The Transformative Practice of Being

A possible intro for tomorrow:
“In the kinds of spiritual communities I grew up [in], we do a lot of talkingat whatever is sacred,” singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer says. “I really appreciated, when I discovered a silent Quaker meeting, that all I need to do is listen… Something lovely happens when I quiet myself and I quiet my heart and I actually listen to what is coming up from the Spirit.”

Carrie describes how she came to that first Quaker meeting, in the rainforests of Monteverde, and found “something that my heart had been longing for and hadn’t encountered yet.” She has joined Friends in community ever since, and it continues to guide her artistic process.

1 thought on “The Transformative Practice of Being

  1. Thank you, Carrie. I loved what you just spoke of. I too appreciate SO much the SILENCE in our Quaker Meeting here in Asheville. It is a well of love and support that feeds us all as we sit together, ‘find ourselves in that place just right’ and simply listen! I must tell you that YOUR ‘small difference’ and the ‘one song at a time’ – made a huge difference recently in my life!! Many years ago at an FGC Conference, I heard you tell the lovely story about how you came to write the song for one of your children: “You Can Do This Hard Thing!” The story and the song stayed with me all these years. I am in my 80s and came home from a long drive from my Georgia winter home; that very night, exhausted from all the packing, organzing and driving – the new bridge in my mouth (5 days old – $6,000) – BROKE and I had to go to bed and face getting up the next day and driving the 7+ hours back to Georgia with my tongue bleeding from being cut by the jagged remaining bridge!! I had no choice: the Georgia Dentist was very willing to make everything right! I kept telling myself: “YOU CAN DO THIS HARD THING!” THANK YOU SO MUCH for that song, that gave me the strength to face fatigue and the long drive!!

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