Speaker: Terry Ryan, CSP
The contemplative journey is for when you are going nowhere. Why is
that? As Thomas Keating would say, “Because there is nowhere to go. You
are already there.”
In the pandemic, people miss the chance to travel to new scenes and
relationships as well as the chance to renew the old ones. They miss the
one-on-one, intimate encounters with friends. Contemplative prayer
awaits you. You are intimately connected to an old friend, Ultimate Reality.
But you have to leave a lot of baggage behind and travel light. Be still,
and let go of whining about a pandemic. Don’t focus on any thoughts,
anxieties, or fears. God is the travel agent and will bring you to the best of
life’s experiences: divine union, the ultimate intimacy. What to wear on
this journey? Try on patience, trust, and hope. Leave self-will behind.