Learning from the past

It has been an interesting day so far.  I have followed up some small tasks for work, corresponded with a colleague about the state of things in our department, prepared to teach a Reiki class coming up next week, attempted to mend a fence with a friend (we'll see if that succeeds), made plans to reconnect with a former student tomorrow, and written a section in my dissertation.  It's the writing that is moving me just now.  It's a section on the Life of St Cuthbert, a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon monk who served the monastic community at Lindisfarne.  This monastery was founded by Irish monks who were invited by the Anglo-Saxon King of Northumbria to bring their distinctive form of Christian practice to a largely pagan area of north-eastern England.  In the late seventh century there was a clash between Christian missionaries sent from Rome to convert the pagans, and the Irish-trained monks who were already there.  Rome won, but the Irish communities continued on, and Cuthbert was one of the leaders who stepped into that difficult situation to be a peacemaker, a healer, and a servant among his people.

Introduction

Greetings, Friends and Companions on the road...

On a short walk in the woods this afternoon, I decided it was time to try my hand at blogging, and see if there's a way to fill in a hole.  The hole is this -- not enough women's voices reflecting theologically on the times we live in and how to live.  There are a few women whom I read and admire, and a few others that I know of and are happy they are out there, but not quite my cup of tea.  Overall, however, there just aren't enough women speaking up from a religious consciousness and commenting on, well, much of anything.

Who am I to start speaking?  A follower of Jesus the Christ, a wanderer among various denominations and communities, a student of the lives of Celtic saints of the 6th and 7th centuries, a teacher of world religions, a priest and (neo)monastic, a wife and sister and grandmother, one who is convinced that there is meaning to be found, and that one must seek diligently to find it. I pray and meditate, practice yoga and Reiki, and try to hold a bit of light out to others that they may find what it is they seek.