The Sacred Braid

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Tag Archives: Emptiness

Making Room

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Daniel J. Miller
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Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he Read more [...]
Posted in Lent & Easter | Tagged Almsgiving, Creating Space, Emptiness, Fasting, Lent, Prayer, Spiritual Practice, The Poor | Leave a reply

Maybe the Emptiness

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Daniel J. Miller
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Lent is to Easter what Advent is to Christmas: the tomb of death becomes the womb of life just as the darkness holds the unseen light. During Advent we hear from Isaiah (and it is echoed in Matthew) “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Read more [...]
Posted in Lent & Easter | Tagged Christian Spirituality, Compassion, Creating Space, Darkness, Divine Love, Emptiness, Prayer | Leave a reply

The Practices of Lent continued

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Daniel J. Miller
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Part IV Fasting continued The second type of fasting involves refraining from those things that are detrimental or destructive to oneself or others, anything that prevents us or others from engaging fully in the gift of life and its call to flourish. Read more [...]
Posted in Lent & Easter | Tagged Baptism, Christ-ening, Emptiness, Fasting, Gerald May, Lent, Love, Spiritual Practice | Leave a reply

Sample of Writings

  • What a Christian Looks Like
  • The Life of Sigh
  • The Song That Refuses to Sing
  • A Word to the Wise – Kindness
  • To Bless and Be Blessed
  • Listening to the Wind in the Wheat: A Meditation on the Eucharist
  • Being Human—Being Moved
  • In Gratitude for the Wild and Precious Life of Mary Oliver
  • TheGift Who Was Claire Wineland

Sayings of Brother Weeps

  • Brother Weeps Says Good Night
  • Brother Weeps and the Secretary of State
  • Brother Weeps and the Man in the Back
  • Brother Weeps on the Withness of God
  • Brother Weeps, the Hermit and His Dogs
  • Brother Weeps Speaks on Silence
  • Brother Weeps Drives Up a Hill
  • Brother Weeps and the Do-Si-Do

Recent Posts

  • We the People February 17, 2026
  • A Prayer of Martin Luther King, Jr. January 19, 2026
  • This is True December 22, 2025
  • Lectio Poetica No. 13 — We Will Be Known How? February 25, 2025
  • Shouldn’t Christians Try Christianity? February 10, 2025

Topics

Abraham Heschel Advent Aliveness Anawim Awe Beauty Becoming Human Being Present Blessing Brother Weeps Children Christ Christ-life Christmas Compassion Contemplative Seeing Courage Creation Death Divine Love Earth Faith God Gratefulness Hope Incarnation Jesus Joy Justice Kindness Lent Listening Love Music Nature Peace Poetry Prayer Silence Spiritual Practice Suffering Thomas Merton Transformation Wise Sayings Wonder

Topic Categories

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  • Lent & Easter (26)
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The Almond Tree

Programs


Interested in having Dan come to your community to teach, preach, or lead a retreat? Dan offers Parish Missions, as well as Presentations and Retreats, in a variety of formats .

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Spiritual Direction


Interested in Spiritual Direction? Dan is based on Whidbey Island north of Seattle, WA. He meets with people online and occasionally in person. He also is available to teach in spiritual guidance programs or to give talks about spiritual direction.

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The Human & the Holy


Interested in being part of a spiritual formation community? The Human & the Holy is an ecumenical community that comes together once a month to share simple ritual, contemplative silence, reverent dialogue, attentive listening, presentation, and spiritual practice.

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© Daniel J. Miller, 2013-2026. All Rights Reserved.
For more information contact Dan Miller.