The Seasons of the Day
The Austrian monk David Steindl-Rast describes the hours as the “seasons of the day.” The original concept of an hour is not the precise measure we think of today.
The hours of the day are qualitative and textural. A day emerges from dark stillness, crescendos into outward energy and activity at midday, settles into the soft glow of evening, and slips quietly back into darkness.
Such is the rhythm and flow of our lifetimes as well. Attuning our awareness to that flow of natural time frees us from the oppression of the clock. It allows us to appreciate and live each moment fully, richly, and purposefully. It opens a door to magic, one that is hiding in plain sight.
Book of Hours Online Program*
Self-Paced Content
Each hour's program features a contemplation, meditation practice, contemplative arts prompt, an inspiring poem, and a discussion thread to share your experience.
Join at the PREMIUM RATE and receive a one-hour LIVE VIDEO SESSION with Michael Anderson, founder and head teacher of Art of Being.
Next LIVE Cohort program coming Autumn 2024, including four LIVE sessions with fellow participants. In the meantime, take advantage of this opportunity to explore the material at your own pace.
*Please note: This is a non-sectarian program of contemplative practice. Though inspired by monastic traditions, it does not aim to teach Christian doctrine.
An Ancient Rhythm
After an encounter in 2019 hearing the Vespers chant at Heiligenkreuz Abbey near Vienna, I returned to the Abbey for a series of brief stays. I grew fascinated by the rhythm of monastic time laid out in the Rule of St. Benedict nearly 1,500 years ago. Benedict saw his Rule as a "trellis," upon which daily life could naturally grow.
My practice of the hours became anchor points in the day, when I could pause, even momentarily, to reconnect with the stream of natural time. The contemplations and practices in this program come from those experiences and explorations. I hope that they may also help you to find a deep well of ancient time flowing in and through the hours and days of your modern life.
Contemplate
We will focus each week on a different hour of the day. Explore each hour's texture and quality, its truths. How does it resonate within you? In your engagement with the world around you? The words of great poets and teachers will point us toward a deeper understanding of each hour's significance.
Practice
We will explore a unique menu of contemplative practices designed to help you connect with the stream of natural time flowing through your day. Take the audio files of guided practices with you to practice anywhere. Use them to make your practice of the hours fit the contours of your own life situation.
Create
Use contemplative arts as a way to make meaning of your experience. Sometimes the act of picking up a paint brush or a writer's pen can lead to insights we simply cannot access by any other means. Suggested activities and instructions will accompany each week's program.
Experience the Magic of Sicily at Home
Join us for the online program this spring on three Saturdays: April 6, April 13, and April 20, 2024.
