was appointed a bishop and realized that he didn't have time to personally write all the folks who were asking him for spiritual advice.
There should be a hard copy or two over at Barnes and Noble...
He wrote it for laypeople, when he was appointed a bishop and realized that he didn't have time to personally write all the folks who were asking him for spiritual advice.
There should be a hard copy or two over at Barnes and Noble...
# posted by : 11/09/2006 2:23 PM
: 11/09/2006 2:23 PM
Along similar lines to the Spiritual Exercises, but maybe a little more accessible, is An Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales.
He wrote it for laypeople, when he was appointed a bishop and realized that he didn't have time to personally write all the folks who were asking him for spiritual advice.
There should be a hard copy or two over at Barnes and Noble...
He wrote it for laypeople, when he was appointed a bishop and realized that he didn't have time to personally write all the folks who were asking him for spiritual advice.
There should be a hard copy or two over at Barnes and Noble...
# posted by : 11/09/2006 2:23 PM
: 11/09/2006 2:23 PM
As for encouragement - I find that you may have to lean on the Holy Spirit for that. I am often confused and I'm not pregnant. I am often wondering what you are about life and I have little answer except 'Be Still and Know that I AM God'. Ps. 46:10
I find the Word to be especially comforting at times like you are describing. Hopefully it's better now that you are alittle further along.
So rest and chill when you can - and meditate on some scripture that particularly speaks to you ... write it on a 3x5 card and carry it around and memorize it. These are some things that I do.
I have recently read the last part of "The Great Divorce" in which it explains in allegorical language why people don't choose or do choose Jesus. It's very interesting.
Hope that helps.
BTW - I'm T's mom.
B
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I find the Word to be especially comforting at times like you are describing. Hopefully it's better now that you are alittle further along.
So rest and chill when you can - and meditate on some scripture that particularly speaks to you ... write it on a 3x5 card and carry it around and memorize it. These are some things that I do.
I have recently read the last part of "The Great Divorce" in which it explains in allegorical language why people don't choose or do choose Jesus. It's very interesting.
Hope that helps.
BTW - I'm T's mom.
B
# posted by : 12/02/2006 11:39 PM
: 12/02/2006 11:39 PM