I never realized how many similarities I share with Trappist monk and spiritual writer Thomas Merton until Kelly Deutsch recently interviewed me. She says:
It’s not a stretch to say Dave Denny is what Thomas Merton would have looked like today had he lived.
Both avid writers, teachers, inter-spiritual pioneers, activists, and hermits, they share a depth of wisdom born of silence.
Join Father Dave Denny and me to learn:
- How living in the Middle East changed his life forever
- What steaming hot tamales can teach us about the sacramentality of the world
- What, in his 13 years of teaching mysticism, his students were most surprised by
- What it might look like to be a contemplative activist
Kelly’s words reminded me of a letter from a Prescott College friend around 1975. I’d told him I was joining a monastic community. Having attended a Jesuit high school, he was not a churchgoer. But he encouraged me to move in the direction Merton took. Merton’s book Seven Storey Mountain opened a new world to me, and I was fascinated by Merton’s commitment to justice, peace, and interreligious dialogue. Of course, I have my own quirks. I’m not sure Merton shared my passion for tamales.
Spiritual Wanderlust
Kelly Deutsch is the dynamo behind Spiritual Wanderlust: Contemplative Formation for the Restless Heart, a hub for exploring interior life through podcasts, reading, and courses. She interviewed Tessa Bielecki last year (noting Tessa’s “crackling vitality,”) and you can watch their conversation here. Tessa will also contribute to Spiritual Wanderlust’s course on Celtic Spirituality on July 8. She’ll begin with stories of her years in Ireland, incorporating poetic images and metaphors, and flesh them out with concrete contemplative practices. You must sign up for the entire course, but listen only to what you want, then unsubscribe. (Not always easy.) You’ll find more information here.
And if you haven’t listened to our latest Fire and Light podcast, “Going Against the Grind,” please do. Find it wherever you get your podcasts or find links here.
As June heat increases in Tucson, we exercise early and look forward to the monsoons. May they arrive soon after the summer solstice. And may summer bring you rest and leisure to fortify your resistance to “grind culture.” Don’t let it pulverize your dreams.
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