The term “thin place” is a Celtic Christian concept referring to a location or moment where the distance between Heaven and Earth seems to collapse. In these places, the veil between the world and the spiritual realm is said to diminish, making it easier to connect with God and feel His presence. Thin places can be physical locations, such as traditionally religious sites, or they can be mindful, unhurried moments. (Copied.)
My thin place tends to be a book. Not a specific Book, but a book whose author speaks deeply to my soul; Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, the Psalmist—to name a few. When the printed word effuses deep thoughts, or sends me into a considerable thought-room my spirit becomes sublimely ruminant—sometimes stills. I think the Celts got it right. The thin place is solace for the human spirit. Today’s culture-pressures tend to deprive us of that treasure.
Our culture today insinuates its noise into our very soul: In the ubiquitous visual medium—each view three seconds long—or fewer, the camera switches to another angle, input, or view—90% of the time; it imbeds an inner attention clock that infects our mental state. It has become a cultural acclimation pacing our attention to a 3-second grasp— resulting in that 3-second-attention focus.
Commerce relishes focus-flurry, pulling our attention the direction of its own choosing. Scent is another powerful memory flash back. Personally, I am glad “Smell-a-Vision,” never caught on (not as of yet). In 1960 movie producer, Mike Todd introduced the use of smells related to on-screen-action. It did not catch on. Then. Hopefully, never; although various attractions tried.
Milledgeville, GA writer, the late Flannary O’Connor, created a physical place to host her thin place; in her own room she turned a tall chifforobe toward the wall—then turned her desk to face the back of it—a kind of cloistered writing space apart from interruption. To each your own. Some people find their thin place hiking alone or on a spiritual pilgrimage. Last year Melanie, my daughter, made the Mary Magdalene Pilgrimage in Province, France. It became a thin place for her with deep meaning. Others were there, but it was her own thin place. Do you have your thin place?
Jesus understood how distractions can mess up your mind. He taught his followers by example and saying so. He said, take some time away form all the hubbub around you. Go where you can have a quiet mind and let your thoughts and concentration have free-range. You can be inspired a lot that way. (RWV The Revised Willis Version.) Your thin place is your own. It is unique to you.
As my friends know, my favorite ancient mentor is Brother Lawrence, a 17th century a brother in the Carmelite Order of monks. He is better known for his writings about “The Practice of the Presence of God”—-he could experience the Presence of God as well while scrubbing pots and pans in the galley or, as he said, “…in receiving the Blessed Sacrament”—either was his thin place. So there you go; your thin place need not always to be in isolation, or quiet, or cloistered. I think a mother holding her tiny infant, can be in such a thin place.
©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2024