{"id":17131,"date":"2026-04-27T22:30:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T20:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/?p=17131"},"modified":"2026-04-27T22:30:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T20:30:34","slug":"free-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2026\/04\/27\/free-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Free spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\n <\/p>\n

On freedom<\/h3>\n
\nWe have a visceral awareness of how free we feel as we move through the world, even though freedom, like energy is not something we can see, taste or touch. How do our senses know when we’re free? It seems to run along a continuum, one that we define in relative terms. The playground is freer than the classroom, the picnic freer than the formal banquet. But at each end of the spectrum there are absolutes. On one end lie places we all agree are restrictive, like the tunnel of an MRI machine or a solitary-confinement cell. On the other are places that feel entirely unconstrained – fields and lakes, parks and beaches. As I thought about it, I realized that the most liberating places are, with few exceptions, found in nature.<\/div>\n
\nfrom Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness<\/a> by Ingrid Fetell Lee<\/strong>, p. 75\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A prayer<\/h3>\n

As the beautiful, dew-covered rose
\n      rises from amongst its thorns,
\nso may my heart be so full of love for you, my God,
\n      that I may rise above the storms and evils that assail me,
\nand stand fast in trust and freedom of spirit.
\n 
\nafter Hadewijch of Brabant (first half of thirteenth century)<\/em>
\nfrom The Book of a Thousand Prayers<\/a><\/em> by Angela Ashwin, #238
\n <\/p>\n\n

From the blog<\/strong>
\nNature bringing joy<\/a>
\nAncient Irish Prayer<\/a>
\nRestless heart<\/a>
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  On freedom We have a visceral awareness of how free we feel as we move through the world, even though freedom, like energy is not something we can see, taste or touch. How do our senses know when we’re free? It seems to run along a continuum, one that we define in relative terms. … Continue reading “Free spirit”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,127],"tags":[279],"class_list":["post-17131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prayer","category-quote","tag-free"],"yoast_head":"\nFree spirit - Prayer matters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A quote about freedom from Ingrid Fetell Lee's book, Joyful, and a prayer dating from the 13th century by Hadewijch of Brabant.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2026\/04\/27\/free-spirit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Free spirit - 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In the beginning, the earth burst forth with wondrous things,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer"","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/tree_with_dancing_arms.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/tree_with_dancing_arms.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/tree_with_dancing_arms.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/tree_with_dancing_arms.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12793,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2022\/04\/04\/continue-by-grace\/","url_meta":{"origin":17131,"position":3},"title":"Continue by grace","author":"Irene Bom","date":"April 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 A prayer Gracious and Compassionate God, As we journey through our time of Lent Our time in deserts and low places Our time on the mountains and high places We continue to seek you. 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In that conversation, I don't always come by the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer of intercession"","block_context":{"text":"prayer of intercession","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer-of-intercession\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coloured_red_het_park_near_euromast.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coloured_red_het_park_near_euromast.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coloured_red_het_park_near_euromast.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/coloured_red_het_park_near_euromast.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14862,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2024\/01\/05\/answer-the-call\/","url_meta":{"origin":17131,"position":5},"title":"Answer the call","author":"Irene Bom","date":"January 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"A prayer inspired by Genesis 12:1-7 \u00a0 Lord, help us answer your call as readily as our father Abram, that we might extend your blessing throughout our community. Remind us that the places where we find you become altars in our world. \u00a0Amen. \u00a0 from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "prayer"","block_context":{"text":"prayer","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mushrooms_on_log.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mushrooms_on_log.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mushrooms_on_log.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/mushrooms_on_log.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Irene Bom","author_link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/author\/irenebom-com\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/\" rel=\"category tag\">prayer<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/quote\/\" rel=\"category tag\">quote<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"  On freedom We have a visceral awareness of how free we feel as we move through the world, even though freedom, like energy is not something we can see, taste or touch. How do our senses know when we’re free? It seems to run along a continuum, one that we define in relative terms.…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17131"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17150,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17131\/revisions\/17150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}