A Retreat from the Hustle with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce
Mary Oliver offers instructions for living a life: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” Simple, but not easy.
A contemplative life is one in which we can be astonished by the ordinary, awake for the daily mystery of living, and connected to the earth, our communities, and our individual bodies.
Once upon a time, it was easy to find my way home to myself, easy to be astonished. When my children were small, I witnessed the astonishing world daily through their eyes, then we’d retreat each night with a story, some time of reflection, and a snugly blanket. Now, I have daily practices that center me and give my nervous system a retreat from the noise of the world. Journal writing, meditation, mindful movement, and rich conversation are the contemplative practices that bring me back into the heart and soul of myself and the world around me. They bring me home to myself so that I can pay attention, be astonished, and then, each week, tell about it.
Life is both wildly beautiful and incredibly hard and hideous. And it’s worth showing up for—awake and connected.
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