You’d never believe it here in cold, rainy, stormy England, but today (in the Northern hemisphere) is the Spring Equinox, the first of those two very special days each year when the hours of light and dark are in perfect balance.
From here until Midsummer, the sun is in the ascendant and like the plants we stretch and grow towards the warmth.
In the context of balance, this post is about my day last Saturday.
Regular readers will know I’m a bit of a Richard Rohr groupie! Richard is a Franciscan priest based in New Mexico who founded the Centre for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque. He teaches that neither the contemplative life nor the active life are enough, and it is only by balancing the two that we become fully human.
So last week I was part of a group of people who believe Rohr has something really important to say, and who are discussing a UK network of Action and Contemplation based on his teachings. We brainstormed options, we got to know each other, we made plans for how we can build on a trip that Rohr is making to the UK later this year. (I’m going to his conference on Franciscan Spirituality Today in September.)
If you look, you will find balance in all wisdom traditions, including Benedictine spirituality, which is my first love. But it often gets corrupted or reduced to either/or. Rohr says that in the phrase action and contemplation, “and” is the most important word.
Where do you find balance in your life?
Image by Mr Mark
Elsewhere:
Of course there are many legends linking St Francis to the natural world, and I like Carl McColman’s post here about the Equinox and his hope that Christianity may finally be moving to a different and more spiritual relationship with this earth of ours. And at Under the Sycamore Tree, Macrina is going hunting.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Ah, Richard Rohr… I receive his daily Radical Grace message. I read a couple of his books some years back. He is also involved in the enneagram, like you Tess, isn’t he?
Do I find balance in my life? I think I’m working at it. Ignatian spirituality is about ‘contemplatives in action’ so I am involved in both. But there is so much ‘out there’ to integrate.
Some day, hopefully, I will do everything, prayer and action and interaction, out of heart of compassion.
Until then, I return to your blog, for it is always a treat to think about what you offer us
Happy Equinox, Tess
you always challenge me on so many levels AND i am very grateful for that. so, interesting that this post comes on the equinox when the light and dark are balanced, because currently my “balance” seems to come from giving weight to the cycle(s) of life – breath – hours of the day – seasons of the year – seasons of my life. all of these stemming from the benedictine practice of praying with the hours.
i find when i am balanced between work and rest – community and solitude – etc. i seem to have much more to offer in the way of action and contemplation. AND is definitely a significant word!
xo
Tess, I constantly question whether there is enough “action” in my life. If I listed out all of the things that I am involved in I would probably receive an affirmation of my service in the world, but I constantly question, “Is it really making a difference?”. Many, many times would just like to close my doors to the world and I know that is not what is meant by contemplation. Am I withdrawing? Or recharging? I have both action and contemplation in my life. I am not sure if they are “balanced”.
Love…
@Claire, yes I get those daily messages as well. They often manage to just hit the spot and are frequently very challenging, which is good. It was through his Enneagram work that I first found him although he does less of that these days. There is indeed so much to integrate. Perhaps there’s a common humanity in that we will never quite get it right.
@lucy, of course I thought of you immediately I saw this emphasis on “and”! Yes, finding balance – which I suspect might be different for everyone – makes us able to offer more. To others AND to ourselves.
@rebecca, I’m with you on this question. There’s plenty of “action” in my life but is it meaningful? Often not. AND, perhaps it’s not for us to know whether it’s making a difference. I was just going to write about balance being difficult to achieve, and caught myself. Perhaps that striving to achieve is what puts us out of balance.
“perhaps it’s not for us to know whether it’s making a difference” feels very true. We must do what is put in front of us and also respond to “calls” as they present themselves to us.
I very, very frequently have to remind myself of a powerful experience that I had on a labyrinth several years ago in which I became very clearly aware that my FIRST vocation is that of Mother. (And it’s not the first vocation that I would CHOOSE because I often feel so inadequate.)
I forget that mothering is definitely action in the world and then discount that work.
Re your “elsewheres”: Did you read Carl’s post about introverts in the church? I can’t get the book, but am intrigued about new awarenesses about how introverts and contemplatives fit into the picture of the church. He says in another post (somewhere) that there are only a handful of contemplatives present in most churches and that really threw me for a loop. I often feel so lonely, but I never thought that I was THAT alone. I wanted to ask him where he got his numbers but he had just posted that he was no longer able to respond to comments. What is your experience?
Or perhaps prayer IS action.
As in Martha and Mary…….
Take a look at THISif you have a moment:
Best wishes with your Franciscan Project, Tess
For me balance is paradox – a complete contradiction – which I’m not sure is a correct way to say it. I do think prayer is action especially for introverts and there’s the paradox. Going places and doing while not leaving my apartment. When I am out and about I think I hope that small actions of kindness are worthy. I spent 40 some years in an active life and I’m worn out!
We all have different strengths don’t we? One spiritual director told me don’t ever underestimate presence.
rebecca – I too would like to know where Carl got his numbers –
@rebecca: I think your vocation as Mother (I just mistyped that as “vacation” – hardly!) is a wonderful recognition, and perhaps we often discount the parts of our lives that are action because it seems so normal.
Yes, I think Carl’s review of the introvert book is interesting. My feeling is that there are probably more introverts and contemplatives (not necessarily the same thing) than are immediately noticeable, because the extroverts are grabbing the attention.
I do think, though, that conventional Christian churches/congregations, with their clear “rules”, hierarchies, built-in social community and activities like soup kitchens or whatever, naturally attract people who want all those things and that those people tend to be the most visible.
@Norman: you’re absolutely right, of course, prayer is action. And thanks very much for your link – I’ve responded at more length in a Facebook DM. I’m conscious in myself of a reluctance to the sort of action that could be described as “lady bountiful”. A kind of guilt complex about being a middle-class white woman, reasonably well off. But then, self-consciousness is something that’s followed me round like a mangy dog all my life.
@Karen: thanks for your comment and welcome to my blog. I’m right with you on paradox, which I think is one of the most important words in any spiritual path. Again, it’s getting away from the either/or to reach the and. I think your spiritual director was absolutely right, presence and witness are of huge importance. I’m sorry you’re worn out!!
The stones in your magnificent illustration are cantilevered, without any external bracing. I once worked in a building whose architecture was cantilevered where my office was located, which produced a very odd though stable feeling about one’s location. In your example the balance is accomplished both vertically and horizontally. The Christian cross is sometimes discussed in terms of its soaring vertical beam, in continuity with (rather than in counterpoint to) its broad, or inclusive horizontal embrace.
kigen, I love the breadth and depth of your knowledge!
heisann!
I´m looking for a new blog to visit, may be I will come back.
We have some in common!
Have a nice Easter!
Bjorg Nina, thank you for your visit and hope to see you again. Have a good Easter!
{ 2 trackbacks }