articulation

poetry - n. 1: writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rythmn 2 a: a quality that stirs the imagination b: a quality of spontaneity and grace

Name: dthaase

Thursday, September 16, 2004

articulation...quote by Henri J.M. Nouwen

"[We must] enter ourselves first of all into the center of our existence and become familiar with the complexities of our inner lives. As soon as we feel home in our own house, discover the dark corners as well as the light spots, the closed doors as well as the drafty rooms, our confusion will evaporate, our anxiety will diminish, and we will become capable of creative work. The key word here is articulation. Those who can articulate the movements of their inner life, who can give names to their varied experiences, need no longer be victims of themselves, but are able slowly and consistently to remove the obstacles that prevent the spirit from entering. They are able to create space for Him whose heart is greater than theirs, whose eyes see more than theirs, and whose hands can heal more than theirs. This articulation, I believe, is the basis for spiritual leadership of the future, because only they who are able to articulate their own experiences can offer themselves to others as a source of clarification. " Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer

1 Comments:

Blogger Michael Durand said...

I have always loved that quote. I'm glad it's posted here, as my copy of Wounded Healer is in storage, and the blog that I originally posted it on is no longer.

Every time I read it, some part of myself that I normally try to keep quiet, jumps up like a six year old forced to sit quietly on the sofa while company is over and shouts, "Yes, that is what I want!"

12:17 PM  

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