Growing a Rule of Life
A rule of life allows us to clarify our deepest values, our most important relationships, our most authentic hopes and dreams, our most meaningful work, our highest priorities. It allows us to live with intention and purpose in the present moment.
Sometimes when people hear the phrase “rule of life,” they imagine a list of rules which they would be bound to follow. It’s not an inviting image for most of us, and more often leads to ‘death’ rather than ‘life.’ (Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to keep New Year’s resolutions?) But creating a list of rules to follow is not the intention of a rule of life.
The word “rule” derives from a Latin word, regula, which implies not so much a system of rules or laws, but rather a way of regulating and regularizing our lives so that we can stay on the path we have set out for ourselves. A rule is like a trellis which offers support and guidance for a plant, helping it to grow in a certain direction. A rule of life is descriptive in that it articulates our intentions and identifies the ways in which we want to live. And when we fall short of these intentions, the rule becomes prescriptive, showing us how we can return to the path that we have set for ourselves and recapture our original vision. It is not something fixed and rigid, but something which can and should be adapted to our present circumstances and shaped to fit our current needs and desires.
We will spend the first six weeks of 2025 together exploring and then writing our own rule of life.
Download the Guidebook
You will need to download and print the following guidebook to help you get the most from this course.
What You'll Learn
01 Week 1: Rule of Life & Rhythm of Nature
- 1 Week One: Day 1 – Rule of Life
- 2 Week One: Day 2 – A Precious Gift
- 3 Week One: Day 3 – Relationships
- 4 Week One: Day 4 – Rhythms in Nature
- 5 Week One: Day 5 – The Garden of Your Life
- 6 Week One: Day 6 – We Need Help
- 7 Week One: Day 7 – Seeds
02 Week 2: My Relationship with God
- 8 Week Two: Day 1 – Consider the Lilies
- 9 Week Two: Day 2 – Wherever Love Is
- 10 Week Two: Day 3 – Be the Soil
- 11 Week Two: Day 4 – Nature Takes Time
- 12 Week Two: Day 5 – Where am I Going?
- 13 Week Two: Day 6 – Offer an Intention
- 14 Week Two: Day 7 – Space to Grow
03 Week 3 : Relationship with Self
- 15 Week Three: Day 1 – Loving Yourself
- 16 Week Three: Day 2 – Live in Your Body
- 17 Week Three: Day 3 – Embracing Limitations
- 18 Week Three: Day 4 – Creativity
- 19 Week Three: Day 5 – See Yourself
- 20 Week Three: Day 6 – Life in Christ is Holistic
- 21 Week Three: Day 7 – Beauty and Enjoyment
04 Week 4: My Relationships with Others
- 22 Week Four: Day 1 – Connections with Others
- 23 Week Four: Day 2 – Forgiveness
- 24 Week Four: Day 3 – Conflict
- 25 Week Four: Day 4 – What Worked Yesterday?
- 26 Week Four: Day 5 – Saying No
- 27 Week Four: Day 6 – Receive Love
- 28 Week Four: Day 7 – Grow into Greater Life
05 Week 5: My Relationship with Creation
- 29 Week Five: Day 1 – Good Soil
- 30 Week Five: Day 2 – Simply Gaze
- 31 Week Five: Day 3 – The Work of Human Hands
- 32 Week Five: Day 4 – Vocation
- 33 Week Five: Day 5 – Being Pruned
- 34 Week Five: Day 6 – The Flow of Blessings
- 35 Week Five: Day 7 – Restoring Balance
06 Week 6: Create a Solid Garden Plot
- 36 Week Six: Day 1 – When Life is Very Difficult
- 37 Week Six: Day 2 – Say Thank You
- 38 Week Six: Day 3 – What I Shall Be
- 39 Week Six: Day 4 – Companions on the Journey
- 40 Week Six: Day 5 – Redirect Growth
- 41 Week Six: Day 6 – Boundaries
- 42 Week Six: Day 7 – Do it in Pencil
