Judith Valente's Blog: Mindfulness in the Age of Twitter - Posts Tagged "npr"
Interview on Illinois Public Radio's "The 21st Show"
I'm thankful to have been interviewed about How to Live by Niala Boodhoo today on Illinois Public Media's "The 21st" radio show.
Here's a link to the entire hour. My interview starts at 17:00 minutes. https://will.illinois.edu/player/audi...
Here are some things I mention:
We’re talking too much at and over each other, but we’re not listening enough to each other. St. Benedict asks us to listen with the ear of the heart. That’s something that I’m pretty concerned about in our culture.
On listening with the ear of the art: "I think that means each person who comes into our life brings something to us, whether we recognize it or not. The idea of hospitality goes hand in hand with listening in the Benedictine world. Everyone we encounter has some gift, which may at first appear hidden. I think this is relevant about our discussion about immigration and refugees in our country.
It’s a misconception that monasteries were a place that walled themselves off from the rest of the world. That’s not completely true. The doors of the monasteries then, and now, remain open to guests."
"There was always a position in the monastery called the Porter. His job was to greet guests. He was to say one of two things: “Thanks be to God” or “Your blessing please” whenever anyone knocked on the door. I think those are such interesting greetings.
They both say they’re expecting good in the encounter with the guest. We’ve almost turned that around today. We see the other as a threat. That’s completely in contrast to the monastic value of listening and caring for the other."
One line that’s really interesting is where he says.” Be the first to show respect to the other one another’s weakness and behavior.” That is the most counter-cultural line in The Rule and the one that’s most necessary for what we are encountering in our public discourse. If you take anything away from monastic life, you still have to keep community. It’s really interesting about how they make decisions by consensus.
"Here’s what’s so interesting about consensus and what I think we need so much in our society — Once the decision is made, everybody pulls in the same direction, everybody tries to make it work."
"I’m a journalist and we’re covered so much on the affordable care act, health care reform. Think about what would have happened in this country if we had tried to improve the act, instead of trying to tear it apart. It’s that kind of thing. People in a Community understand that it’s the community that’s what’s important and you have to move forward together. "
"Silence really makes you accompany yourself in your journey in life. When you don’t have the distractions of your cell phone, email, and social media, who’s there? You, and for those of us who believe, we would say it’s the divine. It’s often in those moments of silence I come face to face we things I need to confront. I get inspiration. All of a sudden in the silence, the answer comes."
Here's a link to the entire hour. My interview starts at 17:00 minutes. https://will.illinois.edu/player/audi...
Here are some things I mention:
We’re talking too much at and over each other, but we’re not listening enough to each other. St. Benedict asks us to listen with the ear of the heart. That’s something that I’m pretty concerned about in our culture.
On listening with the ear of the art: "I think that means each person who comes into our life brings something to us, whether we recognize it or not. The idea of hospitality goes hand in hand with listening in the Benedictine world. Everyone we encounter has some gift, which may at first appear hidden. I think this is relevant about our discussion about immigration and refugees in our country.
It’s a misconception that monasteries were a place that walled themselves off from the rest of the world. That’s not completely true. The doors of the monasteries then, and now, remain open to guests."
"There was always a position in the monastery called the Porter. His job was to greet guests. He was to say one of two things: “Thanks be to God” or “Your blessing please” whenever anyone knocked on the door. I think those are such interesting greetings.
They both say they’re expecting good in the encounter with the guest. We’ve almost turned that around today. We see the other as a threat. That’s completely in contrast to the monastic value of listening and caring for the other."
One line that’s really interesting is where he says.” Be the first to show respect to the other one another’s weakness and behavior.” That is the most counter-cultural line in The Rule and the one that’s most necessary for what we are encountering in our public discourse. If you take anything away from monastic life, you still have to keep community. It’s really interesting about how they make decisions by consensus.
"Here’s what’s so interesting about consensus and what I think we need so much in our society — Once the decision is made, everybody pulls in the same direction, everybody tries to make it work."
"I’m a journalist and we’re covered so much on the affordable care act, health care reform. Think about what would have happened in this country if we had tried to improve the act, instead of trying to tear it apart. It’s that kind of thing. People in a Community understand that it’s the community that’s what’s important and you have to move forward together. "
"Silence really makes you accompany yourself in your journey in life. When you don’t have the distractions of your cell phone, email, and social media, who’s there? You, and for those of us who believe, we would say it’s the divine. It’s often in those moments of silence I come face to face we things I need to confront. I get inspiration. All of a sudden in the silence, the answer comes."
Mindfulness in the Age of Twitter
In my blog, I focus on thoughts based on my new book (published from Hampton Roads) How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning & Community as well as from my previ
...more
- Judith Valente's profile
- 39 followers
