In the Wood

. To one praying In the wood . The word of God Came . Louder than The human voice . The other saw deeper Into Christ . Through His tears . Than forests Of theologians. . Inspired by 'The Little Flowers of St. Francis' .

A Year of Inspirers (6) – Thomas Merton and Spirituality

"Without mysticism there is no real theology, and without theology there is no real mysticism...The separation of theology from 'spirituality' is a disaster". These are words by Thomas Merton, born 31st January 1915. He is saying that we must use our minds in our spirituality. Our spiritual experiences and practices should have some relation to …

A Year of Inspirers (19): St. John of the Cross

This is one of the most amazing diagrams I have ever come across... St. John was a poet and an artist as well a great spiritual teacher, and I love this mysterious diagram he drew to illustrate "Mount Carmel". The middle section near the bottom has the words "nothing nothing nothing....", which inspired this short …

Christological Spirituality (3) – A baptism of epiphany

An epiphany is a realisation, or a revelation - mysteriously gaining a new insight or understanding. Can we adopt a spirituality of epiphany? Are there certain conditions in which epiphanies of meaning are more likely to happen? This third post on Christological Spirituality looks at Christ's baptism. And like the previous post in this series …

Christological Spirituality (1) – Eternity

Many people are searching, and are interested in the general field of spirituality. Christian mysticism was an exciting discovery for me, as were Christian spiritualities, and I am planning a short series of posts on the theme of Christological spirituality, hoping this may interest some readers. It all begins in eternity, I think. "In the …

Teresa’s Vision

Like many great leaders, Teresa had an inspiring vision of humanity. Her vision is not naive - it is the work of a sixty-two year old woman who had encountered plenty of conflict in her time. But it is hard to beat in terms of seeing potential and beauty in every person who has lived, …

What Visions?

What voices come to speak in the mind caught up in prayer   In visions of the saints and Christ himself in conversation?   How dare we interpret the inexplicable claims of faith?   The numinous creates a dilemma to be confronted by doubt or devotion   And who can theologise themselves out of that …

Spiritual Reflection – More than Meets the Eye : Three Ways of Perceiving

  There are things in themselves, there are things understood, and there is the reasoning power applied to what we see.  These are like the stepping stones to eternity...     According to Bonaventure, one of my inspirers, there is “more than meets the eye” to looking! First, he says “the supreme power, wisdom and …

Inspiring Books – Journey of the Mind to God (Prologue)

  It’s only 39 pages long but I find it unfailingly inspiring to read.   He knows how to begin!   “In the beginning, I call upon the very first beginning...”   I wrote:   So let us begin             with the beginning   The source of all             from whom streams all   Energy …

Mystic Mooring

  By what mystic mooring   The soul is held today   Materialists can't answer   Theologians cannot say.   This was inspired by Emly Dickinson's poem "Whether my bark went down at sea" (Emily Dickinson)