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The past few weeks have been fast-paced (in a galloping contemplative sort of way!) and thought-provoking. This regular occasional blog will hope to keep you up to date with some of the practicalities and outcomes of my own “travelling light and dwelling deep”. So, where have Roderick’s Rambles taken me?
Just last week I visited, for the second time, one of Britain’s key prisons. I have been hoping for many years that the Quiet Garden idea could find expression in the prison context. It is my wish that this project, which we are provisionally entitling “A Garden Inside”, will be the fruit of a cooperative partnership between The Quiet Garden Movement, Contemplative Fire and a particular prison. In this case, the prison’s head of training was delighted by the idea and took me to see the concreted courtyard in the area of the prison hospital. Please pray that this initiative finds acceptance by the powers that be, that provision is found to landscape and design the area, perhaps even with a water feature, and that those in custody will discover there, healing, soul nurture and something of “the peace which passes all understanding”.
This term I am involved quite substantively in visiting and assessing a theological course for ordination training. For the past seven or eight years I have been one of the CofE’s Bishops’ Inspectors for theological education. It is a privilege and a challenge. As well as hoping to contribute something, I learn a huge amount. In addition I am able to share something of the vision and emergence of The Quiet Garden Movement, The Well Institute and Contemplative Fire. The quality of people selected to train as readers, deacons and priests is high; their commitment to engaging in the mystery of God at depth is significant and the sensitivity and capability of the staff and tutors who train them is really encouraging. This responsibilty has meant a good deal of travelling, but it will be concluded at Easter!
Earlier this month I spent two days in Exeter working with Rick Cresswell, a professional film-maker, on the last bits of filming and some of the editing of a DVD that I am producing in response to many peoples’ requests. The DVD will be ready by April or May and will be entitled “Sacred Posture: 12 Body Prayers”. One of the foundational commitments of my discipleship and ministry is a holistic approach to faith and life. Integral to a rooted and grounded pattern of prayer, study and action is, to my mind, the exploration of visual, auditory and kinesthetic routes to God. This is all about learning to live in the presence. Body prayer is one of the most powerful ways I have found to assist us on this journey of knowing and unkowing. It was a delight to me, therefore, when a colleague and friend, Susan Blagden, discovered an article on embodiment that I had written for a spirituality journal seven years ago or so. I conclude this, my first ever blog (trumpets sound, or, alternatively “Exit, pursued by bear” as the stage direction in Shakespeare’s King Learwould have it!), with an extract from the article:
Pilgrimage notes – on being present to the now!
As a foetus in the womb and as a newly born baby I am designed to begin where I am. I am raw consciousness, certainly not self-consciousness yet, simply responding. At this point in human formation the wider realities of a larger system of meaning – of my identity, of my beliefs and values and even of my capabilities – are not part of my world. Where I am – within or without my mother’s body – determines everything. This ‘where’ is precisely where we are invited to begin on retreat. But, as you may notice, as soon as the word ‘where’ is mentioned, our minds skip ahead, rushing to entertain pictures of streets or trees, houses or landscapes. We have to remind ourselves to go back a few steps. Back into our first environment, the body.
My body is real
I am still amazed and appalled when I go to conferences and retreats, committees and working groups, to experience with what scant regard the body is held in Christian circles. As perhaps the incarnational faith par excellence, we are massively dysfunctional in our treatment of our own most personal environment. It is no wonder that those outside the Church take us with a pinch of salt. The mood today is holistic. In so many ways this returns us to our Jewish roots, but although in Christian circles we pay lip-service to those full-blooded roots and shoots, those of us who plan and design meetings and conferences remain all too often trapped in a radically disembodied mindset. From this ghastly and continuing situation we can, of course, be liberated. Some retreat organizers and conductors realize their prophetic mandate to resource the whole person, body, mind and spirit, in the context of the whole place in which the participants are set for a day or two. Generally speaking, however, there is much work to be done in honouring the eminently local, the inescapably corporal.
Home Sweet home
The environment – me and my locale – is fundamental. If we start where we are, our first environment is the body and our second environment is our home. Few of us, however, consider that our home could become a retreat. We get used to our homes much as we get used to our clothes. After a while our home becomes warm and well used, practical and comfortable but not evidently mystical – not necessarily a place of deep learning. Each of us knows that our home is not perfect, but then neither is our body and nor is the world, but it is where we are and all that we have got, at least for the moment. But have we realized all that we have got? Can my home also yield mystery, revelation, every day inspiration?We have become accustomed to our home providing the context for eating and drinking, supporting and nurturing, activity and rest. How can we access the extra, yet fundamental, dimension that our home can offer to us, and perhaps even to our visitors? The key question is simple and yet crucial: am I willing to make a mental shift, a paradigm shift as they say, to include, as an extra component in the perception and ordering of my home, a consecrated space? If I am able to make such a commitment, at least once a week if not every day, I shall find myself responding positively and unequivocally to the divine alluring. ‘Be still and know that I am God’. ‘Be still and know that I am.’ ‘Be still and know.’ ‘Be still.’ ‘Be.’
Philip Roderick, Retreats in Transition, The Way Supplement 1999/95, ‘I am here now’, p67
I hope you enjoy Roderick’s Rambles. Do feel free to pass the blog on, together with the link for it, to your friends and colleagues.
Keep praying, keep playing,
Philip
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Hello Philip! I have just enjoyed your first inputto your Blog.
Comment by Amy Perry February 11, 2007 @ 2:23 pmI shall look forward to more entries and sincerely hope and pray the “the Quiet Garden Inside” takes root and grows.
With love and prayers, Amy
Wonderful and very encouraging to read your blog and to learn more of your ministry…and the special concerns for prayer now.
Comment by Geraldine February 11, 2007 @ 3:31 pmI will continue to pray.
every blessing
Geraldine
Thankyou for an inspirational website that really touches the places that others don’t!
Comment by Andrea Williams February 11, 2007 @ 3:38 pmI look forward to making it a regular port of call. Please let us know when the DVD is available,I would very much like to own one.
May God bless this Blog, with love and prayers, Andrea
Hi Philip,
I am very interested to hear about the work which will be undertaken in the prison - so important to make a beautiful and sacred place and especially in the area of the prison hospital.
So many of us need to be still, just BE, even if we can only manage this a few minutes each day. We would then become increasingly conscious that we are guided by synchronicities. Just before reading your blog I had read an email from a friend who had writen a poem for me “To Be” and he had also sent me pictures of the sea, only this sea was very stormy! Will have to work more as just Being!
Love and Light in all you do. Marcia
Comment by Marcia Goffin February 11, 2007 @ 6:23 pmThis is a wonderful sharing and very much appreciated. I am delighted you have decided to do this and to encourage, in this way as well, each of us to find and make space and time to “Be Still.” What an imperative this is in the Psalms and how much we all need this space in our lives in order to function effectively and to live life in the Spirit. Thank you Philip and all power to your elbow as you write and share with us in this way. May God continue to bless and inspire you …..With love Elizabeth
Comment by Elizabeth February 11, 2007 @ 9:19 pmThank you for including us in your list. Delighted to hear about the Quiet Garden Inside and look forward to hearing about developments. Also appreciated teh comments abotu care of the body and home as a retreat - More please.
Comment by Eva February 11, 2007 @ 11:10 pmThanks Philip for including me in this. I was particularly interested to hear of the prison work, which because of Elizabeth Fry, (Betsy) I remain interested in. Love etc - JeanH
Comment by Jean Hatton February 11, 2007 @ 11:29 pmHey Phillip, and greating from across the pond! good luck with the blog, I tried and failed miserably to keep it up! Really interested to hear how the garden inside goes, my YOI placement were talking about doing something of the same ilk. Blessings! Adele
Comment by Adele Rees February 12, 2007 @ 5:18 amCongratulations Philip on dealing with the technology. Look forward to hearing more of your ramblings and I pray for the budding and flowering of Contemplative Fire. Its wonderful to envisage a huge community building around the world. Its hard to ‘be’ in the midst of long, busy business hours, so any tips from anyone as to how that can be achieved would be warmly received.
Comment by Ann Worrall February 12, 2007 @ 9:31 amHappy blogging init! (Isnt that the language of blog?!)
Lovely to read your thoughts and insights - the prison garden sounds fantastic. Can you solve the mystery of why all your comments are from bodies female?!!
With love Jane
Comment by Jane Hooper February 12, 2007 @ 9:43 amBest wishes for your prison garden.
Thought you would like some acknowledgement from a male body.
In light for life and with love.
Duncan
Comment by Duncan Macdonald February 12, 2007 @ 11:45 amGreat stuff Philip! Loved the initial topics - prison gardens, bodies, in-home sacred space. With my view of the Sheepscot River, and a table of ’special things’ (aka an altar), visitors feel enough at home to make their own contributions to the ‘table’ - a feather, a shell, a stone, a tiny painted elephant…Peace and love, Suzanne
Comment by suzanne nelis February 12, 2007 @ 3:08 pmHi Philip
what a blessing to receive the link to to your blog today. After a morning in hospital discussing the way forward for my ailing body, your comments are just what I needed to read.
And the Quiet Garden Inside sounds fab - really exciting.
Big hugs and buckets of blessings
Comment by Elspeth February 12, 2007 @ 3:48 pmElspeth x
Phillip
Comment by Beverley Edminster February 12, 2007 @ 4:34 pmHow lovely to hear from you again. Your blog page is magnificent and our prayers are with you for the success of your ‘garden inside.’ Please keep up your ramblings — we need your thoughts and insights. Am sharing with Miriam, Wilma and Helen. Love and blessings, Beverley
Hello, Phillip!
A good ‘blog’ - plenty of inspiration and information. Hope you are well, and that we shall see you here in France again before too long.
God bless
Linda & Andy Shepherd
Comment by Andy Shepherd February 12, 2007 @ 5:31 pmThe most inspirational retreat I went on was a “holistic retreat” in which we danced on the grass with bare feet, painted, modelled with clay, made bread, music - involved everything. I felt completely alive. It really involved the body - as you say, it is so important.
Comment by Judy Turner February 12, 2007 @ 5:38 pmBless you - Judy
Hi Phillip!
Your wayfaring has indeed led you to an interesting place since Kanuga 2003 or 04? Keep up the good body work and theology and the play in the garden. Your blog link has provided a re-connect. I’m glad you chose to spin this web. Tim
Comment by Timothy Meadows February 12, 2007 @ 6:27 pmThanks for this Phil, I found it inspirational and look forward to receiving your next blogg!
Hope you’re keeping well.
Love
Wend
Comment by Wendi Clayton February 12, 2007 @ 7:13 pmThank you Philip for sending this through, it has come at an opportune time for me and the thought of your beautiful garden has inspired me to take a deep breath and look at life in a new way.
I hope all is well for you, it seems such a long time since you and the rest of the group were here.
Comment by Maggie Moore February 13, 2007 @ 3:03 pmHi Philip,
Comment by Helen Terry February 13, 2007 @ 3:22 pmjust been to a clergy deanery gathering and resonate with your comment that Christian gatherings pay scant attention to the body as a sacrament - anyway, enjoyed reading your stuff. Hope to see you again in the future.
love Helen Terry
Hi,Philip, and congratulations for your blog!
Comment by Lídia February 13, 2007 @ 7:19 pmLoved to hear about the “Garden Inside” and look forward to seeing the “12 Body Prayers” DVD.
Be well,
Lídia
Thanks for this Philip - I have been saying for an age that CME for ministers will focus on theolgy, pastoral care and a dozen other things but never in my recollection have I seen a CME day on eating and living well with appropriate exercise. Although CA has one seminar in its upcoming Conference for single people. I run 4/5 miles a day along the sea front and as a minister see that as part of my working day - a luxury I appreciate not available to most folk. But as a Church Army Officer I see the army part as important and that includes phyisical fitness as much as possible.
O the onging legacy of modern rationalism that paid scant regard to the body and sought only to feed the mind and intelect - in Jesus God shows that matter matters!
Comment by Gordon February 13, 2007 @ 7:51 pmGreat to see this new venture, my friend, and to know you are well and thriving, and that the Work is moving ever so well. We greet you from Texas! LB
Comment by Lynn B. February 15, 2007 @ 3:08 pmPhilip…. The Holy Spirit is moving in amazing ways. The way of contemplation gives us glimpses of the loving mystery. I pray that the veil continues to part and perhaps even be lifted with regularity. Blessings upon your “place” in the prison. One of my dearest friends is involved in “being” with those on the inside — and when Christ’s love claims those who have done the “awful” things many of the inmates have done… well…. this is when we see again the miracle of grace! Be well, and remember to breathe! Pamela
Comment by Pamela February 17, 2007 @ 7:53 pmPhilip
Wonderful that you have started a Blog.
You have so much to share
Look forward to the Podcast next of your talks
Blessings
David
Comment by David Barratt February 18, 2007 @ 8:09 amPhilip, to receive your blog was such a lift! Once again I was transformed to a different place. Inspired in body and mind, the feeling of deep peace returned. Thank you. I egarly await your next reflextion. May the ‘Garden Inside’ reveal the deep peace, that we have come to know, to those who seek.
Comment by Jane Creasy February 18, 2007 @ 10:10 amAlthough I have felt rather on the fringe recently, I now realise just how much your thoughts and contemplations continue to touch me.
May blessings be abundant.
Jane
Philip, thanx for taking the time to write such a long, informative and creative message. Keep them coming. And Susan, thanx for digging out the article about the body and the home. It’s a revelation in its simplicity.
love
Comment by Annemarie Neall February 23, 2007 @ 11:05 pmAnnemarie
Hall call a long time
… Gossage entertained media and friends in his living room while the family pet, a husky named Docky, enjoyed the
Trackback by pet play yard January 16, 2008 @ 1:51 pmThe Church has a liturgical responsibility and an evangelism responsibility. The Church much like a child told to clean his room each week runs in and stuffs the drawers with items and under the bed and in the closet and sweeps the dirt under the rug and runs out to play yelling to his mum that the room is clean. Week after week the church blazes through the liturgy and prayers but the proof of a well cleaned room is behind the closet doors under the bed and the rug. The Liturgy has bones set by God through His holy Apostles and the early church declared in scripture in the New Testament providing the skeleton but the flesh God has left to us. God has given His church absolute freedom in developing beauty and fitness of form to the Church through the liturgy and evangelism. These two equal but separate ministries work together to build the community of God’s people and then the world looks at us and says “My! How they love one another” And “God added to them the number that were being saved.” Clean your room Philip!
Comment by Rory January 25, 2008 @ 6:53 pm