253 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 44 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
Life Arts   

Do You Ever Hear Voices?

By       (Page 1 of 3 pages)   2 comments

eileen fleming
Follow Me on Twitter     Message eileen fleming
Become a Fan
  (17 fans)

On June 13, 2007, on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert interviewed the author of Muses, Madmen and Prophets, Daniel B. Smith who spoke about how hearing voices is not always psychotic and could actually be a good thing.  

I began to 'hear voices' shortly after I began the practice of lectio-divinia/holy reading, in the year 2000, which was two years after beginning the practice of Centering Prayer as outlined by Father Michael Keating.  

The 'voices' speak to me in scripture verses, except for "DO SOMETHING!" which has been the most persistent and loudest, and began the second I looked into the eyes of George, a little boy of Bethlehem. 

In the year 2000, George, born and reared in the Little Town of Bethlehem: Occupied Territory, was 'captured' by photographer Debbie Hill, the morning after the Israeli army destroyed his bedroom in retaliation for a few hopeless militants who had infiltrated his once peaceful Christian village to snipe across the way into the illegal settlement/colony of Gilo. 

According to International Law; ALL the settlements/colonies in the West Bank are illegal.  

The shrapnel that pierced the wall of his sanctuary read "Made in USA" and was delivered via American made Apache helicopters.  The second I saw George's eyes, in the photograph that was first published by the Florida Catholic and now graces the banner of my website: http://www.wearewideawake.org/ 

My heart said "DO SOMETHING!"  

What could I possibly do I wondered, but I did make a copy of the photo, put it in a frame and placed it upon the altar [a bar high table] in the upper room of my home.  Dozens of times a day, I would stop and gaze into the eyes of that little boy of Bethlehem and beg God to end the insane cycle of violence in the Holy Land for the sake of all the children who live there and deliver and release me from the incessant voice that demands: "DO SOMETHING!"  

 

All these years later, every time I look at George's eyes-or even think about him-the persistent voice continues the incessant refrain: "DO SOMETHING!" 

 

In the year 2000, I was a first year student in an Episcopal-Methodist Formation Program for Spiritual Directors. I knew going into the program that I would NOT be hanging out a shingle as a SD. I was there for the curriculum; studying the saints and others ways of prayer. That is also when I began to write creative spiritual literature.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Eileen Fleming Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Eileen Fleming,is a Citizen of CONSCIENCE for US House of Representatives 2012 Founder of WeAreWideAwake.org Staff Member of Salem-news.com, A Feature Correspondent for Arabisto.com Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

An Evening with Helen Thomas and Flashback to John Lennon and Vanunu Mordechai

Ending the Year with same old prayer: Freedom for Vanunu Gaza and Palestine

John Lennon, Dorothy Day and Christmas 2010 in the UK

There's Nothing Christian about Zionism

Justin Bieber thinks he's seen Jerusalem

I hear dead people talking

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend