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One of the greatest benefits of monastic life for me so far has been developing a rhythm that links all the various parts of my life. But old habits die hard. What are some challenges others have faced in seeking to live without silos?
Blessings,
Sr. BeccaPersonally, life tends to find ways to creep in and old habits re-emerge. My rhythms get disrupted and I am back with “this is my work” “this is my family” “this is my religious life” rather than simply being in the presence of God, even when the environments around my change. I pray that I will continue to be transformed into simple my true self, the same self, who engages different environments in a common fashion.
Thanks for inspiring me to thinks on these things and for engaging in this course.
In Him,
Fr. Dan, OSBHi, Becca
I’m presently an aspirant in the order. My wife and I are also presently raising support to move to Thailand as missionaries. Because of the nature of our ministry on this end of things, we tend to live much of our life in the future.
I especially get carried away in this mode of trying to live my life in the future, rather than living life in the present.I’ve been challenged greatly by “Seeking God the Way of St. Benedict,” especially the chapter on “listening.” Taking time to slow down to see how God is trying to speak to me in each moment of life is hard for me. Because I fail to listen, I’m sure I am missing out on ways I could serve God through generosity, a kind word that is not forced or otherwise provoked except by love for God and others, and so on.
So I have found that I need to learn discipline to listen for God, being ready to hear the Holy Spirit, so that when He calls I will be ready to obey.
-Emanuel
It is nice to see more voices engaging in the forum. As participation grows, this will be an important part of the adult learning experience.
Peace & grace,
Fr. DanBecca, the monastic life has brought discipline and regularity to my life, as well. Very true that old habits die hard.
Fr. Danny ‘s comments on “being and doing” clearly apply to me. The ” doing” psrt, I’ve pretty well mastered, and like others, I’m working on the “being” part. I’m finding that I’m ok as long as I concentrate on it, but I get too easily distracted. I’ll get there, though!
Br. MontyVacation presented me with a challenge. The different environment gave me an excuse to allow my regular rhythm to be disrupted. I became my “vacation self”. Then, when I returned and resumed my regular rhythm, everything felt sluggish, like the spiritual plumbing was clogged. Lesson learned!! I need to be the same “me”, wherever I am, whatever is going on!
Welcome, Emanuel! I hope you find being a part of the order as much of a blessing as I have!
This business of having to plan for the future makes it a bit tricky to simply live in the present, doesn’t it? Blessings on your preparations…and on your “being” and learning to listen!
Sr. Becca
Hi Br. Monty! The Lord has a way of getting our attention one way or another, doesn’t He? If we won’t slow ourselves down, He tends to arrange our lives so we have no other choice! 😉 Blessings on your recovery, brother!
Had a great conversation with a dear friend last night about how we tend to identify our “gifts”, usually via some sort of spiritual gifts inventory, and then turn ourselves into spiritual pretzels trying to “live into my gift”. Meanwhile we neglect to do the needed things right under our noses because “that’s just not my gift”. (She sees a good bit of this in her job as the parish administrator for a large church.) Is this a sort of living in a silo? What are your thoughts, everyone?
Sr. Becca, you may want to suggest “Discovering God’s Vision for Your Life” to your friend. That course includes a “Spiritual Gifts Inventory” but doesn’t rely solely on the findings of the inventory (though it is the best tool that I have ever discovered in the area of Spiritual Gifts). Instead the course leads students through a series of 5 exercises to help refine and identify one’s spiritual gifting. While I teach the course, the materials were developed by Stephen Ministries out of St. Louis. The course materials are very high quality.
The course also discusses the fallacy of excusing ministry as “not my gift.” The discovery of true self isn’t an easy road. Many people are ready to tell us what we should be doing. Often their suggestions reflect more of who they are, or what they want from us rather than who God made us to be. There again reveals another aspect of the tension between “doing” and “being.”
Are these silos or paths evidence of decision intersection where we may discover sharing our giftedness in community with others who have other diverse gifts, or walking into a silo of independence that squelches the Spirit? Are there other path options?
Peace and grace,
Fr. DanAll, please be in prayer for Br. Monty. He was admitted to the hospital with chest pains. Test are underway. God bless you dear brother.
In Him,
Fr. Dan, OSBHi Sister Becca,
Living without silos, without compartmentalizing, being my authentic self, how to do it, how do I? I try. I cry, talk to God, think to God. Caregiving is a role I’m in with most of my relationships, at home and work. Not so much at church. But you are asking us to reflect on how to live without silos. I can say, Sister, that I long for the peace of feeling blended as Father Dan lectured. I love when I am there in that space. My own selfishness keeps me from experiencing God’s blended flowing peace, though. I can become a control freak in any situation and if I am demanding and selfish, I stop feeling blended. I feel fractured and I feel I fracture others, too. When I demand that any one person, including myself, behave in a manner that they are not, I stop being my best self. It is the doing part of “demanding” where I get into a world of trouble. I lose contact with God as a form of self punishment. It snowballs. I become a pitiful soul at those times. So, I feel in my world since my authentic service is one of caregiving–it can be challenging. I find I can start the fracturing of the peace of oneness any time, any where if I am not at least in reverential awareness that God is watching my nonsense. To answer, I feel doing the opposite would help me “live without silos.” When I am accepting, letting things, people, and myself just be, life is better. I can breathe in God and those around me seem to breathe easier, too. Thank you so much for inviting that reflection here! ~~Sister Deana
Sister Deana,
I appreciate your posting and the clear contrast that you describe in your life. Especially your conclusion, “When I am accepting, letting things, people, and myself just be, life is better. I can breathe in God and those around me seem to breathe easier, too.” This touches on the heart of the contemplative. As we learn to breathe in life as it is, trusting God rather than ourselves to transform us into lives as He desires them to be. God bless you. Fr. Dan
Dear Rev. Dr. Dan!
Here is one of those places I missed thanking you for your instructional feedback, but instead sent it in the “no reply” email! gee wiz
Thank you, Father! I read it thoroughly and contemplated.I loved the metaphor of living life without silos, and I think it really struck me because I have compartmentalized roles and responsibilities for so much of my life. I would like to think that my central values and purpose remained constant despite the silos I relied on to ease daily functioning, but I know I let some important aspects of my relationship with God be overshadowed by things that may have seemed important but were not. This lesson and discussion will make me more mindful of the need for wholeness in the future.
Blessings,
Maggie
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