Our Lady of the Woods

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Our Lady of the Woods Book Club

Meeting of May 10, 2010

The book discussed is Jill Bolte Taylor’s “My Stroke of Insight”. This book is a brain scientist’s personal journey into and through her own stroke. Her revelation and insight is that her stroke was a blessing and her book is testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone. Those present shared that much was made clear about how the brain works and how the physiology of the brain is very much a part of the spiritual journey to inner peace. Some practical applications for using the right side of the brain to undertake centering prayer, pursue inner peace, and calm down when upset.  All agreed that this was a good choice for our book club.

The club will take a summer break and meet again in September. The second Monday of the month … 9/13/10. The book will be the member’s choice. Each member will bring in a book they have read that had a significant impact on their life and their spiritual journey. It can be fiction, non-fiction, Christian or not … just a book that needs to be shared with others.

The impeded stream is the one that sings.

Hello OLW Book Club members

Our meeting on Monday, April 19 discussed the current book, “Ten poems to change your life” by Roger Housden. His commentaries on the poetry he chose to share (he is not the poet) were insightful, humorous, revealing and helpful in understanding in what direction each poem was pointing.

Initially some of those present were hesitant to purchase or read poetry. But those who overcame that hesitancy report that Housden’s book was marvelous. Some even want to read the rest of his books. (Ten poems to last a lifetime; ten poems to set you free; ten poems to open your heart, etc.)

Of the ten poems in this volume, the favorites were “The Journey” by Mary Oliver; “Last Night as I was Sleeping” by Antonio Machado, “Ode to My Socks” by Pablo Neruda, and “For the Anniversary of my Death” by W.S. Merwin.

THE OPTIONS ARE:

Monday, May 10

Tuesday, May 11

Wednesday, May 12

Monday, May 17

Monday, May 24

Tuesday, May 25
PLEASE get back to us with your preferences and we will choose the date that most people can attend. We probably want at least 5 responses before we decide.

I have a couple sets of the 5 disc set of Audio CDs for anyone who would like to borrow them. I highly recommend listening to this account read by the author herself. I think the impact of her story is doubled by listening to her voice tell of her own experience.  You will see in the review below that it is amazing.

Also … you can see Jill Taylor tell of her experience in an 18 minute video on http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

… or go to Ted.com and do a search on Jill Taylor.

(by the way, if you haven’t discovered Ted.com yet, you are in for a treat.)

A brain scientist’s journey from a debilitating stroke to full recovery becomes an inspiring exploration of human consciousness and its possibilities

On the morning of December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke when a blood vessel exploded in the left side of her brain. A neuro-anatomist by profession, she observed her own mind completely deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life, all within the space of four brief hours. As the damaged left side of her brain–the rational, grounded, detail- and time-oriented side–swung in and out of function, Taylor alternated between two distinct and opposite realties: the euphoric nirvana of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace; and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized Jill was having a stroke, and enabled her to seek help before she was lost completely.

In My Stroke of Insight, Taylor shares her unique perspective on the brain and its capacity for recovery, and the sense of omniscient understanding she gained from this unusual and inspiring voyage out of the abyss of a wounded brain. It would take eight years for Taylor to heal completely. Because of her knowledge of how the brain works, her respect for the cells composing her human form, and most of all an amazing mother, Taylor completely repaired her mind and recalibrated her understanding of the world according to the insights gained from her right brain that morning of December 10th.

Today Taylor is convinced that the stroke was the best thing that could have happened to her. It has taught her that the feeling of nirvana is never more than a mere thought away. By stepping to the right of our left brains, we can all uncover the feelings of well-being and peace that are so often sidelined by our own brain chatter. A fascinating journey into the mechanics of the human mind, My Stroke of Insight is both a valuable recovery guide for anyone touched by a brain injury, and an emotionally stirring testimony that deep internal peace truly is accessible to anyone, at any time.

Review of the OLW Spirituality Book Club of Monday, February 15, 2010

“Doomsday Book” by Connie Willis.

Everyone reports they were very glad they read this one. To learn about the black death in 1348 as well as an account of what people might do when dealing with a plague in 2054. All was intensely interesting and insightful. Most readers noted about the ways people react to the most terrible situation. Those who run or deny, and then those who stay and inspire dignity in the most disastrous and horrendous of situations. The question is “What would I do? How would I react?” Yes, a spiritual question about living in the reality of dreadfulness. The ending was a surprise also.

Our next meeting is the 2^nd Monday of month as usual (weather permitting) which is March 8, 6:30 p.m. in admin building.

The book chosen is Roger Housden’s “Ten Poems to Change Your Life”. A “soul’s journey” book to fit with our book club theme.

OK we all hate poetry …. There are those recurring nightmares of teachers trying to make us “see the inner vision of what the poet is seeing” and all that stuff.

In this book Housden just outright tells us what the poem means …. easy stuff. I’ve copied a brief review below and the list of poems in the book.

Review

“In Ten Poems to Change Your Life Housden offers a unique map for the Soul’s journey and encourages us to begin. Accessible, elegant, luminous, and wise, this book is Soul food.”
– Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather’s Blessings – Review

The Dark Night by St. John Of The Cross
Zero Circle by Jalal Ad-din (jalaluddin) Ar-rumi
The Time Before Death by Kabir
Last Gods by Galway Kinnell
Last Night As I Was Sleeping by Antonio Machado Ruiz
For The Anniversary Of My Death by William Stanley Merwin
The Journey by Mary Oliver
Ode To My Socks by Naftali Ricardo Reyes Basuato
Love After Love by Derek Walcott
Song Of Myself by Walt Whitman

Discussion of the OLW Book Club – Focus on Spirituality, December 14, 2009

“Awareness, the Perils and Opportunities of Reality” by Anthony DeMello

DeMello’s book was appreciated by members in a variety of different ways. His deliberate presentation seems at first quite clear, but each idea stops the reader in a “what?” reaction. It’s as though he is looking out from the inside of each thought. Most intriguing to one reader was the difference between worldly feelings and soul feelings … worldly feelings are when we react to being successful or well thought of; soul feelings occur when you are in touch with nature or absorbed in work you love or music or art. All readers commented on the fact that negative feelings are in you, not in reality. All efforts to change negative feelings by changing your environment or the people around you will not address the issue … negative feelings are in you. This is what has to be recognized and addressed.

The group all agreed that spirituality as defined by DeMello is being awake, being aware of what’s going on within you and around you. Much of the discussion evolved around ways you can become more aware of your life and stop being asleep or even dead to your “real” life.

Our next book club date will be in two months … February 8, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in the Admin Building at OLW.

The next book chosen considers human nature in love, courage, faith and the contrary qualities of indignity, fear and despair.

Doomsday Book is a 1992 science fiction novel by American author Connie Willis. The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, and was short listed for other awards, placing it among the most honored works of science fiction in recent history.

Mankind’s physical vulnerability in the face of infectious disease is hardly the only theme of this novel, whose true subject matter is the human capacity for love, courage and faith. Kivrin cannot save the plague victims from death, but— of course—defeating death was never a likely outcome. Time and again, Willis reminds readers that nobody escapes death, that every century (whatever its time-travel rating) has a 100 percent death rate for its contemporaries. What Kivrin does save the medieval villagers from is arguably more important: indignity, fear and despair.

A meticulous researcher who always imbues her time-travel pieces with a rich level of historical detail.  As answers emerge, the particular brilliance of Doomsday Book—its parallel storylines—becomes obvious. Even as Kivrin realizes she is in the midst of the plague, the influenza outbreak at home is killing people at the university. Both epidemics play out in detail, showing how far medical technology has developed in the centuries between 1348 and the present … and how little human nature has changed over the same period. The helplessness of the medieval villagers against the plague is contrasted with a frantic modern effort to fight the influenza. The results are humbling.

Books read thus far are:

Thomas Merton “New Seeds of Contemplation”

Tom Stella “The God Instinct”

C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity”

Annie Dillard “For the Time Being”

Chaim Potok “My Name is Asher Lev”

Henri Nouwen “Life of the Beloved”

Anne Rice “Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt”

Ronald Rolheiser “The Holy Longing”

Henri Nouwen “Reaching Out.”

Anthony DeMello “Awareness”

vmr

Summary of November 9, 2009 meeting

Book read and discussed is “Reaching Out – The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life” by Henri Nouwen

Beginning the discourse with the question … “what is the difference between loneliness and solitude” produced a multitude of thoughts, e.g. ‘loneliness is the pain of being alone while solitude is the glory of being alone’. Nouwen divided the movements of the spiritual life into three sections … From loneliness to solitude; from hostility to hospitality and from illusion to prayer. Each section drew out much interchange of both personal experiences and reactions that expressed a real grasp of the material.

It is agreed that although we do need others to support our spiritual development, we are still personally responsible for our own salvation. Other people can’t make you happy; it is a personal decision to be happy and guide your life. However we develop our spiritual life through community. Still it is only with “inner sensitivity” to your own essence of life (which is God present within you) that you can really connect with others and form community. In the section on hospitality, Nouwen spoke of the parent/child relationship which was significant for all present. One idea agreed upon was that children are not our possession … rather are gifts or guests in our home to be regarded as unique gift bearing individuals.  Nouwen’s “myth of immortality” is a concept that brings people to the idea that they do not need God. Agreeing that most people who are not churched are still good people, the realization surfaced that there is “more” to be found in looking for an intimate relationship with God.

A final concept discussed is that “… conscientious living of the small realities of everyday life was the way of prayer” and that “… one must descend with the mind into the heart, and there stand before the face of the Lord, ever present, all seeing within you.” This brought us all to the concern about exploring ways to make every day of the “small realities” a prayer; everyday living as an awareness of God’s presence speaking to us in every moment.

The list of books proffered for next month included

·         Any of Keating’s books on centering prayer

·         “Everyday Simplicity: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Growth” by Robert J. Wicks,

·         “One With Jesus: The Life of Identification with Christ” by Paul De Jaegher (Author),

·         “Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality” by Anthony De Mello.

·         One of Housden’s books on “Poems that Change Your Life”.

We will keep this list as future possible books.

The decision for December is Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality by Anthony De Mello.

… from the book cover: Using humor, compassion, and insight, the beloved and best-selling Anthony de Mello teaches us to welcome the challenge of knowing ourselves and living the “aware” life.

Next meeting date is December 14, 6:30 p.m. in the admin building at OLW.

vmr

Books read thus far are:

Thomas Merton “New Seeds of Contemplation”

Tom Stella “The God Instinct”

C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity”

Annie Dillard “For the Time Being”

Chaim Potok “My Name is Asher Lev”

Henri Nouwen “Life of the Beloved”

Anne Rice “Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt”

Ronald Rolheiser “The Holy Longing”

Henri Nouwen “Reaching Out.”

October 12, 2009 OLW Book Club Notes

The book discussed is Ronald Rolheiser’s “The Holy Longing”

Ten people present … (and probably 10 shadow members … those that read and share with us although not present at the meeting).

An opening statement was that the selection of books over the last few months have been both enlightening and amazing, challenging and life-changing. On that note this is what we have read since March of 2009.

Thomas Merton “New Seeds of Contemplation”

Tom Stella “The God Instinct”

C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity”

Annie Dillard “For the Time Being”

Chaim Potok “My Name is Asher Lev”

Henri Nouwen “Life of the Beloved”

Anne Rice “Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt”

Ronald Rolheiser “The Holy Longing.

Rolheiser’s book engendered some lively discussion …. Everyone appreciated the book but in many different ways and were eager to share what impacted them.  The concepts that struck deep were:

• The necessity for community for a balanced spirituality – difficult for some, easy for others… however it was noted that membership in this book club was a part of community and even community of one-on-one is of value.
• Social justice as a component of spirituality – this concept was seen as being too heavily presented; however, since 9/11 many people see more need for this.
• Paradox – still struggling to define this one.
• The Eucharist – the difference between sarx and somo … and the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as well as in the world … in many ways.

Other concepts discussed included further definitions of “spirituality”; what a saint is; Roman Catholicism, church; Incarnation; how God speaks to us. A powerful book that dared to speak of difficult or ‘paradoxical’ subject and do so in understandable language.

Next book will be a revisit to Henri Nouwen in “Reaching Out, The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life.”

Meeting date will be November 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the admin bldg at OLW.

vmr

Our lady of the Woods Book Club ~ Focus on Spirituality

September 14, 2009

Discussion of “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt” began with comments regarding the first person narrative style; the way the scenes were captured in the well researched Hebrew cultural environment; the way the author made the scripture come alive;  filled in the blanks of Jesus childhood in a realistic way.  The most commented on focus was the fact that Anne Rice made Jesus real… as well as his mother and father, Joseph and Mary. He is human; he has a human nature; he is relatable. Some of the discussion was about the theory … did Jesus know who he was when he was seven years old. For some members, the word incarnation made more sense after reading this book. Rice has Jesus realize that his humanity was the necessary because everyone that lives dies and he had to be human so that he could die ..

All of this discussion led to the question, “What does belief mean to you? Not ‘what do you believe’, but what is belief to you?” Each person present shared some profound reasons why belief is valuable to their life and how they came to that understanding. Unique, yet common to all, was that there is an underlying urge, desire, yearning, longing for something else than what is visible, then what appears real … a transcendent…something beyond what is evident in our daily life.  Discussion also centered around  what connects us to one another … not just in the room, but to every living person…how do we find that connection…and what it means to living together for a world of peace. Again the deep current that lies beneath the visible waves.  To quote part of the report from last month’s book: Keeping the presence before us is a struggle…seeking to keep the deep currents of his love connected to the waves on the surface of our life.

NEXT Date: Monday, October 12, 6:30 p.m. in the Admin Bldg.

NEXT Book: “The Holy Longing” by Ronald Rolheiser.

From the book jacket: This book is for those searching to understand what Christian spirituality means and how to apply it to their own lives. Rolheiser makes sense of what is frequently a misunderstood word: spirituality …  how to channel that restlessness, that deep desire, into a healthy spirituality.

vmr

OLW Book Club Report for August 17, 2009

Book Read … “Life of the Beloved, Spiritual Living in a Secular World” by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Comments on this book by the eight people present revealed that everyone did like the book. It is one of those books that help associate ideas and concepts with other books each of us may have read … kind of like a “connect the dots” model where hopefully it will all make sense.

It also read like a “how-to” book on building an intimate relationship with God.

At page 49+ Nouwen sets out three guidelines to making your life one in which we live as those we believe that we are unique and chosen as the “beloved” of God.  1) Unmask the world … say to yourself that negative feelings are not telling me the truth about myself … that I am a chosen child of God. Negativity blinds us to the truth of how blessed we are. 2) Opt consciously for our choseness … surround yourself with people and places and practices and books that affirm the truth. 3) Celebrate this truth with gratitude and acknowledging that you are not an accident, but a choice by God as his beloved.

Much discussion about mindfulness came to mind with personal examples by those present. This form of ‘attention’ helps us maintain our realization of our blessedness.

Each of the points in Nouwen’s book, Taken, Blessed, Broken and Given were discussed, but in a circuitous manner as we discovered that each in connected to the other, depends on the other and is a fruit of the others. Each help us connect with the truth … our true self.

Keeping the presence of God before us is a struggle … but this proves to be a good “how-to” book for those who wish to live in an intimate relationship with God … seeking to keep the deep currents of his love connected to the waves on the surface of our life.

NEXT Date: Monday, September 14, 6:30 p.m. in the Admin Bldg.

NEXT Book: Anne Rice’s “Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt.”

Review on Amazon:

In crisp, straightforward prose, Rice explores the mysteries beneath the childhood of Jesus. At age seven, the boy and his family leave Egypt to return to their home. They find themselves caught in a revolution after the death of the first King Herod, ruler of the portion of the Roman Empire that includes Israel. Although the historical and cultural details are authentic and well done, it is the character of Jesus that drives this novel. He feels like a typical seven-year-old, but he’s also suddenly discovering abilities that no one else possesses. He brings clay birds to life, makes snow fall, and even resurrects a dead playmate. The story is told from Jesus’ point of view, and the strength of the book weighs heavily on Rice’s ability to make him believable both as a child and as the son of God; she does a winning job. The wisdom of all things religious fills Jesus completely, but he’s naive about day-to-day events: he can’t understand why a young girl he used to play with prefers at age 12 to learn about weaving and rearing children. This new direction for Rice is both bold and reverent, and is bound to please fans and newcomers alike.

Book Club Update

*Books Read Thus Far: New Seeds of Complation by Thomas Merton; The God Instinct by Tom Stella; Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

The next meeting will discuss the book by Annie Dillard, “For the Time Being”

Our location will change to the admin building … more comfy environment