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New Items
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Article Go In peace, Rituals for the dying
In this article, published in U.S. Catholic, June, 2006, Joyce wrote about a meaningful and helpful blessing for the dying that she created and has shared with a number of persons who were near death.
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From the author... |
Greetings and welcome to my website. If you are revisiting my website, there’s some new information about what I’m currently working on now. If you scroll down a few paragraphs, you’ll find what it is. For whatever reason you ended up here, thank you for taking the time to do so. I’m delighted you stopped by. I hope you find what you are seeking as you browse through the pages. Faye Williamsen is my website creator and manager. As you can see by what is in front of you, her skills are marvelous.
If this is your first visit to the site, you may want to know a bit about the author of the resources you find here. Let me begin with what I consider to be the most vital part of my life – my ever deepening and expanding relationship with the Holy One. Ever since I grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa, I have sought a contemplative life, one that unites me with both Creator and creation. Through the years, nature has repeatedly taught me valuable lessons. As I grow older, I see that not only nature contributes to what I need for continued transformation, but each person I encounter. Nature, people, and life’s numerous events and experiences provide a lot of the content and inspiration for my writing and personal growth.
In this hectic, fast moving world we live in, the tension of contemplation/action continually challenges me. I am fortunate to live in a beautifully wooded, quiet spot in the heart of the city of Des Moines, Iowa. Here I have the stillness I long for and need. I also have deer, raccoons, possums, foxes, woodchucks, feral cats, squirrels(too many), a myriad of beautiful birds, and who knows what other little creatures, to keep me company. This lovely spot also allows for easy access into and out of the city’s humming heart.
I am deeply committed to my religious community, the Servants of Mary, whom most know as “Servites.” Currently I am facilitator of our membership’s ongoing spiritual growth program.
As for my current projects, here are some of them:
(1) Thank you to each one who sent quotes and stories of personal experiences regarding the image of “doors.” What gifts you gave me! During October and November, I journeyed with a group of three men and five women as they read my prepared manuscript. At each of our six weekly meetings, they shared their experience of reading/praying with the suggested questions and meditations. I’m happy to report that Open the Door is now with the publisher and is scheduled to be out next September.
(2) The guided visualizations from the revised May I Have This Dance that I recorded for Ave Maria Press last summer are now available in a two CD set.
(3) My big project the past year and a half has been to develop a program that I am wildly enthused about: The Institute of Compassionate Presence. Margaret Stratman and I are co-directing this new venture, the first in the country. We consulted a great variety of professionals for ideas and advice and are now ready to launch the program in September of this year. Along with many others, Margaret and I believe that compassion is innate in each person but that it needs to be urged forth and coached along to bring it into life. We have a variety of presenters ready to go. Besides being one of the presenters, I will help facilitate the integration of the Institute’s content for the other months. (You can find more information at www.osms.org)
A big chunk of my ongoing gratitude is for you, my readers, and those I meet at various gatherings for conferences and retreats. The more I travel, the more assured I am that we are “all one.” Much more unites than divides us. It’s a matter of looking a bit deeper and finding the wealth of goodness inherent in each of us. I’m no Pollyanna about current global pain but I am also no pessimist about the potential in humankind to breathe forth love rather than warring antipathy.
I leave you with a quote from one of the best books I read in 2007: Compassion: listening to the cries of the world, by Christina Feldman:
The wisdom and compassion you most deeply yearn for will not be found outside of your body, mind, heart, or story but within them.
All the best to you in 2008,
-Joyce |
Articles of Interest...
Book shares peace found on journey - Review by Shirley Ragsdale, Des Moines Register, July 15, 2006, of Walk in a Relaxed Manner
Go in peace, Rituals for the dying - US Catholic Magazine, Jun 2006
Sneak Preview - Read preview chapter of Joyce's new book Walk in a Relaxed Manner online at The Healing Garden Journal.
"Desperately Seeking Sophia," US Catholic Magazine, October 2002
"Open Some Doors this Advent," US Catholic Magazine, December 2000.
"Five Spiritual Lessons of Loss," Family Perspectives Journal, Summer 2002
"Celtic Crossovers: May the Lent of the Irish Be With You," U.S. Catholic, March 2001
"The art of cultivating spiritual growth," The editors interview Joyce Rupp. US Catholic, April 2000. pp 26-31.
"Let the Land Teach Us" About Healing and Creativity. Joyce Rupp. Catholic Rural Life, Spring 2000, pp. 12-16. Catholic Rural Life is a publication of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. http://www.ncrlc.com
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Reviews...
"The Dance of Oneness," A review of The Cosmic Dance by Loretta Peters, EarthLight, Summer 2002.
"A Nurturing God," A review by Sally Cunneen of Prayers to Sophia and The Star in My Heart. The American Catholic, March 2000, pp. 7, 19.
http://www.vfr.com/tac
Reviews by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat,Values and Visions Review Service
Walk in a Relaxed Manner
Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season
The Star in My Heart: Experiencing Sophia, Inner Wisdom
Reviewed by Sharon Flesher Prayers to Sophia: A Companion to "A Star in My Heart"
Reviewed by Austin Repath Walk in a Relaxed Manner
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Book Awards Announced
Catholic Press Association:
Walk in a Relaxed Manner - placed first in the area of spirituality, softcover book.
The Circle of Life placed second in this same category!
Independent Book Publishers Association:
The Circle of Life received a second place award in the Religion category.
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About Joyce Rupp...
Joyce Rupp is well known for her work as a writer, a spiritual "midwife," and retreat and conference speaker. She has led retreats throughout North America, as well as in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Joyce has a B.A. in English, a M.R.E. in Religious Education, and a M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology. She is a member of the Servites (Servants of Mary) community and a volunteer for Hospice. She currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa. A list of Joyce's works can be found in the left column of this page. Click on the book title to find out more information about that title.
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Spiritual Zest
March 2008
Going from this place to another place
is like the bird in winter
who remembers the beauty of her Springtime nest
just to keep herself from freezing.
- Nancy Wood
On a recent February morning, I groused about the
nasty winter weather as I walked into our 7:00 a.m.
prayer group. We already had almost 50 inches of snow
since November and the air was again filled with the
white stuff. I struggled to drive across town on
streets still icy from the freezing rain a few days
before. As far as I was concerned, winter had become a
royal pain in the you-know-what. To my surprise, Kathi
(our leader that day) invited us to look out the
window at the beauty of the softly falling snow. She
commented on the splendor of the large, intricately
designed snowflakes that landed on her car’s cold
windshield that morning.
“Wow,” I thought. “Guess it’s time for a little
attitude change.” Then, Kathi encouraged us to spend
our time of silent prayer by reflecting on a positive
memory of winter. Amazingly, as soon as I went deeper
into the silence, I entered into a lovely, sensual
scene of my childhood winters on the farm. I could
visualize and smell the delicious fried dough bread
covered with sugar that my mother made on snowy days.
I saw her giving me some to take to my father out in
his shop. There I found the fragrance of wood burning
in the old pot-bellied stove that kept Dad warm while
he worked. As I beheld this lovely memory, my disgust
of winter fell away, replaced by a. soft gratitude. I
was able to re-focus on winter’s wonder rather than on
its inconvenience.
That’s the power of memory. Not all memories are such
pleasant ones, though. Sometimes our recollections
bring forth hurtful experiences from the past. The
memories of a friend of mine stir up anger and
resentment about harmful behavior of a family member.
But these memories also bring her a continued
opportunity to heal. Each returning memory allows her
to re-choose the forgiveness she initially extended,
rather than hanging on to the soreness of the past.
As I reflect on the gift that memory brings us, here
is something I wrote some time ago:
Our ability to remember is a precious gift. It is in
remembering our blessings that our hearts are filled
with gratitude. Without memory we would be unable to
savor the good things that have happened to us and
for us. Without memory we would be unable to be
healed from past painful situations. Memory can bless
us or haunt us, depending on what stirs inside our
mind, and how we receive it and live with it. …be the
gatekeeper of these memories. Catch the ones that
draw forth and enhance your core goodness. Savor them.
Let these blessed memories fill you with hope. (The
Cup of Our Life)
When we keep good memories alive, they nourish our
hope. March is a season of fresh life in this part of
the world. Like Nancy Wood’s bird in winter, we recall
spring’s promise of green vitality, budding flowers,
increased warmth, rain’ fragrance, and the freedom to
walk without falling on icy sidewalks or getting stuck
on snowy streets. This promise doesn’t hurry winter
away but it helps us continue to enter into “what is” and to find the beauty within it.
© Joyce Rupp
Check out previous Spiritual Zest Articles.
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Index of Poems found on this Site
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"Evergreen" - from Joyce's new book Rest Your Dreams On A Little Twig
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"A Celtic Moment" from the article "Celtic Crossovers: May the Lent of the Irish Be With You"
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Poetry Cards - Samples of cards available for purchase - poetry from Rest Your Dreams On A Little Twig
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