Merton Poetic Reflection

An experience of Individual and Collective Spiritual growth through 2 1/2 years of Bridges to Contemplative Living at the Spiritual Life Center.
It was March 2020, and the COVID Pandemic just became a reality. A group of seekers joined together over Zoom to share in Book 1 of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton. Some of these folks knew Mike Smoolca, one of the group's facilitators from other Thomas Merton programs he had presented or from other groups he facilitates but, by and large, the attendees were strangers to one another with different levels of formal experience with Contemplative practice. They were joined together by a desire to be connected and to explore more deeply what Contemplative Living meant during a time that naturally allowed people to openly experience that.

Throughout the eight weeks of the program, which invited Contemplative sharing on readings based on a theme and sharing of the experience of reflecting on and living insights / questions from the previous week, an amazing depth and openness to sharing began to develop, Many of the same group of folks signed up to continue the process immediately after that to Book 2 then Book 3, Book 4 and now Book 5. Some folks stayed together for all five books, others stopped after one or two sessions and then joined in later sessions and some new folks were invited to join along the way. Initially, the group depended on the skills of the facilitators (Mike Smoolca and Tricia Knight-Bellisle) to keep the flow going, but soon the group opened up to the flow of the Spirit and the facilitators job was simply and lovingly to hold the space.

Folks grew individually into a deeper realization of their Contemplative natures as they embraced and shared their own means of being in Contemplative Awareness in the world. The group grew Collectively through embracing the Spirit of Contemplative presence and sharing in the group setting as well as in the support each member felt to be open and vulnerable together. We are convinced that groups like this, when facilitated well and with folks who are open to their Contemplative natures, lead to tremendous Spiritual growth for each individual and develop a nurturing and caring Spirit of the group that is a sustaining and important force for Spiritual development and growth. Below we share some poetry and reflection from Jay Voss, one of the original and constant members of the Bridges groups 

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ JAY's REFLECTION