I'm Home. I've Arrived. In the Here. In the Now.

I am engaged in a 16-month program in Contemplative Leadership. Inspired by teachers from the Shalem Institute, I seek every day to spend time in contemplation. Sometimes this is 10 minutes, sometimes 20 or 30. I'll use this blog to help lead you into a more contemplative life, so we can all be on this journey together.

The title of this post is a phrase I learned from Shalem that I recite daily. It's a great temptation for us to be constantly preoccupied and distracted. We dwell on issues from the past. We worry about things coming up in the future.

To still our mind and to quiet our heart to be attentive to what is now, it's good to take a SLOW walk and simply say out loud or to yourself, I'm home. I've arrived. In the here. In the now. We experience God's presence with us in the present moment. The first step in a more contemplative life is to hit the "pause" button on our activities for a few minutes, to be attentive and mindful of what is happening inside us in this moment.

Allow me to share some quotations that help define the nature of contemplation.

"Contemplation is a continual condition of prayerful sensitivity to what is really going on." - Douglas Steere

"Contemplation is looking deepy at life as it is in the very here and now." - Thich Nhat Hanh

"Contemplation is awareness absorbed and amazed." - Teresa of Avila

Before the end of this day, take 10 minutes to sit quietly, with your eyes closed, and recite this phrase: I'm home. I've arrived. In the here. In the now. Then just listen.