Pilgrim – Writer – Teacher
Airport departure lounges are usually an ordeal with a distinct “Oh, get on with it…” vibe.
A couple of weeks ago I was delighted to find the new terminal at Hyderabad in India is a little different: it is very swish, modern and unhassled and there’s also the bright idea of one-to-one meditation tuition for departing passengers (courtesy of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living organisation).
Great idea!
My weekly Sunday #ServiceShirk continues with another day focusing on Carthusian spirituality.
Today’s companions have been the monks of St Hugh’s Charterhouse, Parkminster, in the form of “In the Silence of the Word” a CD plainchant meditation recorded in 1998 which gives a rare glimpse into the closed liturgical world of the Charterhouse.
I also listened to the monks of the Grande Chartreuse chanting “In Principio” based on texts from the Gospel of John.
My reading included more on Parkminster in the shape of Nancy Klein Maguire’s “An Infinity of Little Hours” plus “Hear our Silence” by John Skinner. Both books are vibrant pictures of lives of dedication and spiritual depth.
I loved this observation from Guigo II, the ninth Prior of the Grande Chartreuse (c.1150):
“Reading seeks,
meditation finds,
prayer asks,
contemplation feels.”
