After a wonderful week of talks in Assisi Italy with our CAC team, Jim Knipper and I have now moved into Switzerland. This morning awakening in beautiful Lake Lugano, and off to Flueli Ranft in a few hours. This is the home of Bruder Klaus, who is the mystic saint of this country, and we will give a few days of talks on contemplation here based on Pure Prezence, which is the German translation of the Naked Now book. St.Nicholas von der Flue is the only canonized saint of Switzerland and is sometimes considered the father of Swiss neutrality because of his ability to reconcile and heal opposing forces from his spiritual wisdom and his uneducated but non dual mind.
Richard Rohr: Unpacking Paradoxes
contemplation in action, as I try to live it…
Fr. Richard,
How I envy your experience of being within the powerful environment of the cell in the Ranft. Twenty years ago I was a guest at the convent of the Sisters of St. Dorothy and on a warm early spring Saturday morning descended into the Ranft as the bells of St. Nicholas across the valley were marking nine a.m. I carried with me the burden of daily severe ulcer pain for fourteen years, pain only partially alleviated by daily doses of strong antacids. During the hours I was in the vicinity of the cell of Bruder Klaus my pain slowly eased and by mid-afternoon had completely dissipated without the aid of medication and has not returned during all the days of the intervening twenty years. So, if you get this message, say a prayer of thanksgiving for me at the place of Bruder Klaus’ dwelling.
Kyle Wiseley, Portland, Oregon
I am with you in prayer as journey both physically and spiritually. I spent 9 years in Milan and visited Lake Lugano on so many occasions. My spirit never failed to be lifted by the beauty of surrounding countryside. Do make time for yourself and pray for me Emily
I like your use of the word prezence, zen is what we are all born with, some place on our journey we discover it and it starts us on a new path leading to a less dualistic mind. I am now 74 years old and my mind is still somewhat dualistic only less then I was in my thirties.
God bless, Deacon Ray
Amen. Janis
You seem really pleased to be in Switzerland and previously in Assisi. I do though detect
a need to slow down and return to New Mexico the Land of Wonderment.
I wanted to thank you and your team for the prayers in Assisi. My daughter Heather has found out that she is Cancer free after a Cervical Cancer scare. She will be having a Hysterectomy this summer prophylactically.
Iraina
God Bless you and your daughter!
Jean
Fr. Richard, have a wonderful time. Prayers and blessings sent your way. Janis
I had the most marvelous experience with the Naked Now book about a week ago. May I post a comment about it here? I was visiting my elderly parents, who are not religiously observant, and I was trying to explain my disappointment at religious services I had recently tried attending weekly for a few months in my community. I had been looking for group silent prayer, and what I found, except for one place in the liturgy, was recitation, singing, and social exchange. It was not what I wanted, and in fact I found it draining, so I stopped going eventually. My parents looked at me quizzically as I tried to explain the difference between the kind of prayer I was looking for and the kind of prayer I had encountered, and at some point I gave up trying to explain my experience and what I meant. I had brought The Naked Now with me to read, and when I opened it the next day to read, I picked up where I had left off — at Chapter Ten, and there it was, all beautifully laid out. I felt much better.
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