by David Anderson
Isaiah 7:10-14 “A woman is with child, and will bear a son,and will call him Emmanuel.” This is where we begin our Advent pilgrimage. A crib. The nativity scene is all there, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and their sheep—except for the Child. The manger is empty. Let it stay that way, unfilled, for now. […]
by David Anderson 9 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Awareness, Happiness, Healing, Hope, Prayer/Meditation, Transformation
No, no—that’s not how you do it. That’s what I was thinking as the group began to walk the labyrinth. They were here for one of the retreats that Pam and I host here at Copper House. The leader asked if the small group of six could use the labyrinth for one of their sessions, […]
by David Anderson 9 Comments Filed Under: Community, Daily Practice, Faith/Trust, Listening, Prayer/Meditation, Surrender
After a run of hot days and nights, a cool spell descended. It was early morning, an almost chilly breeze in the air, and Pam and I decided to sit for meditation out on the deck. After the morning reading, we sat in silence—or so we thought. The surrounding trees seemed to teem with birds, […]
by David Anderson 12 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Awe, Beauty, Daily Practice, Grace, Listening, Nature/Creation, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation, Reality--trusting it
Did you open the fridge this morning? She asks.No, I reply.Well, then it was sort of open all night.What!I put that pan of peaches on the bottom shelf, she says, because they’re about to go bad—and…But you can see [Here I demonstrate] the door doesn’t close.Yes, but [Here she elbows me out of the way] […]
by David Anderson 15 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Breathing, Choice, Daily Practice, Happiness, Letting Go, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation
Nobel winning psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman tells this story. A man is listening to a symphony, and it’s glorious. Three movements that build toward a brilliant climax. And then, just as the symphony is ending there is a horrid screeching sound. “It ruined the whole thing,” the man says. “Wiped out the whole experience.” […]
by David Anderson 8 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Daily Practice, Happiness, Letting Go, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation, Reality--trusting it
How I pray is breathe.” -Thomas Merton I grew up with the slogan, “Prayer changes things,” which I believed. I was just wrong about what got changed. I thought it could change my lot, save my soul, rescue people I cared about. I hoped I could change God’s mind. Not surprisingly, that kind of prayer […]
by David Anderson 5 Comments Filed Under: Awareness, Belief, Breathing, Change, Daily Practice, Grace, Healing, Lent, Letting Go, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation, Surrender, Transformation
On July 13, 1798, William Wordsworth returned to a specific place along the banks of the Wye River that flows through England and Wales. He sits above the murmuring waters, leaning against a dark sycamore tree. Years have passed and now he sees again the orchard trees, the steep and lofty cliffs, the wreaths of […]
by David Anderson 11 Comments Filed Under: Adult Spirituality, Change, Daily Practice, Fear, Happiness, Lent, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation, Reality--trusting it, Seeing
A man is having an enjoyable boat ride down the river. It is dusk. The man looks up to see another boat coming toward him. His first thought is how nice that someone else is out enjoying the river. Then he realizes the boat speeding, in fact it’s coming straight at him. Faster and faster […]
by David Anderson 5 Comments Filed Under: Anger, Awareness, Change, Daily Practice, Happiness, Lent, Letting Go, Now/ the Present, Prayer/Meditation, Seeing, Surrender