In a meditative practice championed by Thomases Merton and Keating (and others not named Thomas), we were invited to join an evening session of Centering Prayer. I arrived at the appointed place at the appointed time, took off my sandals and entered the room.
I was halfway to an empty chair when I noticed that I was feeling decidedly awkward. The room was filled with white, middling-aged women with short hair (with the exception of classmate Elizabeth). It was even more awkward to turn around and leave so there I was.
That feeling passed as differences melted away in a time of silence followed by a contemplative walk (Great! I thought, we’d tour around the grounds a bit, or at least in the building... Not so much, we ended up walking the circle around our chairs). A group Bible study followed that was more or less helpful (maybe less) and then I got out of there.
Funny that I would be surprised by being a male minority in a convent. I better watch out for that estrogen poisoning Michelle was talking about.
I was halfway to an empty chair when I noticed that I was feeling decidedly awkward. The room was filled with white, middling-aged women with short hair (with the exception of classmate Elizabeth). It was even more awkward to turn around and leave so there I was.
That feeling passed as differences melted away in a time of silence followed by a contemplative walk (Great! I thought, we’d tour around the grounds a bit, or at least in the building... Not so much, we ended up walking the circle around our chairs). A group Bible study followed that was more or less helpful (maybe less) and then I got out of there.
Funny that I would be surprised by being a male minority in a convent. I better watch out for that estrogen poisoning Michelle was talking about.
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