Contemplative living in the world

I recently started reading The New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contemplative Living and in the preface I highlighted this passage because I find it captures the essence of what spiritual living can and should be: I haven’t come very far into the book yet but I love what I’ve been reading so far and

Haikus about the runes: Eihaz, rune of Yggdrasil

Great yew, evergreenResurrection, Tree of LifeYou are Yggdrasil The rune ᛇ is called eihaz, meaning ‘yew’. It is pronounced like the letter ï. The yew is a sacred tree in many traditions. In the Norse religion, the world tree Yggdrasil is sometimes believed to be a yew. It has in the past been translated as

Haikus about the runes: Kaun, the wound rune

Memories is kaunScar like a rune on my skinA word that reminds The rune K rune is called kaun, meaning ‘scar’, ‘wound’ or ‘ulcer’.

Haikus about the runes: Úr and Thurisaz, rain and thunder

ÚR Days of summer rainÚr gives respite from the heatTo the sons of Earth Úr (rain in Old Norse) is the second letter of the Futhark. It is associated with water and particularly rain. Thurisaz Lightning shakes the EarthThunderer has struck againLord Thor rages on Thurisaz is the third letter of the Futhark and the

Haikus about the runes: Fehu

Gold I not care forFehu, wealth, is friends and kinSilver leads to strife The first letter of the Futhark alfabet, the rune Fe or Fehu is associated with wealth and the fertility Deities Freyr and Freya. To the Norse, wealth meant plentiful harvest and much cattle. Many people in today’s Western world might instead associate