Esther de Waal lives in Herefordshire, close to the border between England and Wales, having returned to the countryside where she grew up. She is the author of Every Earthly Blessing: Rediscovering the Celtic Tradition, The Way of Simplicity: The Cistercian Tradition, The Celtic Way of Prayer: The Recovery of the Religious Imagination and many other books. In this short but enlightening paperback, de Waal explores the spiritual significance of thresholds, crossing-over places in our lives that signal transformation. These special locations and times enable us to open up to new vistas and possibilities.
She begins with the Japanese practice of changing from shoes to slippers before entering their homes. This moment of stopping enables them to make the transition from one world to another. Christian monks and nuns do the same thing when they pause to make the movement from the outside world into a chapel or monastery into a time of prayer and adoration.
De Waal salutes the Celtic tradition for its attention to sacred times during the day when we pass from one realm into another. She reflects on the importance of the coming of the light at dawn when we leave behind the world of darkness. Equally important is the twilight moment when evening arrives and we welcome the darkness. She writes: "Even the word itself, twilight, carries a gentle and lyrical sound, the time between lights, the greater light of the sun and the lesser light of the moon. Here is the moment of the changing of the guard between these two great luminaries. It is a fragile time of transition, half-light and half-dark — it is mysterious, ambiguous. It is the time of uncertainty, given to us daily as a reminder of the reality of the between-time."
The Celtic tradition also has meditative ways to mark the changing of the four seasons. According to the author, the best way to honor thresholds as sacred things is to open our hearts and minds and souls to the mystery that lies in front of us. This involves letting go of preconceived ideas or expectations. De Waal, as always, is a masterful celebrant of the art of devotion and a great guide to practice in everyday life.
