255: "Give me a word" with Christine Valters Paintner

About this episode

Merideth Hite Estevez speaks with Christine Valters Paintner about the contemplative practice of receiving a word for the year as an alternative to traditional goal setting.

This week, I speak with Christine Valter Paintner about the contemplative practice of "receiving a word" for the year, an alternative to traditional New Year's resolutions and goal setting. The Ancient Practice: The "Give Me a Word" practice is inspired by the Desert Mothers and Fathers (monks of the 2nd–4th centuries), who would offer a word of wisdom—sometimes a single word, a phrase, or a scripture line—to seekers. The word is meant to be wrestled with and explored for a long time, not a quick fix. Receiving vs. Striving: The core of the practice is about opening the heart to receive wisdom from a source greater than oneself, rather than trying to find or force a word (the "try hard" or "productivity hack" approach). The Listening Process: Listening for the word can be integrated into everyday life—through silence, noticing synchronicities in books, shows, or nature, or even by asking a trusted friend for a word of wisdom. Working with Dissonance: They discuss how to work with a word that might feel "bristly" or difficult, exploring the idea that resistance and dissonance can touch on "shadow" aspects of the self (perfectionism, fear of visibility) that hold the deepest…

People in this episode

Guest: Christine Valters Paintner

Topics covered

• contemplative practice
• New Year's resolutions
• wisdom
• listening
• creativity

Keywords

• Desert Mothers and Fathers
• receiving wisdom
• shadow aspects
• creative gifts

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Give Me a Word: The Promise of Ancient Practice

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