Here : a spirituality of staying in a culture of leaving

Here A spirituality of staying in a culture of leaving

Lydia Sohn

Book - 2025

"Lydia Sohn was a serial burn-it-down-and-make-a-fresh-start girl, until she encountered the ancient Benedictine vow of stability in her late 20s, and her world was transformed. Sohn took a pause and evaluated what she wanted out of life--identity, purpose, community--and had a lightbulb moment: everything she needed to live the life she desired was already within her reach. In Here, Lydia pushes back against our age of constant reinvention and the cultural message that we should do whatever it takes to get where we want to go. Instead, her message is the opposite: stay. Stay right here and cultivate the immense potential and beauty that lies within your current circumstances. Sohn understands the allure of nomadism. She says that kind... of nomadic life would protect us from the pain and stress of relational conflicts that inevitably arise when we're embedded in intricate webs of relationships and commitments. But time and time again that the restlessness, FOMO, and disappointment we're trying to escape always comes along for the ride. That's because they're not the result of our circumstances; they reside within us. Drawing on a variety of spiritual teachers across different faith traditions, Here inspires readers to work to both embrace and transform their circumstances with commitment and stability-in order that they might find true contentment right where they are"--

Saved in:
Place a Hold Save to List Email this

2nd Floor New Shelf Show me where

255.1/Sohn
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
2nd Floor New Shelf 255.1/Sohn (NEW SHELF) Checked In
Subjects
Benedictines > Spiritual life.
Vow of stability.
Choice of church.
Published
New York, NY : Convergent [2025]
Language
English
Main Author
Lydia Sohn (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
xix, 199 pages ; 20 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN
9780593727645
  • Introduction
  • Section I. Restless
  • 1. Is It Me?
  • 2. If Only
  • Section II. The Journey
  • 3. Not All Who Wander Are Lost
  • 4. Trying Things On for Size
  • Section III. Home
  • 5. The Arrival
  • 6. Slow and Steady Wins the Race
  • 7. It's the Little Things
  • Section IV. Expansion
  • 8. Those Who Can Stay and Those Who Can Go
  • 9. The Deeper the Roots, the Wider the Branches
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • Appendix
Review by Booklist Review

There is a restlessness, both individual and collective, in today's world that United Methodist minister Sohn seeks to define and soothe. She examines the emotional and psychological factors contributing to our dissatisfaction, then points out possible solutions. The book reads as a series of reflections pulled from the author's own life experiences: what she learned from Benedictine monks' vow of stability; six practices to pursue forever, especially when changes arise; why "slow and steady" is the way; and the importance of observing the little things. Far from a listing of platitudes, her reflections come alive through vibrant anecdotes about interviewing seniors, seeking the true meaning of happiness ("We are happy when we are growing," as excerpted from a long-term Harvard study), and being reminded of the power of social bonds. A very thoughtful remedy to twenty-first-century longings.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

Similar Items