Joy
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I once traveled to a conference for Unitarian Universalist ministers that was held in Ottawa. For various reasons I decided to take the train. That meant leaving early and arriving in Ottawa sometime around 10:00 p.m. It was a long day. Read more →
Rational Exuberance
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When I started my training for spiritual direction, I figured that it would involve a lot of reading the classics of spirituality—all those Desert Fathers and Mothers and Saints—and a lot of sitting still, contemplating God’s emptiness or something. I may have also thought it would be a pretty serious business. Well, it was a pretty serious business. But it was not at all solemn.
Happy Bird
Happiness
The Great Surmise
From Your Minister
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As I began my monthly rituals of circling around writing my Quest column—rituals which generally include brooding, conversations, naps, internet searches, leafing through poetry books, walking the dogs, cleaning the kitchen, reading friends’ updates on Facebook, casting about in my mind for something wise I read or heard long ago that I can share—rituals of circling similar to my dogs’ as they prepare to lie down, following some cellular memory for creating a nesting spot—as I did all of this, something shocking emerged in my awareness: I have never preached or written, explicitly, about joy!
REsources for Living
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I figured that in exploring the topic of joy it would be good to ask an expert for some input. So I decided to interview my dog, Piper, who is pretty much the most ridiculously joyful being I have ever encountered. We say of Piper that her emotions run the gamut from cheerful to ecstatic (with exceptions for baths and/or our other dog getting treats which “rightfully” belong to her).
From Blossoms
From blossoms comes
Joy
July / August 2012
“From joy springs all creation,
By joy it is sustained,
Towards joy it proceeds,
And unto joy it returns. ”
—The Upanishads
Articles
Joy
I took a book to read for work and a book for pleasure. I didn’t touch either of them. I didn’t do anything. Well, I smiled a lot. Read more »
Rational Exuberance
When I started my training for spiritual direction, I figured that it would involve a lot of reading the classics of spirituality all those Desert Fathers and Mothers and Saints and a lot of sitting still, contemplating God’s emptiness or something. Read more »
Happy Bird
I saw a meadowlark today, sitting atop the razor wire on the north fence. It’s been many months since meadowlarks were here last. Many months. Read more »
Happiness
There’s just no accounting for happiness,or the way it runs up like a prodigalwho comes back to the dust at your feethaving squandered a fortune far away. Read more »
The Great Surmise
The Great Surmise says simply this: At the heart of all creation lies a good intent, a purposeful goodness, from which we come, by which we live our fullest, to which we shall at last return. And this is the supreme reality of our lives. Read more »
From Your Minister
I’m not saying that joy hasn’t been part of many other things I’ve reflected about—celebration, sexuality, justice, love, grief—it’s just that I have never taken the time to reflect specifically and explicitly on joy. Read more »
REsources for Living
I figured that in exploring the topic of joy it would be good to ask an expert for some input. So I decided to interview my dog, Piper, who is pretty much the most ridiculously joyful being I have ever encountered. Read more »
From Blossoms
From blossoms comesthis brown paper bag of peacheswe bought from the boy at the bend in the road where we turned towardsigns painted Peaches. Read more »
Joy
“From joy springs all creation, By joy it is sustained, Towards joy it proceeds, And unto joy it returns. “—The Upanishads Read more »
