Peaceful, Centered + Connected
There is a knowing within you that does not come from striving. A wisdom that is not earned but revealed.
In contemplative practice, we learn that intuition is not just a gut feeling—it is the deep inner knowing that emerges as we clear the clutter of the false self. But burnout and compassion fatigue often disconnect us from this knowing. When we are running on empty, our inner wisdom is drowned out by exhaustion, self-doubt, and the weight of our responsibilities.
Fr. Keating taught that the spiritual journey is a path of healing, of letting go, and of returning to the truth of who we are. Through silence and surrender, we detach from the identities and patterns that keep us stuck in cycles of depletion, allowing us to reconnect with our true center—the place where God’s presence speaks within.
How Can We Awaken Intuition While Healing from Burnout?
🐚 Slow Down to Listen
Your intuition speaks in stillness. When the world demands more, contemplation invites less—less noise, less striving, less attachment to external validation.
🫂 Recognize the False Self at Work
Burnout often stems from over-identifying with roles—“the helper,” “the achiever,” “the one who holds it all together.” Keating reminds us that these are not who we truly are. As we soften these identities, we make space for inner wisdom to arise.
🤲🏽 Let Love Lead the Way
Compassion fatigue happens when we give from an empty well. But in the contemplative life, we are not the source of love—we are the vessels. Returning to this truth restores balance. We serve, but we also receive.
🌬 Practice Surrender as a Form of Healing
Keating often spoke of the "Divine Therapy" of silence, where God meets us in our wounds, our exhaustion, and our longing. The healing we seek is already unfolding in us as we consent to God’s presence within.
A Simple Practice: Intuitive Listening Prayer
This practice helps reconnect to inner wisdom and divine guidance:
- Find a quiet space where you can sit undisturbed.
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, releasing tension.
- Silently ask: What within me needs attention today?
- Listen—not with the mind, but with the heart. Notice feelings, images, or words that arise.
- Hold whatever comes with compassion. Trust that God is speaking, even in the silence.
- Close by placing a hand over your heart and whispering: I am held. I am guided. I am enough.
Reflection for Your Journey
What might happen if you let go of the need to push through exhaustion and instead, surrendered to Love’s gentle guidance?
Let’s explore this together. Hit reply and let me know: Where do you feel called to slow down and listen right now?
With you on the journey.
Grace + Ease,
Tia
P.S. I've been invited to design an in-person retreat in California (Bay Area) about anything I'd like which is quite the honor and of course has me thinking of you all. As I dream into future in-person retreats, I want to create experiences that truly serve this community. What themes or topics would be most meaningful for you? And when do you most love to travel for retreat—spring, summer, fall, or winter? I'm thinking a long weekend. Hit reply and let me know your thoughts. Your insight will help shape what’s to come! 💛
A New Way to See the Good News
A new way to see the Good News offers a short passage that may offer a fresh perspective or insight into the ancient collection of poems, letters, and stories known as the Bible.
"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'"
⎻ Mark 6:31
A Breath Prayer
Pause. Take a moment. Close your eyes. Find your breath.
Inhale: So many people
Exhale: I return to the Quiet
Thank you for supporting the first Black Contemplative Prayer Summit
A diverse group of hundreds gathered daily this past weekend to hear from Black thought leaders in the contemplative space. Thank you to everyone who shared, supported and was present. Stay tuned for next year! We'll gather February 21st and 22nd.
