Hiya Folk
I’ve recently been thinking about the way words shape my faith, and the way I do and think about things
this is partly in response to a book I’m reading, which I suspect I’ll be posting about as it’s blowing my little mind, and also undoubtedly about the work Mary left us with, only faintly noticed by me at the time I heard it, and yet…
through all the hours we spend in church as Christians, using books and music to celebrate our faith, how do these words shape us? is it that sometimes somethings speaks at a deeper level, or that words allow our inner longings to surface?
perhaps it’s easier to name the things that inspire you than know how they’ve influenced you?
and yet, there are a few books that provide me with such a tangible image, and make easy contact with the material and the supernatural, I feel I’ve found something worth keeping hold of
for me also, growing up in a house dominated by a pervading sense of tragedy, doom, shame and anxiety, my faith journey has been a path of shacking of enough debris to pollute the Thames. much of this was in the from of words, prickly, itchy words that wouldn’t be ignored, yet turned out to be lies
am only just beginning to explore this, so am hoping to hear your experiences, but will try to give you one for starters
- reading the Psalms has had a vibrant impact on my understanding of my faith, I find the openness to experience and freedom from denial liberating.
looking forward to hearing from you
Forever and for ever a man’s will must await the quickening contact of the Divine.
HEBRIDEAN ALTERS by Alistair Maclean
I have been thinking about the way words shape us this week too. My husband just started some therapy involving NLP (neuro linguistic programming), part of which looks at trying to eliminate unneccessary negative language and replace it with positive as a way of helping to shift one’s perception of self and the world. Its been very challenging to me to realise how much negative language I use and how resistant I am to making the effort to change it. Sometimes I just don’t want to reframe things positively! Does this mean I want to be miserable? Maybe at some deep level I believe I deserve to be. I think language is more powerful than we realise a lot of the time. We’ve all experienced being crushed by a careless comment or insensitive remark. As christians much is made of auditing our behaviour, but usually the only thought given to language is to suggest we shouldn’t swear. Maybe we are missing something important.
By: Clare on July 4, 2009
at 3:52 pm
That’s interesting, Clare. For about three years now, I’ve been trying to explore NLP – to no avail, there never seems to be time to read up on it. But I am fascinated in how NLP could be used in a classroom/group situation.
By: Carole on July 5, 2009
at 12:23 pm
I think there’s good biblical backing for reviewing how you think about yourself and so on, and also loads of stuff about what you say about others!
By: subo on July 5, 2009
at 8:16 pm
Studied NLP when i was doing social work – very useful – ‘Structure of Magic’ by Bandler and Grindler is good. I use NLP a lot with people – it is good for the inner world but also very useful to help people who ‘work out of differing senses’ to communicate more effectively with each other.
I am being very blessed by the work and words of John O’Donohue at the moment – sad he is not with us – but he has left a great legacy of rich expression. (Benedictus is good)
Anyway you ‘bloggers’ my daughter has just had baby Harry – who is edible! 7:11 and thriving. Am settling to the role of Gramps!
By: Dave on July 6, 2009
at 8:50 pm
congrats on the new role Dave, this one sounds a bundle of fun
By: subo on July 7, 2009
at 9:52 am
How lovely, Dave! Congratulations to all the family on the new arrival!
By: Carole on July 7, 2009
at 6:06 pm
may i firstly concur with dave by saying that l’il harry is indeed utterly yummy, miraculous and beautiful.
secondly… nlp.
it really does make you rethink what ‘bad language’ is. i’ve noticed i have often used bad language. i will try to no longer.
nlp is just a part of the therapy i am engaging with. the other parts are visualisation with a dose of gentle hypnosis and acting out. i have had 2 sessions which have been very powerful, spiritual experiences (whatever that means)… if anyone wants to know more, i can blog about it here. i am working and hoping for change and have noticed something change already, but am not sure what. early days, but hopefully the beginning of something new.
By: jonbirch on July 8, 2009
at 8:56 pm
my next session is on friday.
By: jonbirch on July 8, 2009
at 8:57 pm
am interested jon, look after yourself though as this is a public blog
have often been struck by how God seems to enjoy giving people new names throughout the Bible, as though the names we’re given originally don’t capture God’s vision of us, so can see a Biblical precedent for reviewing how we name ourselves
this brings into question a habit I’ve found in churches, of naming one’s mates with the most derogatory terms available, and dissing another’s skills.
as though we haven’t been put down enough before we got to go to church! it seems there is an assumption that people enjoy this kind of banter, though I’ve nearly walked out loads of times when people make comments about someone else in front of me, how can we be so sure we are better than others anyway?
By: subo on July 9, 2009
at 1:15 pm
Many thanks for the messages re Harry – he is a delight – fearfully and wonderfully made!…
re power of words… we are created in God’s image… and the creation story says that God created world through … words… ‘Let there be’… so is it possible that our words are acts of creation? I think there is truth in this and it radicalises prayer – Thy Kingdom come!
I would be interested in your reflections on NLP too Jon – and agree with Su re caution over public messages – perhaps we can linger over a beer!
By: Dave on July 10, 2009
at 8:53 am
yup dave, not had the chance yet to share with you a couple of really profound experiences. i am feeling positive about the possibility of change.
and i really think you are on to something with your “our words are acts of creation” question. i think i’m going to do an asbo cartoon on that right away.
By: jonbirch on July 10, 2009
at 1:20 pm
nice one Jon – will check the asbo site to see what you come up with – honoured to have inspired – dave x
By: Dave on July 10, 2009
at 8:11 pm
interested that you brought up the re-naming issue Su – I think naming is a powerful thing, to name something undoubtedly gives one power over it – I have seen this in lots of different ways, positive and negative. For example although a doctors diagnosis does not change a patients state of health, knowing what is wrong can really help to deal with it. On the negative front, nicknames, however innocuous, can speak into our image of ourselves at a deep level. I find it profound that the first task Adam and Eve are given is the naming of the animals and I think this tells us something about the importance of how we name things. Re-naming people at their baptism is a tradition lost to the western church, presumably as a result of the rise of infant baptism, but it still happens in the orthodox church, so many of my orthodox friends have two names! I think to have the opportunity to be renamed as an adult could be an amazing way to re-identify yourself as belonging to God (if a bit confusing for everyone who knows you!!!)
By: sanctuarybath on July 14, 2009
at 8:49 pm
cheers Clare, I like it, perhaps your ability to bless others has more power than you know
By: subo on July 15, 2009
at 10:25 am
I took on a new name because my old one had too much sadness attached to it and my new one enabled me to be more outgoing and fun. Now I’m in the process of healing and reclaiming the old name and am having to somehow integrate the two.
When I was at university lots of my friends changed their first names and sometimes their surnames too because they wanted to stress their own sense of identity and leave behind their identity within their parental family as that hadn’t been a happy one.
See you all in September.
By: Tiggy on July 31, 2009
at 11:51 pm