Camino Divina—Walking the Divine Way

Gina Marie Mammano

Description

Inspired by the ancient spiritual practices of lectio divina and walking meditation, camino divina helps you explore whole new worlds inside yourself as well as re-view the natural world around you by combining mindful walking with inspiring phrases and spiritual exercises. Includes introductions to twelve spiritual luminaries and their work.

Sujets

• Mindulness
• motivation
• Meditation

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 04 avril 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781594736292
• Langue: English

Extrait

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Praise for Camino Divina-Walking the Divine Way
Manifests in a moving way the deep connections between the inner and outer journey of the pilgrim, and all those who engage lovingly and intentionally with the practice of walking meditation. Guide[s] both those who are beginning to practice, as well as the mature practitioner . Provokes deep reflection and stimulating insights for the reader.
- Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook , Claremont School of Theology; author, Pilgrimage-The Sacred Art: Journey to the Center of the Heart and Hildegard of Bingen: Essential Writings and Chants of a Christian Mystic-Annotated Explained
In the companionship of treasured soul friends and with breath drawn through words and walking, small practice pieces release a spacious wholeness. We are generously welcomed to experience this spiritual expansion again and again.
- Rev. Dr. Martha Brunell , spiritual director, writer, retreat leader, pastor
A lovely book built on walking from [what] is to what should be. This book should be read.
- John Mark N. Reynolds, PhD , president, The Saint Constantine School; editor, The Great Books Reader: Excerpts and Essays on the Most Influential Books in Western Civilization
Part poetry, part prayer, part adventure, part meditation this beautiful invitatory opens wide the doors to explore inner and outer worlds with equal curiosity and soulful guidance. Count me in for the practice of camino divina !
- Betsey Beckman , founder, The Dancing Word
[This] fascinating alt-guidebook arrives at a singular historical moment-one in which the field of cognitive neuroscience and neuro-aesthetics has begun to bring a robust, evidence-based musculature to bear upon the rather ancient practice of pilgrimage . Indeed, the scientific literature showing the connection between physical movement and increased creativity and wellness is growing every year . It sounds almost silly-but in an era when a pharmaceutical answer to every ailment seems all too readily at hand the science and fact of a simple walk, accompanied by a guidebook like [this] may be the only thing one needs to open up vistas of the imagination, attuned to the promptings of the world, the miracles of discovery that lay before us with every step.
- Mark Svenvold , assistant professor of English, Seton Hall University; author, Soul Data
for Rick and for Margaret
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 An Adventure into the Familiar W ENDELL B ERRY -Prophet of the Soil of the Soul
Walking the Woods in Ordinary Time: The search withholds the joy from what is found.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Familiar
The Longer Walk
Chapter 2 An Adventure into Wonder H ILDEGARD OF B INGEN -Mother of Verity and Viriditas
Becoming a Begging Bowl on the Sacred Path to Chimayo: A feather on the breath of God.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into Wonder
The Longer Walk
Chapter 3 An Adventure into Amazement M ARY O LIVER -Holy Bride Married to Amazement
Courting the Soul at Shotpouch Creek: A bride married to amazement.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into Amazement
The Longer Walk
Chapter 4 An Adventure into the Wild C LARISSA P INKOLA E STES -Perpetual Mother of Story
Braving the Banks of Watab: Be wild; that is how to clear the river.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Wild
The Longer Walk
Chapter 5 An Adventure into the Beautiful J OHN M UIR -Dweller in Forest Cathedrals
Leafing Through the Layers at Caspers: All scars she heals, whether in rocks or water or sky or hearts.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Beautiful
The Longer Walk
Chapter 6 An Adventure into the Heart of Things R AINER M ARIA R ILKE -Saint of Centers
Nearing the Sea of Rolling Gold at Santa Ysabel: Do the heart-work on the images imprisoned within you.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Heart of Things
The Longer Walk
Chapter 7 An Adventure into the Present T.S. E LIOT -Prophet of the Eternal Present
Living Within the Labyrinth at Chinook: To arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Present
The Longer Walk
Chapter 8 An Adventure into Darkness John O D ONOHUE -Friend of Thresholds
Meandering the Interiors of Midnight at Double Bluff: Darkness is the ancient womb.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into Darkness
The Longer Walk
Chapter 9 An Adventure into Unseen Worlds J OY H ARJO -Sister of the Eyes That Can Never Close
Unearthing the Unknown along the Hood Canal: I know I walk in and out of several worlds each day.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into Unseen Worlds
The Longer Walk
Chapter 10 An Adventure into the Surprising F LANNERY O C ONNOR -Our Lady of the Christ-Haunted
Walking and Waking in the City of Olympia: I can, with one eye squinted, take it all as a blessing.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Surprising
The Longer Walk
Chapter 11 An Adventure into Connectivity C HIEF S EATTLE -Brother of Webbed Theology
Weaving and Unwinding along Deception Pass: Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it.
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into Connectivity
The Longer Walk
Chapter 12 An Adventure into the Liminal A NNIE D ILLARD -Anchorite of Bells and Wings
Edging the Gaps at Ebey s Bluff: The gaps are the thing. The gaps are the spirit s one home
Likely or Unlikely Saint? A Sitting Meditation
Camino Divina Adventure: Into the Liminal
The Longer Walk

Acknowledgments
Notes

About the Author
Copyright
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Introduction
W hat is camino divina ? Well, since camino simply means road and divina means divine, the pair of them together could be thought of as the path of the Divine or the divine way. It s a merging of the Spanish camino and the Latin divina , a lingua marriage of sorts. In my vernacular, it just means taking a meaningful stroll out in nature, on a labyrinth, under the moon, with divine words laced in rhythm along with it.
I was walking a pilgrim path in New Mexico on the road to Chimayo when I realized something helpful and quite beautiful: small bites of ideas can slowly, deeply nourish the soul. I can hold on to a handful of wise words and take them in as a whole meditative meal, but I can also enjoy them individually, berry by berry, word by word. It was a bit of a revelation. On that walk, I took a phrase I had long loved-held in my memory box for years-and then plucked it, slowly, slowly, word by word, so that the sweetness of it went much further than the usual reading. Instead of gulping the whole phrase down, I let each part of it roll around in my mouth, in my soul, drawing out each flavor.
I asked myself, What does this first word say to me? What pictures do I see? How have I defined this word in the past? How do I fling the past as far away from me as I can, and see the word in a totally different light? How can I play with it, fiddle with it in my mental fingers, and from it fashion a whole new collection of meaning for myself?
As I practiced this simple exercise, walk by walk, place by place, I realized that it not only enriched my walking practice but also drove rich meaning deep down into it. I was savoring the berry, rather than choking it down whole, really tasting the subtleties of texture, form, and flavor in each word I moved with. My walks were becoming more than walks; they were becoming a way into the Divine.
As a spiritual director and a person trying to live life lovingly and intentionally, I find the constant challenge for myself these days is to slow down, slow down, slow down and redefine. Redefine my words, rename my thoughts, tenderize the tough and thick understanding of things that I ve held on to for years. Find new ways to see the old wineskins, pour newly fermenting words into new word-skins. In life, each person s experience is unique. My nuance is not your nuance. My story palette is not yours. The meanings of words I take along in my life-lesson hobo pack do not hold the same mementos that yours do. And time adds its own set of refinements. My nuances of word and wisdom have changed dramatically over the nearly five decades I ve lived on the planet, and I ll bet many of yours have, too.
The Journey Ahead
This book is designed to take you on a journey-no, many journeys-of both outer landscape and inner landscape. The outer landscapes are all around you and can be explored through a well-planned or serendipitous trip, a pilgrimage to a sacred site, or a meandering somewhere in your own neighborhood. The pith, though, is found in the inner landscape. That is something you take with you wherever you go. It is your inner self, the very soul-housed uniqueness of time and space that you bring into the world and bring into your life s experiences.
I ve created twelve adventures that give you the chance to traipse into both of these realms-the inner landscape and the outer landscape. On each adventure I ve paired you up with a spiritual guide whom I call a s