Meditations
The Messenger of God: The First Pillar of Islam, Part Two
June 21, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 10. Islam recognizes many prophets, people God raised up to inspire others by their words and actions. Among these are Moses, Job, Jesus and Mary. The last and greatest prophet is Muhmmad, whom the Qur’ān calls “the Messenger of God.”
Embracing the Mystery of God: The First Pillar of Islam
June 14, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 9. Just as the Nicene Creed defines and guides Christians’ lives of faith, the Five Pillars Islam define and give shape to the everyday lives of the Muslim faithful.
Evolving inner life inspires engaged moral life
June 7, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 8. Islam, like Christianity, teaches that an authentic spirituality dictates a person’s way of being in the world. A sincere relationship with the Divine manifests itself in the way an individual relates to others.
The Blossoming of Faith
June 1, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 7. We have been exploring from a contemplative perspective, Islam’s three principles: surrender, faith and moral virtue. These shine like radiant beacons for those on a journey. Today our focus is on the second principle: faith.
Surrendering to God: “Two Can Not Live in One Heart”
May 24, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 6. The theme of surrendering your very being to God is prevalent in the three Abrahamic faiths including Islam. In fact, the word “Islam” means to “surrender in peace.” A Muslim is instructed to leave behind the “little self” in exchange for union with the “higher self.”
Ushering in the Fullness of Our Being and Dismantling the False Self
May 17, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 5. Christian spiritual masters often speak of the need to dismantle our false self to reveal our true self, or what Meister Eckhart described “the living presence of God’s image implanted in the soul.” Islamic texts discuss this same idea.
Three steps on the journey to meeting the Divine
May 10, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 4. The Qur’an teaches that God is closer to us than our jugular vein. Why, then, do we feel separated from God? Today we talk about the first three steps in the journey to an intimate meeting with the Divine.
The Indwelling Spirit of God: A Living Reality
May 3, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 3. We continue our study of the contemplative spirit of Islam. By exploring how others experience the Divine, our view of God expands. This opens us to the possibility of experiencing a fruitful transformation of the heart.
Remembering the Kiss: The Journey Home
April 26, 2021
By Kathy Keary
Part 2. Spiritual teachers of many faith traditions describe the innate desire for union (or re-union) with the Divine Creator as “remembering the kiss.” Islam calls this awakening tauba, translated as “turning to God.”
An Introduction to the Contemplative Spirit of Islam
April 19, 2021
Part 1. This week we embark on a new journey within our Contemplative Living series. We will begin an exploration into the many ways that Islam fosters the contemplative walk.