How do we begin then to inhabit our destiny of being here? I believe it starts with reverence and listening, with honoring every bit of life we encounter. — Mark Nepo
Poet and cancer survivor Mark Nepo writes poignantly about experiencing hearing loss as he aged; but for him, the loss of an essential physical ability invited him into a sustained meditation on listening as a spiritual practice. In this quote from his book Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: Staying Close to What is Sacred, Nepo equates listening with reverence and honor as keys to living mindfully and fully present in each precious moment of our lives.
In his wisdom I see echoes of one of the most beloved mystics of the seventeeenth century, Nicholas Herman, better known to us as Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. This French Carmelite friar was a simple man, a soldier of the Thirty Years’ War who was injured in battle, leaving him permanently disabled; he entered religious life at the age of 26 and for half a century served his Carmelite brothers in menial tasks such as cooking or making sandals. No one would have ever imagined he was anything other than a humble friar, but after his death, a collection of his maxims, letters, and reminiscences from his admirers was published as The Practice of the Presence of God, now regarded as a classic of ordinary mysticism.
What Mark Nepo and Brother Lawrence (among others) call us to, is the recognition that mysticism and contemplation do not require extraordinary, exalted experiences (nothing wrong with such phenomena, they’re just not necessary). Rather, the doorway to Divine Union is found in every moment of every day, no matter how humble or mundane. You are reading these words immersed in the heart of God. I wrote them days before you read them (I’m writing this on February 15, 2025), but also just as much held in the sacred embrace. Most of us go through our lives, caught up in worry or planning, oblivious to the miracle right in front of our eyes. There’s no shame in that, but there’s always an invitation to stop, look, and listen: and reverence, and honor. Any moment can bring us face to face with the burning bush. The possibility is always there.
This month I am traveling to speak with contemplative communities in Connecticut and New York. While I am on the road, I am reposting articles from the AnamChara archive. Today’s article was first published on February 23, 2025. I’m sharing it again especially for new readers, while trusting that longtime subscribers will enjoy revisiting it.
This was so good! Thank you, Skye!