‘[Contemplation] can be suggested by words, by symbols, but in the very moment of trying to indicate what it knows the contemplative mind takes back what it has said, and denies what it has affirmed.’ – Thomas Merton My old pal Thomas Merton wrote, ‘[Contemplation] can be suggested by words, by symbols, but in the very moment of trying to indicate what it knows the contemplative mind takes back what it has said, and denies what it has affirmed.’ So…how do I talk about contemplation then? Briefly. My intention here is to grasp at words that give shape to the …
Author: Swanson
Matins & Lauds (Life of a Day #1)
‘What I wear is pants. What I do is live. How I pray is breathe.’ – Thomas Merton ‘What I wear is pants. What I do is live. How I pray is breathe.’ these 3 sentences come from my self-adopted contemplative grandfather, Thomas Merton.They ring so true for me that they were the basis for my thesis paper in graduate school. Why? Well, for me, they represent an embodied response to one of my essential life questions – how does contemplation intersect with day-to-day life? My intention here is to kick off the Life of a Day series in grand …
Life of a Day Series (Trailer)
‘Like people or dogs, each day is unique and hasits own personality quirks which can easily be seenif you look closely.’ – Tom Hennen, Life of a Day How does contemplation appear in the life of your day? I’ve heard from many of you that this question lingers as you listen to the contemplative echo calling you in your daily life. My hope is that this series will help you answer that question for yourself. To begin, here are a few lines from a favorite poem of mine, ‘Like people or dogs, each day is unique and has its own personality quirks which …