Post link. https://treeleaf.link/6oIO

RULE ugh, not good at this. Love the idea and the planning of it though!

Where did this come from?

From Sacred Ordinary Days website "The first example of a Christian rule of life came from the Desert Fathers, a monastic community of mystics living in Egypt around the third century AD. The most well-known rule is the rule of St. Benedict, written fifteen hundred years ago, which was created to help his community of monks translate their faith into the habits and rhythms of their shared daily life. His famous rule has inspired many communities and individuals to develop their own rules with a similar intention."

What is this?

• "rule" - think intentional pattern for your life
• one author likened it to a trellis that provides the framework for your growth towards God
• like resolutions? a little, but it is more about how you will attend to your desire to experience God in life. involves spiritual practices
• RHB says "how do I want to live so I can be who I want to be?"
• from RHB: take into account your personality, your spiritual type, your season of life, the sin patterns you are contending with, the place you know God is trying to stretch you

How To Make One

• let yourself acknowledge where you are at in life and what you want your spiritual life to look like
• talk to God about these things
• make note of promptings from God, what does He want to work on with you?
• identify your pathway, how you are wired to connect with God
• think about what spiritual practices are meaningful for you or practices that you want to try
• take a big picture view of your life: daily, weekly, monthly. What do things look like? where do you need to create space for your spiritual growth? what needs to go? what needs to be added? What is working, what isn't working?
• begin to plan your rule/rhythm with God. What spiritual disciples and practices will I engage in? 
• daily
• weekly
• monthly
• quarterly
• yearly

Example

• my life - mostly home-bound, self employed, in school, trying to build business. Want my life with God to be instinctually first - in time and priority,
• prayer!
• God wants to work on keeping me present with him, not looking ahead in expectation or dread, responding to his invitation. Also need to attend to my body better through movement and a more loving diet
• pathways - naturalist & contemplative
• practices - lectio divina, meditation, spiritual direction, holy yoga, outdoor silence and solitude.
• life - work daily, no weekly demands (church?), monthly serving at church. I have lots of space! Not always so, in past I have had to name what I would discontinue so that I could have time and space for new practices. Realized I need regular time with close friends and something fun on the horizon. Want to add some creative activity

My Rule Of Life

•  daily - time with God and scripture first thing with my cup of coffee, movement (yoga, ballet or walks), time playing piano
• weekly - church in person or online, practice actual sabbath, connect with 1 friend, date/adventure time with Corby, examen on Sunday night
• monthly - half day of silence & solitude, nature outing
• quarterly - night away with Corby, possibly visiting churches in the diocese
• yearly - create rule of life, would like to do retreat at an abbey