BENEDICTINE REST EXERCISE

As a follow up to our recent The Open Table gathering on Benedictine rest, Jon Bowles of Beggar’s Table Church asked us to consider the following to gauge how balanced our lives are:

The Benedictines divide their lives into 4 quadrants: work, community, prayer, and rest. As a way to assess how balanced we are, think through an average week and tally the total hours per week spent living in each of the quadrants.

Then, if one quadrant is overloaded or empty, answer these questions:
1. How long does each thing take/how faithful to them are you?
2. What is your current experience of these things?
a. Dry and lifeless?
b. Rich and deepening?
3. Why would you do these things?
4. Should you continue?
5. Which ones would you keep and why?
6. Which ones would you set aside or reshape?

Have a balanced and restful week.