One beautiful expression of the internal journey is the writing of a letter to our younger self. Lessons we’ve learnt along the way that would have helped us navigate life in our younger perhaps bewildered days. This is a letter from one of the sojourners who just completed the Camino Santiago with desert odyssey.
The thirty-fifth desert odyssey (January 16-22, 2022), was a non-residential edition held at the desert odyssey space here in Singapore. It included one sojourner who ‘Zoomed’ in from Sydney, Australia.
These two poems were penned by her as she experienced the liberating journey from excruciating to exquisite pain!
Abd al-Rahman III, the emir and caliph of Córdoba in 10th-century Spain, summed up a life of worldly success at about age 70: “I have now reigned above 50 years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call.”
And the payoff?
“I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot,” he wrote. “They amount to 14.”
To read the full article, click on the link:
ACTIO SEQUITUR ESSE (Action Follows Essence – A Call to Action):
1. Having read the article, am I more inclined to have what I want or to want what I already have?
2. If it’s the former, how might I go about desiring the latter and paradoxically experience ‘pure and genuine happiness’?
Holy Week has always been a special time to convene desert odyssey. Here, we explore moving in rhythm with time as it’s meant to be lived – Kairos rather than Chronos. To find out more, email info@desertodyssey.com
“My fall into grace, quite paradoxically, is probably the reason I will finish stronger than if I hadn’t fallen into grace,” Timothy Khoo reflected when asked about the moral failure he experienced. “I fell into grace. And I remained there. And tasted the incredible love of God.”
What would your authentic self be if stripped off all titles and accoutrements of power?
(Articles published in November 2021 in Vantage Point, the official publication of Eagles. Link to the full article: https://www.eagles.org.sg/vantagepoint-nov-2021/ )
This supplemental programme to desert odyssey leverages the experiential aspect of learning. For more information on the programme, you can contact us via the Whatsapp button on this page or email the address given in the flyer.
A fascinating article that examines the pain~pleasure balance we explore in some depth at desert odyssey. Read on for practical advice on recalibrating and finding balance.
“The smartphone is the equivalent of the hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation.”
The thirtieth desert odyssey (August 1-9, 2021), was a non-residential edition held at the desert odyssey space here in Singapore.
This reflection is from one of the sojourners, and captures powerfully the experience of deep and liberating insights!
“Nobody wants to be defined by the worst thing they’ve ever done. But on this side of heaven, that’s often the case – the worst thing you’ve ever done defines you,” Reverend Timothy Khoo quietly told a small crowd of about 50.
They had gathered to hear him share at an Eagles Leadership Conference 2019 masterclass entitled: Recovering from Leadership Fallout and Moral Failure.
(Link to the full article published in Salt & Light on August 30th, 2019: https://saltandlight.sg/faith/falling-into-grace-what-moral-failure-taught-a-reverend-about-god/)
