I started reading this book a few days ago. It was given to me at the 4 Day Academy by one of the retreat leaders. I was familiar with the name Paula D'Arcy, but had not read any of her books. I started off reading the introduction and was hooked. There is so much to chew on in this book. There are "causes for a pause" all over the place. It's a small book, yet there are deep pockets found within its pages.
What has caught my attention so far?
I am glad you asked.
One of the first things that caught my attention was this quote:
"The inward journey may frighten us, yet it is this journey which holds the real treasure. There God's spirit wants to reveal mysteries and beauty beyond our imagination: the secrets of what is holy, and the encounters with truth that change everything. It is the journey that opens the eye of the heart." (14)
The inward journey is not a new concept for me. Thankfully, it is one that I have known about for years now. It's not something I have just "known" with my head, but it is something I've intentionally sought to live.
The 2 Year Academy, seminary, and my Spiritual Direction studies have all been part of my inward journey growth.
There is one book that I remember reading: Journey Inward, Journey Outward by Elizabeth O'Connor. It was one of our required books for the Two Year Academy. I wrote about the book on February 4, 2013 in a post.
Another book I've read recently is: Looking Inward, Living Outward: The Spiritual Practice of Social Transformation by Daniel Wolpert. I wrote two blogposts about it. One was when I first started reading it and the 2nd one was a book review.
The inward journey is an ongoing one for me.... maybe for all of us as we seek to learn and grow. I remember Bob Mulholland speaking to us at our Two Year Academy and his books. Here is one post about one of his books: The Deeper Journey: The Spirituality of Discovering Your True Self. This post was written July 23, 2013, over eleven years ago.
To see how I've continued to seek to live into my true self, to go and grow deeper, to be open to the inward journey, etc. --- well, it is hard to wrap my head around that I have been on this ongoing journey for years that is led by a thirst within.
There are stages of growth and learning along the way. And it seems that I'm in another time of learning, growing, going deeper, experiencing things that open the eye of the heart as the quote above says.
Christine Painter wrote about that ('eye of the heart') and I wrote about her book here in May 2018.
I have only just begun Paula D'Arcy's book. The quote I shared above is something I'm reflecting on, chewing on, digging into.... I am wondering what the inward journey is for me these days, what treasures, mysteries, and beauty the Spirt has to reveal to me.....What will the encounters with truth be and what will they change?
I am open. I am not afraid. I have faced many inward journeys over the years and I welcome them. The growth, learning, and transformation are part of the ongoing relationship with the Creator.
I do wonder what it looks like, what it would look like to go back and do a spiritual timeline of my journeys of going and growing deeper?!?! What onion layers are peeled off each time so that my true self is more me?
From the recent 4 Day Academy, I do know I was reminded to live into the spiritual practice of play, playfulness. What more is being revealed? I don't know.
May I see with eyes of the heart,
Deb
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