contemplativeinquiry

1 min read 2022-05-21 16:34:20

PEONIES IN LATE MAY

As I look at these peonies, I delight in their lushness. But the word ‘poignant’ also comes to mind. Delight is mixed with sadness, and a sense

3 min read 2022-05-14 00:11:55

Highly recommended for anyone drawn to contemplative and mystical traditions. R. D. Krumpos’ The Greatest Achievement in Life: Five Traditions of

2 min read 2022-05-11 00:49:27

A water meadow during a dry spell. A secluded space on the fringe of the old city. Luckily for its own life, it facilitates the management of

2 min read 2022-05-05 16:48:23

“About 2,000 years ago a very important woman was buried high on Birdlip Hill overlooking Gloucester. This was the time of the Roman invasion and

2 min read 2022-04-30 11:57:17

In recent days, living a pared down life, I have seen the strength in simplicity. Both my contemplation and my inquiry are reflecting this. I have a

2 min read 2022-04-26 13:09:30

In these parts, there is a week at the end of April – St. George’s Day to Beltane Eve – that I would describe as mature spring. The rising

2 min read 2022-04-24 12:20:19

Two people hold each other in mutual gaze. Both their mutuality and their individuality are very clear. The space between them defines a chalice,

2 min read 2022-04-21 17:31:48

Greyfriars is the shell of a church that once belonged to the Franciscan friary founded in Gloucester, England, around 1231 (1). The friars rebuilt

3 min read 2022-04-10 12:22:45

In my world, this is a time of laboured breath and limited capacity for walking. While medical investigations are underway, I am constrained in what

2 min read 2022-04-05 11:56:41

I contemplate an image is from R. J. Stewart’s The Merlin Tarot (1). It is the Ace of Beasts, the Earth suit. I sense it guiding me to a new phase

2 min read 2022-03-29 18:01:55

Looking at the nymph statue above, I am reminded of The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe. There, the nymph would be one of Narnia’s magical

1 min read 2022-03-18 16:18:29

Watching the fast flowing ripples as wind moves over water. Enjoying the power of the elements in this playful mood. For a brief time, delightedly

2 min read 2022-03-13 18:12:10

I’ve been unwell for most of this month so far. But now I seem to be mending, and this is partly due to a dream. I don’t have deeply healing

2 min read 2022-03-01 23:16:36

It is 1 March, a mixed day – bringing together grey sky, bare branches, emerging blossoms and vivid daffodils. It is chilly, and rain is likely,

1 min read 2022-02-24 15:19:12

I was facing strong sunlight. I even felt warm. I risked taking a picture by angling down into the water. The water rewarded me with a patches of