In her book "To Dance with God", Gertrud M. Nelson describes how ancient peoples, due to lack of light in winter, would stop their work in the fields, take the wheels off their carts and bring them inside to decorate. They would contemplate this dark period, praying for the return of the sun and the light...the following quote brings this reality home - in an odd sort of way?"Imagine what would happen if we were to understand that ancient prescription for this season literally and removed - just one- say just the right front tire from our automobiles and used this for our Advent wreath. Indeed, things would stop. Our daily routines would come to a halt and we would have the leisure to incubate. We could attend to our precarious pregnancy and look after ourselves. Having to stay put, we would lose the opportunity to escape or deny our feelings or becomings because our cars could not bring us away to the circus in town." Gertrud M. Nelson - To Dance with God, p. 63 (and yes, I do know this is a tire run :)
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5 comments:
You and your photos. Your trove must be amazing!
Roberta- LOVED this one!
I loved this too. I've been thinking how Advent is truer to the natural rhythms of this season than the mania for Christmas joy, celebration, and consumption.
you are so right ruth! earlier this evening i took my dog (lucy) for a walk up to our mailbox in our 20 degree weather we are experiencing here in the NW. when we returned home we just sat on the couch, thawing out, listening to a vince guaraldi cd (charlie brown xmas)playing softly in the background and looking at the white lights on the tree - just living in the moment - in the darkness and thinking - wow - this must be what Gertrud Nelson was talking about - lucy and i were incubating - just "being"....soaking in the silence and contentment of the moment....
Hi Roberta. I did reply back and say that I would be honored to have you link to the prayer. I think though that it was to a different email address. Anyway, if you still want to, you have my permission.
Lovely story about the couch time.
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