In this site a variety of references to God are used. For, how can God be limited by our feeble attempts to express the truth of the Creator by the few words we have, such as Light, She, He, Trinity, They, The One, The Way, Jesus, Lord?  And, there are the hundreds of other ways various people express their knowledge and experience of the Creator which we know nothing about.  God is so much more than our very limited vocabulary and ideas.

• The Anchorhold & Julian of Norwich
• Simplicity of Living
• Serving the Poor and St. Vincent de Paul
• Live Simply Your Inner and Material Life and Each Day, or Choose Your Values
• Your Sister and Brother
• Your Value
• The Way
• Inner Resources for the Journey
• Fruits of Living the Way
• Looking Inside Yourself, or Honesty
• Others as Examples of Simple and Honest Living
• Suffering Is Part of Human Living
• The Way of Peace
• The Two Questions of Life

In the middle ages an anchoress was a woman called to a solitary life, not cut-off from the world, but anchored in it. Her life was one of prayer and contemplation and her daily work. Her home was a small room, or cell, attached to the side of a church.  There was a `Rule of Life` associated with anchoresses drawn up in the 13th century, which stated that the cell should have 3 windows that opened; one into the church, so she could participate in Mass and receive communion; one to communicate with her assistant, who lived close at hand and one to give advice to those who sought it. Julian of Norwich was an anchoress whose writings tell of her life and spiritual journey.

Links to sites on Julian of Norwich Lady Julian of Norwich  ||  Index: Julian of Norwich: Texts and Contexts Websites   (includes extensive information on Julian and other medieval anchoresses and mystics)

Links to related sites  || 

Firewatch ||  Thomas Merton: Your heart is my hermitage
 
 

We live in a myriad of ways but the question is, what makes one's life truly human? To be truly human is to embody and express in your daily life the best of who your are, what you do and give. Being truly himan is being a person of truth, compassion, hope, openness, fairness. Forgive and listen. Know your limitations. Share who you are with those you meet as you walk on this journey of life. Choose life in all you are and do. Choose that which nurtures all of our brothers and sisters whatever their condition. Choose that which nurtures the center of your being, our mother earth, sister water and the breath of life.

• When you pass from this life what will be left behind?
• A trail of beauty, hope and life?
• A trail of tears, pain or grief?
• What beauty will you have contributed to other persons and to life on earth?
• Whose stories and hearts will you have listened to? How did you comfort the lonely, lost and brokenhearted?
• With whom will you have shared your heart, hands, feet, daily bread, clothes, home, time and resources?
• Do you live in real freedom within the limitiations of yourself and the circumstances you find yourself in now?

 

 
 





Leave a legacy of beauty and hope to those who come after you.

 Serving the Poor and St. Vincent de Paul
 
 

Live Simply Your Inner and Material Life Each Day

• What does your spirit need to flourish and become truly free?
• What things do you really need to live? Spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, intellectually, creatively, materially?
• Who or what do you allow to tell you what your inner and material needs are?
• Ministers, gurus, priests, TV personalities, famous persons, musicians, athletes, therapists?
• Advertisements in magazines, billboards, tv, radio -- Do you really want corporations to tell you what you need, what values to live by?
• Do you want to decide for yourself what you need? How do you decide, on what basis?
• What does owning the newest, best, biggest, latest, most famous of anything, graduating from the best schools or knowing wealthy and powerful persons have to do with being a person of compassion, a person of truth, a person of great spirit giving hope to our sisters and brothers?
• What is the difference between what you want and what you need? Like eating at a buffet you may want much more than you need or is even good for you.
• Whom and what are you allowing to have power over you telling you what you want and need? Or, do you wish to claim your own power? Do you want to choose, using the values that matter most to you?
• Carefully select those whom you choose to teach you what the meaing of you life is. Take time out.   Reflect on who you really are.  Reflect on what kind of a person you want to be.
• What do you want to be remembered for? How much money, property or power you accumulated? How you helped others? Your generous and compassionate service to others?
Choose the values you live by.










Internet Resources on Simplicity || Journey Into Freedom's Trip of Perspective to Haiti, 1997

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Your Sister and Brother

Every person is your sister or brother. Everybody. Include those your despise, look down on, think of as less than you.

Why should any person have more than what they actually need to live when even one of our sisters or brothers is starving, homeless, unemployed, lacking medical care or education?

Each of us is no better than they. None of us matter less or more than any of our sisters or brothers.
 
 



Each person is of utmost value.

Every person deserves their share of the resources needed for a truly human life.






About Human Rights Watch  ||  United Nations Human Rights Website ||

 

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Your Value







Every person is of equal value, deserving of respect and to be treated with dignity and care. Each person is of utmost value no matter who she or he is, no matter what has happened to her or him, no matter what she or he has done, no matter who she or her is.

There is always hope for each person. There is alway the possibility of making new decisions, of making different choices.

What makes each of us of value? The size of your home, your income or the amount of things you own? Does you education or power give you value? If these things give you value, ask yourself what kind of value do they give you? How long will this value remain? When you are very old, in a nursing home and all your family has died before you and you are within a month of dying what will these things mean to you then? What use will they be to you then as you look back over your life and see what you are leaving behind for the children, for all the children where you live?

If you came back home from being gone a few days and found your home or apartment burnt to the ground and nothing remained except ashes what would you truly need to keep on living? What do you need interiorly to become free so that in this situation you would go on, without regret, and continue becoming more truly who you are?
 
 


Who am I to ever give-up on anyone?


 
 
 

 


 
 

The Way







The way of life for this journey embraces nonviolence, peace, forgiveness and mercy.

True these are not easy for most persons. No one said the journey is easy, uneventful or always enjoyable. At times it is painful and very hard. Other times it is fun. You may plunge to depths never before know. You may float on the air currents with the eagles.

To become truly human, to be free within, to live with open hands is seeking the holy grail of human life. Only a human person can do this. No other living being, animals, plants, the waters, stars, space or air can walk this path.

Only you can do this. Only you can be the person you are capable of becoming. No one ever before now or in the future can be you. You are the only one in a specific moment with another who can treat that person with your compassion, your honesty, your understanding and with your peace and mercy. If I was there at the same moment with you and the other person, I could never do what you could do for only you are you. You are a unique embodiment of humanity.

This is the work of a life time. We are here only a short time. You are free to choose. No matter who you are. No matter what has happened to you. No matter what anyone has done to you. You can choose life. You can choose how you act. You can choose what you do with the thoughts and feelings that swim around inside you.
 
 


Choose life.


 
 




 
 

Inner Resources for the Journey








Inner resources are required. All the money, power and material possessions in the world can not buy any of them. These inner resources are yours to discover, to nourish and to learn. They are in each person. The inner resources to take on the journey fit nicely in your knapsack.

Silence. Listen in the silence to the inner voice that speaks the truth to you as no other can. Yes, silence. Turn off the tv, radio, stereo, computer. Use no alchohol or drugs when going here. Sit down in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes and listen. Listen to all that is going on inside you. Let whatever ideas and feelings that come to mind just float by. If something comes up that gives rise to strong feelings listen to it. Let it be. Listen to how you body feels. Fearing the silence is common to many, you are not alone if this happens to you. Going into the silence is like taking a vacation into a new country. The country of your inner world. The country where the truth speaks to you. Make friends with the silence.

Do not fight the feelings and ideas that arise. Be aware of them. When feelings or ideas come that you wish were not there listen to them. Do not judge them. They just are. They are not good or bad. What we do with them, how we act on them is what matters. Good and bad arise out of our actions, how we act on our thoughts and feelings. Ask them where they come from, why they are there, what purpose do they serve for you? Befriend your fears. Say hi to them when they arise. Invite them to tell you where they came from. Ask them what they need. Ask them what you can do to help them get healed. All that arises has a purpose. Hating what arises during the silent times serves no purpose and only delays your journey.

Take time daily, weekly to sit down, relax and listen to the silence inside yourself. You may also notice the sounds around you more. Take small steps. Most important be gentle with yourself. This is a life time journey you have embarked upon. Like the small snail keep moving forward a bit more each day. We need patience with ourselves as well as those around us. Treat yourself with the kindness you wish others to treat you with.
 
 



Listen to the Silence.

Life is a journey, traveling from here to wherever the unknown leads you.

We are all on the road.






 ||   ||  Mysticism in World Religions || Mysticism Resources

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Fruits of Living the Way:  Hope, Compassion and Community








Reach out, find others on the journey and join them. Watch where their way leads them. Does it bring them greater trust, hope, compassion, community with others and freedom? If their way brings these qualities of life and being to them and those around them they may be someone to join. Walking along with others can be helpful. At times only in solitude can we find our way, hear the voice and its invitation to us and discern the truth.
 

Listen to your heart. Look inside yourself. What do you see and hear?

Find the center of your being. The core of who you really are, regardless of whether you like what you find or not. Acknowledge to yourself who you honestly are. Say to yourself whether you like who you are or not.

Why do you like the some parts of yourself and dislike other parts? Evaluate the reason for your reaction to each part of yourself.

Consider how another person whom you respect would react to the various parts of you if they were in someone other than you. Do you have as much understanding and kindness toward yourself as another would have? Treat yourself as well as you wish others to treat you.

This is an ongoing process in our lives. Being honest with yourself is essential to living a truly human life.
 
 


The truth will make you free.

 
 

Others as Examples of Simple and Honest Living

Seek the stories and writings of wise and holy women and men who have gone before us. Being holy is not fashionable these days, but what does that matter? Being holy is really the process of becoming holy, becoming whole. And wholeness does not mean being perfect, without fault or blemish.

Wholeness is being humble. Being honest with yourself and others about who you really are.  Being open to the Spirit's nudgings encouraging you to let go of that which is not true and inviting you to grow into all that is good, true and beautiful about you, your life, the world and in those you meet on the way.

Who are any of us? We are bone, flesh, mind, spirit and the center within our being. Each of us has a variety of gifts, abilities, limitations, blind sides, and brokenness. This journey is not about the strongest, fastest, or smartest. This journey is about sharing, being thoughtful and caring with each person we meet on the way including yourself. Who has or owns the most toys is irrelevant and immaterial. This journey is not about quantity.

This journey is about quality. Discover who you are. Peel off the layers hiding your true self from yourself and others. Gradually learn how to remove your masks. Try living maskless. Leave your masks at home. Let go of the selves you live by that others gave to you.
 

         Quaker Electronic Archive

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Suffering Is Part of Human Living







Suffering is no fun. Suffering is hard. Ignoring your suffering, trying to block it out brings more suffering. Trying to escape the truth of your pain is not being truly human.

No one can carry your suffering for you. If someone tells you otherwise, beware. May you be gifted with a true friend who waits and walks with you through you pain. Someone who holds you as you weep and pour out your anguish.

What you do with your suffering is what counts. You may be feeling anger, even rage. What counts is how you act with your pain, anger or rage. You can choose. You can choose what you do with the most terrible thoughts and feelings inside yourself.

You can choose constructive, positive ways of dealing with these feelings and thoughts. You can choose to hurt others and yourself in expressing your pain, anger, frustration, disappointment and terrible thoughts. Be creative. Think of good ways to act on these feelings and thoughts. Doing this will stregnthen you inside for the next time you find difficult or trecherous feelings and thoughts within.

Reply to Paul -- living with your brokenness          Dealing with Your Suffering and Pain

 
 



 
 

The Way of Peace







Peace is not just the absence of violence. Peace encompasses hope, life, trust, being open, communicating, listening, compassion, risking the comfortable and familiar, venturing into the unknown and into the unknowable. Peace is not saying but if only ... Peace is saying yes.  Peace is opening your hand to all you meet on the way.

Yes can be hard, seem impossible. When yes is beyond your ability, ask the Silence to say yes for you and to heal you so that in time you too can say yes.
 
 


Peace is living yes.

Peace is breathing yes.

Peace is being peace.

Peace is compassionate doing.





|| Feeling Anger and Hatred ||

The Nonvolence Web ||  || Home, Sojourners Online || Home of We Are Family  ||
 
 












The Two Questions of Life
 
 


What is the meaning of life for you?

What is most important to you in your life?
 
 

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Nov 2, 2003  updated

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