Author Archives: watchwordsblog

Spiritual Leader Burnout reason number 5: Literalism versus Contextual Use of Scriptures Why should the literal use of Scriptures lead to burn out? I see two main reasons: First when Christian spiritual leaders read the Old Testament and take it literally, they are basically proclaiming the Jewish law, the Jewish worldview and a Jewish theologyContinue reading “Literal Use of Scriptures No. 5”

Spiritual Leader Burnout reason number 4: Neglecting the “body” versus achieving holistic wellness The role of a spiritual leaders can tempt us to focus too much on and idealize our mind and spirit while discounting our physical dimension. This often has to do with one’s religion’s discounting of the “flesh” as the inferior dimension ofContinue reading “Neglecting one’s body No. 4”

Spiritual Leader Burnout reason number 3: “Spiritual Idealism versus Spiritual Realism” I have watched many professional and lay spiritual leaders burn out, when their own spirituality gets stuck in a phase I want to call “Spiritual Idealism”. This is the phase in one’s spiritual development where one holds onto certain phrases or truths no matterContinue reading “Spiritual Realism No.3”

Spiritual Leader Burnout reason number 2: “Unawareness of one’s family of origin patterns versus awareness of them and the freedom to make new choices.” Working within spiritual communities and holding a certain role of authority (“parent position”) awakes basic family systems dynamics for all participants. Actually, a congregation of 200 member families comprises a complexContinue reading “Family of Origin Patterns No. 2”

Until the end of this year, I hope to write 20 short reflections. The past 25 years I had the privilege of educating about 400  future spiritual leaders. They taught me a lot while allowing me to observe the following 20 reasons that contribute to the phenomena of burnout in religious representatives. I am consideringContinue reading “Resilience versus Burnout No. 1…”

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. Abraham Lincoln Meditation: Just as democracy in German more than eighty years ago, the democratic system in the US today experiences the perversion of basic ethical values as for example “decency”, “order” or “assumed values of right and wrong”. As we are watching theContinue reading “On the evening before one of the most important elections…”

The psychopathology of the masses is rooted in the psychology of the individual. Carl Jung Meditation: How in the world did our country end up in the situation we are in? Did our individual mental condition become manifested in a collective psychopathology? Our current time in the US can maybe best be described with the wordsContinue reading “Psychopathology of the Masses…”

A simple life is good with me. I don’t need a whole lot. For me, a T-shirt, a pair of shorts, barefoot on a beach and I’m happy. Yanni Meditation: For the past five days my husband, our 15 year old daughters and I spent our vacation time close to the beach at St. Simon’s.Continue reading “Living a Simplified Life…”

Dear Readers, This is the book that has been printed yesterday for the first time. It entails my blogging from 2017 as a daily devotional. If you need a Christmas gift for somebody or would like to have my meditations handy in print for yourself, you can either purchase it from me directly for aContinue reading “The Blog that became a Book…”

You don’t fight racism with racism, the best way to fight racism is with solidarity. Bobby Seale Meditation: “When you see something, say something” this is the sentence that my daughters hear every day in school in case violence looms. Sojourners read those words when they travel while waiting at the airport. Words that areContinue reading “Only Solidarity Can Fight This…”