As we come to the end of the summer, some of us feel rested and ready to return to the rhythm of non-summer life. Others feel as though the summer came and went in a blur … without a moment to stop and rest.
What if rest was a spiritual practice? Something we schedule into our lives in a regular way. The fourth commandment invites us to a weekly sabbath day. Maybe a whole day of rest each week is just not realistic for many of us. Perhaps though, we can set aside an hour each week when we will stop, rest and limit our activity to connecting with God. That might mean reading scripture, talking with God through journaling or prayer, taking a walk and noticing the places where we sense God’s presence in the world around us, listening to or singing sacred music or simply sitting in silence, opening to the Holy Spirit.
Barbara Brown Taylor writes, for one hour/morning/evening each week “I say no to the voice in my head that is forever whispering ‘More.’ For [that period of time] More God is the only thing on my list.”
Another way to have a spiritual practice of rest might be to schedule into our lives a time away for prayer, reflection and fellowship three mornings each year. That is the frequency of Holy Rest Mornings for women. We offer these retreat mornings once in the fall, winter and spring. All women of southwest Philadelphia and the communities of The Common Place and Salt and Light are welcome to join us.
We hope that you, ladies, will consider joining us at the Carriage House at Bartram’s Garden on October 1. We will meet from 10:30-2:00 for a time of rest, prayer, reflection and fellowship. For more information and to register, contact Buff Barnes, 610.283.9848, or buff@thecommomplacephilly.org.
We hope to see you as we come together for the spiritual practice of rest.
In Peace,
Buff
