Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"[...] There is something about nature that invites this kind of attention. In the quiet of nature, it's easier to let your attention focus on the way the leaves move in the wind, the sound of birds and the rustle of squirrels in the undergrowth, the drifting clouds. You can give your attention fully to the moment. You can notice your thoughts and emotions as they come into your mind and gently turn your attention back to the moment you're in: the feeling of the grass beneath your feet, the chill of the wind against your face. There is a certain calm, a sense of peace-and a gratitude, a sense of love for the world-that happens when you turn away from distractions and simply let yourself be.

"It's not only in nature that we can do this. The purpose of Ignatian spirituality is to train yourself to be attentive in every part of your life, whether this is in the small decisions you make about what to say in conversation, or the big decisions about what job to do, where to go next. It's about becoming aware of the wild and persistent love which underlies everything, which we call the Holy Spirit. The world is not made up of sacred places and empty, unsacred ones-all of reality is sacramental, enlivened by God's creative love for the world, shot through with grace. We don't discover that by an effort of will: by concentrating really hard and beating ourselves up for not being quiet enough or prayerful enough or good enough. We just have to give our attention."

-- Rose (roselyddon), 2022-01-12