Like Jacob waking up and exclaiming: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it”, helping us realise that wherever we are “this [place] is the gate of heaven”.
Practising resurrection: an invitation
Practising resurrection: an invitation to enter into a way of life that leads to life. It is not about trying harder: it is not about achievement or success. These precepts are practical and practised ways of living in a grounded and real way, and they include the following ground-rules:
Is, not should: reminding us how deadening the “should” and “oughts” in our lives can be
Drawn, not driven: hinting at the authentic and gentle movement of the Spirit of God, rescuing us from the tyranny of our addictions and compulsions
Now, not then: moving us away from the grip of regret about the past and anxiety about the future
What, not why: helping us focus on the reality or the facts of life rather than being lost in the endlessness of the often futile question “why?”
Me, not you: allowing us to move away from competitiveness and defensiveness into the grace-filled responsibility of learning to live out of our truth.
People are hungry for a different space of self-hearing and self-healing…Beyond the turmoil, a tenderness. Beyond the anger and bitterness, something akin to forgiveness. This space is born from honesty…and from the presence of another person who is not afraid of a slow journey through the desert.
Michael Paul Gallagher
Image source: Paper River Flow in the Desert, Young-Ly Hong Chandra
What opportunities do you seek to foster self-awareness?
What do you have in place – or at least desire- for nurturing your inner life?
Denying yourself such space is a way of devaluing yourself.
How gentle are you with yourself?
Can you identify in yourself a harsher spirit?
Where does this come from?
And even more importantly: where does it lead?
What insecurities, poor self-images, perfectionist attitudes or demanding images of God are you aware of in. yourself?
Have you found anyone with whom you can talk these things over?
The images in this post are of works by the Korean artist Young-Ly Hong Chandra. Here she uses traditional Korean mulberry paper with acrylic, watercolor, ink, and gel.
The artist says of her work …
“For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water . . .” (Isa. 35:6b–7a).
The vision of the river bringing healing and renewal, and reflecting the glory of God clear as crystal came to me and healed me.
Making “packable art” that can be rolled, folded, packed in a bag and opened to be an installation is redeeming my burden as an artist who is constantly moving and traveling. I don’t have to leave it behind, but I can travel light with it. This makes my life more mobile and sustainable. I am a small river bearer who’s conveying the big vision of the river flow to give life to many and will reflect the glory of god clear as crystal.
Paper has an intimate and nostalgic nuance—think of paper planes, paper dolls, even paper books.! The Paper River is made with a childlike belief of making and treating things to be ‘‘real’, which is ‘not pretending unreal as real’ but seeing ‘the reality of unseen’ in a playful manner. It’s an embodiment of the message of hope, ‘Redeemed life given for free, therefore freely giving’!
For more information visit Young-Ly Hong Chandra
For a printable PDF of the text of this meditation please click the link below.
