Since discovering St. Benedict a few years ago, I have read a number of Benedictine books - and learned a number of Latin expressions associated with the Benedictine way of life. There is lauds - early morning praise... I think of it as appreciating the beauty of a new day. There's lectio divina, slow meditative reading. But recently I came across an expression - and concept - that I hadn't heard before: statio. The glossary in the book where I first read it describes it as "The practice of gathering in silence outside of the monastic chapel in order to achieve a spirit of recollection before the community enters ... for choral prayer."
But elsewhere in the book, it is explained further: "Statio is the practice of stopping one thing before we begin another. It is the time between times... The practice of statio is meant to center us and make us conscious of what we're about to do... Statio sets out to get our attention before life goes by in one great blur..."
Instant realization hits: Statio is what I have been seeking in my quest for a quieter, more attentive life, enjoying every moment of every day.
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