Our Lady of the Woods

Posts Tagged ‘spirituality’

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

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