A Passage For September

/

In the past two months we've talked about some of our favorite passages, and the qualities we might get by meditating on a passage. This month, it's time to get down to the nitty gritty details of passage memorization.

The basis of this practice is silently repeating a memorized passage, but first you've actually got to get that passage memorized. Finding the right memorization technique can be tricky, and the best method for you might change over time. Here at the YA Blog Team, we've found that every time we hear how someone goes about memorizing, we get inspired to experiment with new memorization methods and to memorize more ourselves!

YA-Passage-Memorization-1.jpg
YA-Passage-Memorization-2.jpg
YA-Passage-Memorization-3.jpg

Here are a few of our memorization techniques: copying out the entire passage to get a sense of flow, writing individual lines over and over, putting a few lines of a passage on a post-it to use as a bookmark! 

This month we wanted to share with you the passage "Four Things That Bring Much Inward Peace" by Thomas a Kempis which we've copied out below. 

In the comments below, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the following questions:

  1. What techniques do you use to memorize passages?
  2. Is there any line or stanza from this passage that you find particularly striking?

One technique that we've used to help memorization is to listen to Easwaran recite the passage, which you can do here online!

We encourage you to try out some of the techniques shared by other YAs, maybe even to memorize this Thomas a Kempis passage. Have a great September!

Four Things That Bring Much Inward Peace  -  Thomas a Kempis

My child, now will I teach thee the way of peace and true liberty. 

O Lord, I beseech thee, do as thou sayest, for this is delightful for me to hear. 

Be desirous, my child, to work for the welfare of another rather than seek thine own will. 

Choose always to have less rather than more. 

Seek always the lowest place, and to be inferior to everyone. 

Wish always, and pray, that the will of God may be wholly fulfilled in thee. 

Behold, such a one entereth within the borders of peace and rest. 

O Lord, this short discourse of thine containeth within itself much perfection. It is little to be spoken, but full of meaning, and abundant in fruit. . . . Thou who canst do all things, and ever lovest the profiting of my soul, increase me in thy grace, that I may be able to fulfill thy words, and to work out mine own salvation.