HOLY FOOLS

Edward Hays (1993). Holy Fools and Mad Hatters: 

                                   A Handbook for Hobby Horse Holiness


Hays is a priest who enjoys writing fable-like stories about spirituality. This is the story of a discipline (nipper) and Master (Window Sill) that walk the WAY of the razor's edge. Of the many lessons along the way:

  • keep a reminder of death nearby to remember the preciousness of each day
  • create a hermitage of the heart where you can be along with God 
  • avoid becoming a zombie by cutting in half your to do list
  • daily mantra: mirror, mirror on the wall, may i look with love on all
  • celebrate whenever and with whoever you can
  • reframe problems as GAMES to play
  • we only spend about 2% of our time in nature--try to break that percentage every day
  • keep your humility by wearing silly hats, shirts, shoes, accessories...
  • get an endless cycle of giving and receiving going every day...be in each other's debt, love bond


the advice is based on the idea of the jester in the king's court and the fool for Christ in the Christian gospels...the advice is clear enough, it's just a matter of DOING IT...pick one and find a way to do it today, right NOW if possible, then if it works out, try it again tomorrow, and the next day until it becomes a virtuous habit.





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