As this small book is once again picked up
I note the little slips of paper sticking out of various pages
marking special words.
The thought arises
that I am making progress in many ways
but will never arrive where the desire of my heart is.
This one will just keep searching, going forward, one day at a time
and more answers will come but there may not be enough time...
From the book
"The Art of Stillness"
~~Pico Iyer~~
"I find that stillness within, that deep sense of peace that I crave every day.
It is though I find a piece of me that I had lost without really knowing I had lost it."
After living a number of life styles, this one has found it in this rural setting by the woods, a small cottage she built
at age 75.
"Researchers in the new field of interruption science have found it takes an average
of twenty-five minutes to recover from a phone call. Yet such interruptions come
every eleven minutes - which means we're never caught with with our lives."
"So much of our lives takes place in our heads - in memory or imagination, in speculation
or interpretation - that sometimes I feel that I can best change my life by changing the way
I look at it. America's wisest psychologist, William James, reminded us,
"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another."
I find it difficult at times to choose another thought...
"It matters not where or how far you travel - the farther
commonly the worse - but how much alive you are."
15 degrees on my deck
do not like the cold as it chills me to the bone.
Warming trend beginning tomorrow...
8 comments:
15°. I hope the furnace is in good working order.
I very much like the Pico Iyer quote. Since beginning a regular meditation practice, I've found what he says to be true.
15 is cold. Stay cozy inside.
These are the years when all that peaceful time for thinking has arrived. And sometimes the thoughts just tumble and twist in our heads until we are exhausted. But are we not lucky to have that experience?
Chills ME to the bone, too!
I think I am supposed to get the gist of your topic today! The All-Merciful Saviour Orthodox Christian Monastery post on my facebook page today included these words:
" The very heart of Orthodox monasticism is found in hesychia, that is, keeping stillness.The hesychast denies in order to affirm. Based on Christ's injunction in the Gospel of Saint Matthew to "go into your closet to pray", hesychasm in tradition has been the process of retiring inward by ceasing to register the senses, in order to achieve an experiential knowledge of God.
..."
Peace, my friend. Peace and quiet, and WARMTH!
Finally getting caught up with you. I always salivate over your meals and how lovingly prepared they are and the details of recipes. I still make your cornbread and assure you I am working on your dishcloths :)
Stillness. Yes.
XO
WWW
I enjoyed the quotes. Thank you for sharing.
WWW, so good to see you back online, Nancy, :)
Post a Comment