Advent 2014 – The Presence Before You
Advent 2014
Yeshua says…
Come to know the One
in the presence before you,
and everything hidden will be revealed…
The Gospel of Thomas, Logion 5
Dear Members and Friends of The Contemplative Society,
As we approach the Fourth Sunday of Advent this logion from the Gospel of Thomas seems particularly poignant. As the days are becoming shorter we look forward to celebrating the incarnation of light and love into this world. But amidst the many distractions and temptations of busy lives it is easy to forget this presence who longs to be known yet never demands. It is only too easy to fill our lives with activity and clutter which so quickly numbs our senses and pull us away from this profound and wondrous connection.
Cynthia writes how difficult it can be to stay fully present to what she calls our “bare self” and how easy it is to lose ourselves in distraction.
Quoting Brother Raphael, Cynthia writes in Love is Stronger Than Death;
“If you can only stay present in that bare self, you’ll begin to discover how the absence of God is the presence of God.”
We are human. We want to jerk away from that moment. Fill it with distractions and activity, with our own meaning… To find the eternal communion, one must not be afraid to venture into that dark, black sea of what seems inexpressible absence…
Dwell in it…endure the tedium until something gradually emerges in it… By that very ache I know I am still connected in love; it is the bridge on which I cross. I remember Rafe saying, “It seems bare only because it’s so full of light.”
The Contemplative Society Board and I send our blessings to you as you celebrate this season of light and love. We are grateful for the financial support of our members and also your commitment to opening to and being guided by that deeper ever-abiding presence.
If you are not a member and would like to become one or simply would like to make a donation, please visit our membership/donation webpage HERE . It is the faithful support of our members that enables us to continue our ministry of supporting the work of Cynthia Bourgeault and also encouraging contemplatives in their practice.
Also, although the development of our new website is still in progress and we continue to add and update content and adjust design layout, our Audio ordering page is now restored. If you are interested in purchasing audio recordings of Cynthia’s teaching (available as MP3 download or disc sets) please see our full audio list HERE.
May you have a joyous and wondrous celebration,
Heather
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Heather Page
President
The Contemplative Society
www.contemplative.org
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