Thank you for the generous gift of sharing your heart, Gideon.
Advent has become such a sacred space for me over the past several years, but this year it has snuck up on me and all week I’ve felt like I’m rushing headlong into the season, unprepared (even resisting the transition a bit), and yet yearning for space to reflect + consecrate the dark days ahead.
This letter was exactly the space I needed to do that. There are several things I’ll be taking with me as we move closer to the first week of Advent.
This whole letter is full of incredible wisdom! Thank you.
Isaiah 45:3 is such an alluring verse, and your section on daydreaming brought to mind something I read about the role of the Ignatian Examen: "We are also delving beneath the surface of thoughts, feelings and events in order to touch into the unconscious truths and treasures that are buried within. Then we bring back into consciousness the gold we have discovered. Ultimately, the movement is that of Holy Saturday and the harrowing of hell... The daydream and the reflections to which it gives rise can thus be both radical and redemptive."
A prayer can be a daydream and a daydream can be a prayer. As a creative, I find that reassuring and hopeful. But we need to make that quiet space.
This is incredibly beautiful. Thank you! I have just shimmied over and bought 'Darkling'. Darkling is one of my favourite words. I am excited to read it.
This line is one I want to mull over during these winter months, "We are over-illuminated, and consequently blind to so much. We are spring-blinkered: desiring too much days of dazzle and growth." Thank you Gideon, I always look forward to your words!
Thank you for the generous gift of sharing your heart, Gideon.
Advent has become such a sacred space for me over the past several years, but this year it has snuck up on me and all week I’ve felt like I’m rushing headlong into the season, unprepared (even resisting the transition a bit), and yet yearning for space to reflect + consecrate the dark days ahead.
This letter was exactly the space I needed to do that. There are several things I’ll be taking with me as we move closer to the first week of Advent.
Thank you 🤍
This whole letter is full of incredible wisdom! Thank you.
Isaiah 45:3 is such an alluring verse, and your section on daydreaming brought to mind something I read about the role of the Ignatian Examen: "We are also delving beneath the surface of thoughts, feelings and events in order to touch into the unconscious truths and treasures that are buried within. Then we bring back into consciousness the gold we have discovered. Ultimately, the movement is that of Holy Saturday and the harrowing of hell... The daydream and the reflections to which it gives rise can thus be both radical and redemptive."
A prayer can be a daydream and a daydream can be a prayer. As a creative, I find that reassuring and hopeful. But we need to make that quiet space.
What perfect timing...I ordered a copy of Darkling earlier today 😌.
Thank you, for reminding us of the essential nature of advent, a time of waiting, in a world that cannot wait for anything.
This is incredibly beautiful. Thank you! I have just shimmied over and bought 'Darkling'. Darkling is one of my favourite words. I am excited to read it.
This line is one I want to mull over during these winter months, "We are over-illuminated, and consequently blind to so much. We are spring-blinkered: desiring too much days of dazzle and growth." Thank you Gideon, I always look forward to your words!