Even her name is uncertain, the name 'Julian' coming from the Church of St Julian in Norwich, where she occupied a cell adjoining the church as an anchoress. Little is known of her life aside from her writings. 1416) is considered to be one of the greatest English mystics.

Translated by Grace Warrack (1855 - 1932) Somehow, I knew that everyone, everything, every atom of this beautiful, delicate world, is held within a limitless field of love.Download cover art Download CD case insert Revelations of Divine Love We come to God, to peace, “Nakedly, plainly, and intimately.”Īlice’s meditation practice helped her come to a new relationship with all that was changing, challenging and painful in her life – and touch what never changes. We learn to meet our life (however it happens to be) with the prayer of simple, loving awareness. In meditation we learn to greet our thoughts, our feelings and the content of our moment-to-moment experience, without comment, without resistance. God wishes us to know him, Julian says, to rest in him, to receive the gift of spiritual peace. It is not so much the fact that things change which causes us to suffer, but our resistance to this change. We can let God show us how to meet the always-changing flow of our life more peacefully and compassionately. Whenever we feel overwhelmed, lost, weighed-down with pain or sadness or fear, we can come home to the sanctuary of our practice. It crossed her mind to go back but she decided to stay sitting there a little longer, that this might be the best thing she could do. When she reached the highest point on the walk, she sat down on the grass, leant back against the trunk of a tree, and began to meditate.Īt first, all she was aware of was a feeling of sadness and a deep weariness. And following a path through fields and winding country lanes she’d known and loved since childhood, she let the tears run freely. After dinner together on the first evening, she took a walk to clear her head. And Alice’s brother, who lived considerably closer to her parents, was more than happy for her to take the full weight of “sorting things out.”Īlice decided to take some time off work and stay with her parents for a week to help them make plans for the future. Her elderly parents, who wished to remain in the house that had been their home for over 50 years, were facing serious health issues and challenges with independent living. One of her children was taking a year out of university due to anxiety. A new senior manager at work seemed to be taking every opportunity to criticise her.

Julian of norwich a revelation of love