WALKING THE SPIRITUAL PATH

​Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."

If you are engaging in the exercise of examen that was suggested last Thursday and in October's newsletter, then it will be helpful to consider how well we understand the emotions that accompany our everyday experiences and how well we can describe them, not necessarily to others but honestly to ourselves. If we wish to engage deeply in our relationship with God, it is helpful to heighten our awareness of the emotions we were gifted with at our conception and experience every day. The journey to our heart as a place where God accompanies us in all these emotions works well with the image of a geode. On the outside, a geode looks like an ordinary rock, but once inside, a cavern of wonders. The accompanying pictures of geodes might help recognize how beautiful and complex emotions can be. 

​For many reasons, we too mask our complexity on the outside. Others might even describe us differently than we know ourselves to be. But God knows us as we truly are and communicates on that level. In her recent book, Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of the Human Experience, Brené Brown writes, "Language is our portal to meaning-making, connection, healing, learning, and self-awareness. Having access to the right words can open up entire universes. When we don’t have the language to talk about what we’re experiencing, our ability to make sense of what’s happening and share it with others is severely limited.”

In your journal, you might want to write down the emotions accompanying your responses to your exam questions. Think about why you felt that way, what it might mean, and how understanding your emotions might help you understand someone else, not just in your current life but in favorite or difficult stories in scripture. We will discuss this more thoroughly when we gather for classes in November. But for now, get in touch with your own emotions. Which ones can you name?