We continue our second year of spiritual practice in Beloved Life. Working with ideas from Ian’s book Cave Refectory Road: monastic rhythms for contemporary living we are exploring how ancient practices from the Jesus tradition might be a gift in our own times and in our own places, helping to bring about the kind of better world that he described as the ‘kingdom of heaven’ coming near. Whether entered into in the company of others or in solitude, the practice of stillness, study and prayer – what we are referring to as the cave – became firmly established as a central feature of religious life from the very beginning, shaping every monastic movement since. So what might cave-dwelling look like for us now?
We cannot summon up the spirit of God. We cannot create a holy moment. We cannot manipulate the divine. What we can do is enter a cave, and help to clear a space for the possibility of encounter. In the Jesus tradition every place is a potential encounter place, every space a sacred space. The journey to the cave is a tough one, but it must not be avoided. And in time, with openness and dedication, we may discover that the dark cave is actually filled with light…
©Ian Adams ‘Cave Refectory Road: monastic rhythms for contemporary living’ (Canterbury Press and Liturgical Press USA)
Look out for short daily posts around the week’s theme on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be doing the practices wherever we are, and we’ll look forward to hearing how you get on – do let us know!
Ian’s new collection of poems Unfurling is out now in paperback and e-format on Canterbury Press, also via your local bookshop, and all usual online sources including Book Depository with free delivery world-wide.