Stabilitas Loci: August 13 - 19

I was once a Franciscan friar but not a monk. Friars live and serve out in the world. Monks live, work and pray in a monastery. They take a vow of stability (stabilitas loci) to remain in place, giving up one kind of freedom in the hope of obtaining another kind of freedom.

When Siddhartha sought enlightenment, he sat under a tree and vowed not to move until it came to be. He left that spot as the Buddha.

When I made my marriage vows, in a sense my home became my stabilitas loci. Family life is my Bodhi tree, the place I find my true identity. The brick walls on T Street are my cloister and my path to wholeness and holiness.

Mindfulness starts at home. The people in your life right now will teach you more about enlightenment, loving kindness, mindfulness, gratitude, forgiveness, and love than any retreat, book, podcast or workshop. Good luck.

Practice

Be thankful for all of your teachers whether they come in the form of a spouse, children, parents, colleagues, friends, pets or neighbors.

May you be filled with loving kindness.

May you be safe from inner and outer danger.

May you be well in body and mind.

May you be happy and at ease.