The Importance of Living Deliberately

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately."

Henry David Thoreau

Living with conscious deliberation is one of the most radical things we can do in the modern world. Although society would try to make us passive to its world view and aims, living deliberately means recovering our own agency and acting from our inmost center. It means deciding when we will imbibe the news, and how often we will leave our phone on airplane mode. It entails developing a rule of life that includes time set aside each day for solitude, meditation, prayer, reading and journalling. It means spending quality time immersed in the beauty of Nature. And it involves perpetually asking cosmic questions like "Why am I here on Earth?" "How do I develop a deeper attitude of awe and wonder?" and "What is divine union?" In the final analysis, living deliberately brings a sense of tranquillity, freedom and happiness like nothing else can.

Photo: Ruddy peak and aspen trees, Maroon Lake, Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness, CO, September 27, 2015

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I am available for one-on-one sessions giving instruction in Wilderness Insight Meditation and Wilderness Contemplative Prayer, or for spiritual direction / mentoring via phone or Skype. You can contact me at [email protected] if you are interested. The rate is $65 per hour-long session. You might also want to check out my Spiritual Direction with Stephen Hatch Facebook page.
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Many of my photos are available as prints, either mounted or unmounted. Here is a link to the pricing and various mounts available:

http://www.stephenhatchphotography.com/#!mounting-prices/cpr6