True to type

I wonder...Just been looking at the blogspot of someone I met briefly at the recent workshop I attended. As I bounced around her site, I found several points of connection: favourite books, films, spiritual leanings, etc. Then I noticed she identified herself as INTJ in Myers-Briggs (http://www.myersbriggs.org/) terms - same as me. Now I know that some people hate such systems with a vengance - I'm not one of them. Over the years I've found Myers-Briggs in particular really useful in helping better understand myself, others (particularly those I find irritating) and the interactions between us.

And I'm wondering just how much our personality profile influences our tendencies - whether for the arts, literature, spirituality.

Now, related but not very. The spooky world of coincidence. In the past 4 days, I've happened upon Myers-Briggs twice, having not collided with it for years. On both occasions the subject was initiated by the other party, and on both occasions the other party turned out to be...INTJ. Now that in itself is hardly very remarkable. However, it is one of a series of five or six coincidences that have drifted across my path in recent weeks - whether hearing the same quote from two entirely different sources, for the first time ever, in a matter of hours; or picking up a book from my stack of 'to be read at some point' tomes, then deciding to also have a look at my shelf full of Penguin Classics (Christmas pressie), most of which I've yet to read - and finding that I'd chosen exactly the same book (totally different cover and format).

This kind of thing hasn't happened to me for ages, but it just seems like I'm in a season of coincidences. Which makes me think I'd like to explore once more 'The Celestine Prophecy'

(http://www.amazon.com/Celestine-Prophecy-James-Redfield/dp/0446671002), which, insightfully, has a fair few things to say about the world of coincidences.

An interesting experience...

I've just returned from a workshop in Sheffield on 'Participation in Church'. Not sure what I was expecting, although it was being led by a team which included two colleagues who I know to be quite radical in their approach. The workshop described itself as: 'a day conference to explore new and innovative ways of ensuring that people are involved in the life, decision-making, shaping and transformation of the 21st century church.'

In a sense, the 'church' bit was neither here nor there. The techniques used can be and are used in all kinds of contexts. The main focus of the day was The World Cafe (http://www.theworldcafe.com/index.htm), an approach that involves discussion around well-framed questions, by groups of people gathered around tables. At the end of each 'round', people move onto another table, considering another question, leaving just one person at each table to introduce the arriving group to the conversation so far. The tables are draped in paper coverings on which people are encouraged to write and draw as part of the process. Thus the discussion of a particular question is considered several times by several groups, each building on the thoughts of the previous group. Potentially some very rich and innovative thinking can develop.

I certainly gained some useful insights into issues around our church, and will be looking for opportunities to apply this approach. I'll let you know how I get on.

To be honest...

Well, I did say I'd report on my experience with silence. To be honest, I've found it pretty hard. Hard to get down to it - as ever, sometimes anything seems preferable to locking myself in a room alone. Yet even when that feels attractive, actually achieving silence is quite a challenge in the context of a family home. And even when the conditions are right, there's a fair chance that I'll come over drowsy and drift through the time, feeling totally lousy about myself afterwards.

But these are just excuses: I'm a free man with plenty of choice over how I use my time, and, if I really want to (if I really, really want to), I can find a place of silence. I may have to go to another room, or even leave the house and sit in the part. I can even stand up, splash my face, or whatever to remain alert. I deceive myself.

The question is, how much do I want to hear God? I find that almost too uncomfortable to even contemplate right now.

I have to say, I'm very glad that it's now February, and as I decided at the start of the year, that means it's time to move on to a new discipline. Feeling the need for greater substance, something to get hold of beyond my own drifting thoughts, I've decided to use Lectio Divina (sacred reading). I've tried this before and found it really helpful, so I'm hopeful of a more positive experience in Feb.

Silence decends on January

So, 2009 starts here for this pilgrim. I find it hard to say exactly what happened last summer, but the blog dried up, almost died altogether...but here's my attempt at reviving it. Hopefully I'll have the ideas and energy to keep it going long into the year.

I don't do new year resolutions. They get a pretty bad press and rightly so - I know very few people who seem able to make them stick for more than a few weeks. However, I have started 2009 with a renewed vigour for the 'spiritual disciplines'. As I reviewed last year for our family newsletter, I realised just how much I'd gained from my college course on spiritual formation, which got me into practising various disciplines - I blogged about this some time ago - yet, like the blog, I'd lost the thread and allowed the habit to wain. So I determined to do something about this, not least because I'm taking up a major new challenge at work this year and I daren't enter into that without having a regular source of fuel for the journey.

My plan is to take a particular discipline each month and to spend some time each day pursuing it. January is my month for Silence and Solitude. I've enjoyed some excellent times so far (and one or two where staying awake has been problematic!), helped by Thomas Merton's 'New seeds of contemplation'. It's one of those devotional books in which you could reflect on each sentence for days - a veritable treasure and well worth the investment.

In the next blog, I'll try to share something of my experience of silence and solitude. For now, ssshhhhh!!!........