Doing or giving up something for lent

[pilgrim b]

Well pilgrims what are you doing or giving up for lent this year I gave Vino Tinto last year had quite a struggle but just about managed it. Others said that they prefered to do something extra for Lent which is another good way of dealing with this preriod of denial.

Now I thought about this and decided that given my age and tendency this year I would find an appropriate subject to deny myself, no not the forum, not another Camino far too hard! Simple me, I thought I know “I will give up grumbling for Lent”, no stop it, every body laughs! So what are you doing for lent for the good of mankind whatever you have chosen may I wish you blessings in your Lenten Fast.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I tried giving up facebook, but failed miserably.
I'm addicted.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

You are assuming all pilgrims are Catholics. I think my mother and father told me everybody was Catholics but when I grew up I found out that wasn't true.

Instead of giving up something for Lent I've decided to help more of those less fortunate than I am

 

[Mike Savage]

I am trying to get better at praying. I do pray often during the day but my mind drifts. I am trying to be more focused while I am praying.

Mike

 

[pilgrim b]

You are assuming all pilgrims are Catholics. I think my mother and father told me everybody was Catholics but when I grew up I found out that wasn't true.

Instead of giving up something for Lent I've decided to help more of those less fortunate than I am

Hola Scott I only assume pilgrims are pilgrims of all and of no faiths and the practice's of lent I mention are not exclusive to the RC Tradition but to many other traditions also. The Camino has taught me to be open to all faiths and none and I like that you decided to help more of those less fortunate than yourself .
If I manage to succeed in my lenten promise many people will feel very fortunate indeed

 

[Mark Lee]

Growing up a Catholic in the New Orleans area I remember giving up meat on Fridays quite often during Lent. Instead we would get a fried shrimp or oyster po-boy . Those things are so damn good it never seemed like I sacrificed anything at all, ha ha.

 

[VNwalking]

Hola, everyone...lovely thread pilgrim b, and a very nice intention. Not grumbling? Not easy.
I'm Buddhist, and we try do this moment to moment--not so much in the sense of denial, but seeing craving and letting it be without feeding it. So I love the tradition of Lent. It's already well along, but I'll be throwing myself into the wind come next Friday. Can I let the need for security and safety go? Can I let conditions be what they are without drama or aversion (well, I'll see about that when the dorm is full of snorers and the plastic bags start to rustle! )

 

[pilgrim b]

Hola, everyone...lovely thread pilgrim b, and a very nice intention. Not grumbling? Not easy.
I'm Buddhist, and we try do this moment to moment--not so much in the sense of denial, but seeing craving and letting it be without feeding it. So I love the tradition of Lent. It's already well along, but I'll be throwing myself into the wind come next Friday. Can I let the need for security and safety go? Can I let conditions be what they are without drama or aversion (well, I'll see about that when the dorm is full of snorers and the plastic bags start to rustle! )

Nice reply Viranani you will love the silences and the opportunities for your practice. I did my first camino two years ago living each moment awakened and since then i have found the need for silence each day for contemplative prayer a bonus of many from my first camino Beun camino pilgrim friend.

 

[wayfarer]

I haven't given up anything for Lent for over thirty years. I would be in the camp of "give" rather than "give up" for Lent.

 

[pilgrim b]

I am trying to get better at praying. I do pray often during the day but my mind drifts. I am trying to be more focused while I am praying.

Mike

I think I know what you mean Mike, mind full of galloping ponies! I try to stay at it a bit longer and the ponies seem to get tired if you know what I mean?

 

[Davey Boyd]

I'm an anarchist/pagan, so Lent itself doesn't mean much to me. However I try each day be be better than I was the day before . And that may include giving up something, or taking a new view on life. Learning from new people you meet is special too. Everyone in the world is my brother or sister, and I would help you in any way I could. Though my belief is not religious per-se, its definateley spiritual. Hope you have a wonderful lent my friends

Davey

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Growing up a Catholic in the New Orleans area I remember giving up meat on Fridays quite often during Lent. Instead we would get a fried shrimp or oyster po-boy . Those things are so damn good it never seemed like I sacrificed anything at all, ha ha.

Mark, you were supposed to give up meat EVERY Friday, if EVERY week. But I do SO love how your family went about it ;0) Smart people ;0)

 

[VNwalking]

"I do pray often during the day but my mind drifts. I am trying to be more focused while I am praying"

Oy...yes...many ponies. The mind we all have pretty much does what it wants to, doesn't it? I've found patience and acceptance are really the highest forms of renunciation. The mind is there to think after all, and it's a pretty essential activity...but it's a matter of training not to follow and feed every little thought that comes down the pike!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I think I know what you mean Mike, mind full of galloping ponies! I try to stay at it a bit longer and the ponies seem to get tired if you know what I mean?

Love the Galloping Ponies, only knew of the Monkey Mind.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Viranani, so glad to read something from a Buddhist/Buddhist meditation practitioner. I am new to the practice, and find my weekly group meditation to be so helpful. So on Camino I would like to bring some guided meditations on my phone. Would you be able to recommend a few to download to my phone?

 

[wayfarer]

I am trying to get better at praying. I do pray often during the day but my mind drifts. I am trying to be more focused while I am praying.

Mike

I think I know what you mean Mike, mind full of galloping ponies! I try to stay at it a bit longer and the ponies seem to get tired if you know what I mean?

I know what you mean, I pray while I walk in the mornings, I find I dont drift as much while I walk, I still drift a little but not as much as I used to. My head used to be like the inside of a nuclear reactor, stuff flying all over the place.

 

[Mike Savage]

I absolutely agree. When I walk it give me enough to do and the rhythm of the feet helps too.

 

[VNwalking]

Anemone, there's a lot out there.
In the tradition I am part of (the South-east Asian Theravada traditions) we have 2 basic forms of practice--insight practice (you may also see the word 'vipassana'--it means the same thing), and concentration practice. A common and very lovely form of concentration practice (which also purifies the heart) is Loving Kindness practice.
So here's a link for hundreds of guided meditations from both Western and Asian teachers; you can download any of these on a donation basis:
<http://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/?page=1&sort=talks_teacher.name&search=guided+meditation>

A few that I like very much from that very long list are:
For Insight: Joseph Goldstein, Big Mind Meditation 2008-11-12
For Loving Kindness: Narayan Liebenson, 2004-8-24, 2004-8-26, 2004-8-27, 2004-8-28

I haven't figured out how, but you can PM me if you have more questions....

 

[pilgrim b]

I'm an anarchist/pagan, so Lent itself doesn't mean much to me. However I try each day be be better than I was the day before . And that may include giving up something, or taking a new view on life. Learning from new people you meet is special too. Everyone in the world is my brother or sister, and I would help you in any way I could. Though my belief is not religious per-se, its definateley spiritual. Hope you have a wonderful lent my friends

Davey

Davey good to meet an anarchist/pagan. What you have to say about each day sounds pretty good to me, everyone has a pilgrim heart so why not be brothers and sisters. Spiritual now thats a nice word to use too, have a wonderful day/life pilgrim brother and enjoy every moment of your Geneva to Santiago camino soon.Beun camino

 

[pilgrim b]

@ Mike and wayfarer, me too, I find walking is a good place for prayer or for the practice of contemplation! The rhythm of the breath and the silence are a good help, you can also calm those wild ponies with a sacred word as in centring prayer (a one word mantra such as peace or grace) just choose one of your own.
Zen has a name for walking meditation it is called Kinhin there are several videos on Google explaining the practice Anemone.
Of course Davey I love the old spiritual wisdom of the Celtic world on the beauty of this earth and the nature of rivers, sea and sky their reverence for the spirit in all things.

I hope I have not overstepped the forum rules if I have I sincerely apologies to all the forum members. I am happy to edit if required.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Alcohol and cursing….and shamefully it's the second that is proving the hardest for me I'm a fading redhead but my propensity for expletives, unlike the colour of my hair, is not diminishing (ok now I'll have to add vanity to my lenten list). I did give myself a Lenten 'day pass' for my mother's birthday (we celebrate her birthday rather than her anniversary as it's a rather more joyful date and she was above all a joyous person) The concept of a Lenten 'day pass' was given to me by a friend of the family, a Rosminian priest, though thinking about it he did say that you only got one in extremis. And while I know a family party doesn't quite meet the that criteria I'm relying on a forgiving (even fun loving?) God.

 

[pilgrim b]

What a brilliant idea Nell a Lenten 'day pass' so you can curse, drink, or even grumble on that day! Hey hang on though, does your mums Birthday always fall in Lent?

 

[nellpilgrim]

Her birthday is 26th of Feb…… so not always I'm afraid pilgrim B!

 

[pilgrim b]

Her birthday is 26th of Feb…… so not always I'm afraid pilgrim B!

Oh dear, O,dear you see Nell he has a sense of humour your right!

 

[SRM]

In the quiet times the answers come, if we are open to receive them. More times than not I find myself in the way.
Buen Camino,
Stephen

 

[AudTrekker]

Whatever you give up, you can break it on St. Patrick's day.
At least in Ireland that's the rules.!!

 

[nellpilgrim]

Yep we tried that one on with our parents AudTrekker but it didn't seem to wash with them-old school die hards that they were-though I'm prepared to use the Paddy's day clause in all years my mother's birthday falls outside the Lenten period. And yes that sound weak even to me!

 

[Tia Valeria]

We have given up our housegroup for Lent and are part of the church Lent meeting. This is not meant to be flippant as the two have a different feel and type of fellowship. So we miss one but gain from the other - we are looking at 'Sacred Spaces' in the Psalms (Ps 46 tonight)

 

[pilgrim b]

I think some of us have some of those between our ears Tia

we are looking at 'Sacred Spaces'

 

[WldWil]

Daily rosary with a slow transition into Spanish with it as a prep for my Camino and better understanding of language as well as spiritual growth.

Some of you may have seen my YouTube trading video I posted earlier.

Lent is not just about giving up, nor is it a totally Catholic thing. It is seeking and improving on a number of levels maybe even somewhat or somehow similar to some Camino experiences.

 

[pilgrim b]

Well pilgrims I was beginning to think that my choice of denial for Lent was going to be a total disaster 14 days in!! But after 25 days things have improved somewhat stop reading the newspaper for too long only see the news on TV every other day and a glass of vino tinto in the evening is helping a lot to support my determination in quitting grumbling this lent.
How are all of you doing or not doing with your Lenten offering for the good of mankind @AudTrekker, St Patrick's day Tuesday make the most of your break it's back to Lent on Wednesday!

 

[Mike Savage]

Well I have a long way to go but I am seeing progress. It is a whole lot harder to kick myself in the butt than it is to pat myself on the back.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Now there's a thought...a Lenten Camino! (Not Catholic, but do observe Lent)

 

[Tia Valeria]

Psalm 121 this Wednesday - one of my favourites.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Psalm 121 this Wednesday - one of my favourites.

We are memorising this one as a family at the moment! It makes me think of the Hospitales crossing every morning as we recite it together!