Caraid Anam

What is spiritual direction?

Spiritual what? I've been having conversations with people here in Southern Maryland, telling them about spiritual direction. Most have never heard of it. I'm not surprised by that; I am from this county and I had never heard of it either! But it's a tough thing to describe. I can say what usually happens. Once a m...

- the sun, moon, and stars, created to mark the times and seasons -

- the longest night just before we remember the birth of Jesus, the ‘with-us-ness’ of God -

I love these moments of pause and quiet.

For you, again, on this winter solstice, or for someone you love. Because for so many folks, it has been a year of achingly long nights. So I am sliding this under your door in blessing and in hope. And to friends in the Southern Hemisphere, blessings of the summer solstice to you!

BLESSING FOR THE LONGEST NIGHT

All throughout these months,
as the shadows
have lengthened,
this blessing has been
gathering itself,
making ready,
preparing for
this night.

It has practiced
walking in the dark,
traveling with
its eyes closed,
feeling its way
by memory,
by touch,
by the pull of the moon
even as it wanes.

So believe me
when I tell you
this blessing will
reach you,
even if you
have not light enough
to read it;
it will find you,
even though you cannot
see it coming.

You will know
the moment of its
arriving
by your release
of the breath
you have held
so long;
a loosening
of the clenching
in your hands,
of the clutch
around your heart;
a thinning
of the darkness
that had drawn itself
around you.

This blessing
does not mean
to take the night away,
but it knows
its hidden roads,
knows the resting spots
along the path,
knows what it means
to travel
in the company
of a friend.

So when
this blessing comes,
take its hand.
Get up.
Set out on the road
you cannot see.

This is the night
when you can trust
that any direction
you go,
you will be walking
toward the dawn.

—Jan Richardson
from The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

Image: "Longest Night"
© janrichardsonimages.com

The Oracle Reads You -

Anyone celebrate advent in your homes? I loved this when I was a kid, and have loved the evenings I am able to sn**ch 15 minutes to sit in the quiet with the candle flickering.

Caraid Anam on TikTok A couple of pausing moments today, as the Samhain season glides toward Yule with the first week of Advent.

The Sisters Stillness, Solitude, and Silence bring eight gifts with them.
Calm. Their first gift is a balm.
Curiosity. Their second gift helps me lift up my head.
Clarity. Their third gift blows away the fog.
Compassion. Their fourth gift rises up in me, reminding me of what it feels like to Love.
Connectedness. Their fifth gift binds me to God and to others.
Confidence. Their sixth gift gets me on my feet.
Creativity. Their seventh gift gives me tools and options.
Courage. Their eighth gift gives me power to move forward.

Contemplative Practice I: Silence The Sisters Stillness, Solitude, and Silence bring eight gifts with them.

The frequency of mass shootings would have us believe it is, if not “normal,” then at least another unfortunate example of a broken world.

May my heart never grow hard to the grief and injustice. May my body take the rest it needs to continue the work of love and justice. May my mind continue to transform in understanding, with humility.

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

If you’re looking for someone to give you answers about faith or God, spiritual direction is not it. But if you want company while you walk through your own spiritual journey, I can’t recommend spiritual direction enough.

Now accepting new appointments. Visit caraidanam.com for more information.

Spiritual Direction | Caraid Anam Caraid Anam. A soul companion for the spiritual journey. Offering Spiritual Direction and Life Interviews.

Another reflection on the trio of Stillness, Solitude and Silence.

Contemplative Practice I: Solitude This is from Part I of a series on Contemplative Practice.

My reflection today on stillness and much appreciation for Becky Hemsley and her gorgeous and empathetic poetry ♥️

Contemplative Practice I - Stillness This is Part I of a series on Contemplative Practices. I love the poem breathe by Becky Hemsley. The first time I heard it, I immediately recognized this feeling of "either too little, or far far too much." It might not have happened as often as I imagine, but I have this sense of being told often i...

New website and first blog post are live!

Fàilte! ... Chan eil Gàidhlig agam. (Welcome! ... I don't speak Gaelic) There is so much world out there, where do I begin? Since you landed here, I'll start with this site - why Caraid Anam?