listening in stillness | serving in joy

~ by Adrienne Southgate picture by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash.com Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ~Matthew 5:19-20 Perfection. That bar of righteous

~ by Connie Habash "Each separate being in the universe returns to the common source. Returning to the source is serenity." ~ The Tao Te Ching, Verse 16 (partial) Ah, serenity. A state of consciousness that many of us long for. The good news is that it's always available to us, right now, when we Return to the Source.   What is Returning to the Source? And how do we do that? As many concepts are in Taoism (and in yoga philosophy), it's very simple, and not easy to maintain.  

Exploring the writings of Teresa of Avila ~ By Ani Vidrine François Pascal Simon Gérard I haven’t levitated very often. The first time it happened I was kneeling in the choir, waiting to go up to the altar and receive Communion. I was immediately distressed because I realized how unusual the experience was and I was afraid that everyone was going to start talking about it. So I ordered the sisters who witnessed it to keep it to themselves. Since I had been appointed as their

~By Connie Habash photo by Vlad Patana on Unsplash.com How do we stay rooted and centered through the many challenges we face in our world? How can we consistently return, again and again, to our connection with the Divine? Trees show us the way.   We humans have the gift of mobility – we walk around and move in a variety of ways, traveling to amazing places. But what we gain with having two legs that can take us a variety of places we lose by our lack of roots. We can feel u

~by Ani Vidrine photo by Moan Rajs on Unsplash.com And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7) Does it ever seem like your life has become crowded with to-do lists — things that need to be done, things that you must accomplish? It can seem like our reason for being alive revolves around completion of these tasks. Sometimes our minds are consumed by perpetual tho

~by Ani Vidrine Grief is Universal From February 2022 to January 2023, I encountered significant losses in my life — from the suicide of a dear friend, to the death of my brother (in-law) to cancer within a month of our discovering his illness, to my husband’s tragic death by a negligent motorist, to the long goodbye to my mom whose body finally gave out. Grief is not selective, but part of the human experience. We can take comfort in the solidarity of our humanness knowing

~by Ani Vidrine photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.com How would my experience of life change if I walked with an empty cup and open heart unashamedly receiving the abundance freely given by strangers, acquaintances, friends, and family without feeling compelled to settle the score, but instead acknowledging my need with gratitude for the provision? I would experience life as a child, powerless, and dependent, yet filled with joy and wonder. “We prefer to think of ourselves as gi

by Laura Neal, ACC, CSD There are moments in life when something familiar suddenly reveals a deeper truth—like a veil being lifted. That is how my relationship with Mary Magdalene began, though I didn’t encounter her directly at first. Instead, she arrived through another Mary—the one I thought I understood all my life. Having grown up Catholic, I knew the Annunciation story by heart after hearing it proclaimed for more than sixty years. Yet in 2022, something within me shift

~ by Ani Vidrine Image by Taylor Flowe on Unsplash I engage with sacred scripture, from any spiritual tradition, as offering a metaphor for my life.  So when I read that that Joseph, husband of Mary, had a dream in which he heard that his betrothed would conceive a son to be named Jesus, who would save his people from their sins, I am reminded of my own redemption from my perceived separation from God. When I hear the testimony of Peter, close friend of Mary’s son, saying th

~ by Ani Vidrine http://www.danamanly.com/gallery-ii “The ignorant work for their own profit, Arjuna; the wise work for the welfare of the world, without thought for themselves. . . Perform all work carefully guided by compassion.” The Bhagavad Gita 3:25, 26 As a clinical social worker, Aracely has devoted her life to assisting the downtrodden, especially in her work with immigrants. In her personal life, her passion is encouraging her children and supporting her husband. Ar

by Ani Vidrine Brandi and Sydnie 2020 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 Brandi is no stranger to the reality of death and its impact. As a licensed clinical social worker of over 20 years, she has shared many tender moments at the bedside of a dying person and offered her strong, consoling presence to their loved ones. Yet, this rea

by Ani Vidrine photo by Gabriel Vasiliu on Unsplash I was at her bedside when she died, now little more than a heap of bones being carried by a flimsy sack of flesh. This fragile vessel belied the indomitable spirit hidden somewhere within. Born into the Cajun culture of south Louisiana, she had labored hard as any field hand, prepared and stored meat and homegrown vegetables, regularly cooked large meals for her biological family and whatever strays that happened to show up,

by Ani Vidrine Icon by Br. Robert Lentz, OFM @ https://www.trinitystores.com/artwork/julian-norwich I invite you to take a journey with me into the heart of an English mystic, to read these musings with an open mind, and to extrapolate meaning from them in a manner that is resonant with your own worldview. These insights were given to a woman who was defined by her culture in the same way that each one of us today is influenced by ours. I see similarities in these concepts wi

by Ani Vidrine Dana Manly Art LLC | www.danamanly.com  | instagram.com/@danamanlyart/ “Take Oh Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me, to You, oh Lord, I return it. All is yours; dispose of it according to Your will. Give me Your love and Your grace, for this is enough for me.” ~St. Ignatius of Loyola My Work With The Jesuits Before I graduated from seminary and received my ordi

by Ani Vidrine In my reading one morning from Strength to Love , a compilation of some of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons, I was encouraged by his elucidation of the parable of the person asking a friend for bread in the middle of the night (Luke 11:5-13).  It inspired my own musings. To what “friend” do I go when I need sustenance at my darkest hour? In considering this, I realized that my darkest hour is not often an external circumstance.  The events of life demand a

by Ani Vidrine It is a basic human need to feel understood and seen, and our everyday exchanges don’t always fill our cups with that restorative nectar. Imagine how our world could be a more nurturing place if we cultivated the art of compassionate conversation in an intentional way. There is an iconic story told in the Christian scriptures about a woman (notably alone) who was brought to Jesus because she was caught in the act of adultery, and the religious leaders wanted t

by Ani Vidrine July 21, 2025 Blessed are those who walk with attentiveness, consideration, and compassion for their places of poverty,...

by Ellen Prewitt I've been talking incessantly about contemplative writing. Y’all know me. I tend to fall into things. Then I’ve got to...

by Ani Vidrine Do you find yourself just wanting to have a sense of peace as your baseline rather than the constant arousal of...

by Shane Steinkamp I was thinking about the idea of sacredness yesterday while unwalking  along the shores of Ship Island—a habit I’ve...