That Shapes the Eye – Feb. 17, 2023

ChildrenCan easily open theDrawer That lets the spirit rise up and wearIts favorite costume ofMirth and laughter. When the mind is consumed withRemembrance ofHim Something divine happens to theHeart That shapes the hand and tongueAnd eye intoThe wordLove. -Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky, The Gift, p. 66

The Power of Ritual

Last winter, I listened to an episode of the podcast On Being featuring Katherine May, in which she discussed the importance of ritual in our lives– to mark the passage of time, to give us hope, to bring communities together at regular intervals. I found the interview so compelling that I’ve been thinking about ritual ever since. […]

Going By Another Way

I’ve heard and read the story of the Magi visiting the infant Jesus* so many times that the words slide past me without registering anything other than a slightly bored familiarity. T.S. Eliot’s poem, which once upon a time startled me with its immediacy and particularity of detail, has now become yet another expected, regular […]

The Angel’s Call

I’m writing on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. A wise time to go within… to listen for the crisp call of angels. As the light fades to gray, a bright red bird perches in a dark, barren tree. Now, all things are more easily seen. The air leans hard against us, heavy and […]