Distraction, Acedia and the Ancient Practice of Watchfulness Distraction dilutes the soul and dulls the spirit Distraction has always been a strategic target of Christian spirituality. Early Christian writings identify the hummingbird-like darting of attention as a major impediment to spiritual health. (1) Distraction, along with its kin—obsession and compulsion—scrambles for refuge under the umbrella…
Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash “You deserve to be happy,” my friends say. Who disagrees? “Maybe you are just depressed. See the doctor. Get some of those ‘happy pills’” Depression was a frequent house guest when I was young, often visiting my mother for weeks, even months at a time. She would sit, almost…
Since the death of my son Caleb two years ago, I have written only sermons. Lent feels like the appropriate time to put nib to paper once again. Writing forms part of the process of renovating my life. Acedia, the silent killer of the soul, is the focus.
Time again to turn to readings for the upcoming term for the Studio for Strategic Leadership at VST. The ability to recognize, tell and engage key stories from various dimensions of our life is a key thread in the Studio experience. Ran across this quote from a blog by Shawn Coyne on Steven Pressfield Online .…
Yesterday afternoon was spent primarily using the methodology of The World Cafe. Four people sit around a table and discuss a central question. Yesterday the question resembled: what are the major challenges facing leadership? They talk for 20-30 minutes, one person remains then the other three move to other tables. At the end of the…
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