Say "Yes"

Say "yes." 

I've been practicing this for several months now. One of the first things I realized was my natural inclination is to say "no" right from the moment my alarm clock goes off! 

Saying "yes" helps me to be more positive and in touch with my True Self or whatever term you want to use (Spirit, best self...).

When you resist, especially the good - try saying "yes"

Silence: The Prayer of Rest

Lot's going on as I seem to be continually learning to pray. However, today I would like to link to another article. I think originally found this on the Contemplative Monk Facebook page which is full of daily gems.

See: Silence: The Prayer of Rest

Quote: Here’s the deal. Our soul, left to itself, will create vast networks of circular reasoning, closed systems of thought that, like a man made diamond appears real but isn’t the real deal. Why? Our soul, because it is broken, and full of the knowledge of good and evil, will always give you more than you asked for, more systems, more disciplines, more ways to please God, more and more hoops to jump through.

Peace

Just Like Everyone Else

Listen Christian - we are broken and messed up just like every one else.

Forgiven and loved - yes. Perfect - no!

Our tenedency to want to appear perfect and hide our brokeness inhibits our spiritual growth and fosters addiction.. 

A practice to help break our perfectionism and lack of empathy is to think from time to time that we are just like everyone else.* 

Try this...

• When you are stuck in traffic, note that you are frustrated, just like everyone else. 
• When you have to wait in line, you are feeling impatient, just like everyone else. 
• When you walk by someone who appears to be mentally ill on the street, you are mentally ill to a certain degree, just like the person you just walked by.
• You are forgiven and loved, just like everyone else.

Try it. You will discover immediate empathy and oneness.

Practice based on an interview with Pema Chodron - See https://youtu.be/QM1FJb3yqUM

I hope you dance

I have found this analogy helpful today...

The contemplative journey is a bit like a dance. 

Being is our dance partner who is always there to lead when we consent. 

Lots of things pull us away from the dance - mostly thoughts, feelings, and distractions of all kinds.

You can enter the dance no matter where you are, or what you are doing.

Be open.

Consent. 

Allow yourself to be led into simple, spacious awareness.


Photo from video: I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack

Manna From Heaven

There is something about manna that I have been thinking about for quite a while.

The Story

If you are unfamiliar with the story, it goes something like this... After the Israelites miraculously fled Egypt they began to grumble and expressed a desire to return to their old way of life. God responded with a daily miracle by giving them manna. Basically, bread fell from heaven! The Israelites would collect it, eat it, and hope that it would fall from heaven again the next day. (Exodus 16)

No Hording Allowed

One of the interesting parts of the story to me is that manna couldn’t be horded. It had to be consumed that day. They were also instructed to only collect what they needed. Spiritual sustenance cannot be horded either. If we wait and are open, God will give us what we need for today, usually no more and no less. 

Quiet Time

If you have some sort of quiet time in the morning, you have probably experienced this... you do your daily spiritual reading and later that day it is exactly what you need to get through some sort of situation, or possibly share with someone else who finds it helpful. To me, this is the spiritual miracle of manna in action for us today.

The Last Supper

Is it a coincidence that at the last supper Jesus took bread, broke it and said "do this in remembrance of me," or that He taught us to pray by asking for daily bread? 

Miracles

Manna came from God. Each day was a miracle, and it helps to be aware of the miraculous nature of our lives. Similarly, real spiritual food is a daily miracle that comes from God. Sometimes we just need a reminder.

Prayer a priority

This quote may seem a little harsh. I provide it here not to make anyone feel guilty. Seriously - don't go there. It's simply a reminder to myself and because I feel particularly challenged these last few weeks to upgrade my prayer life, specifically concentrating more on Presence in all circumstances. I am so addicted to thinking!

Here's a challenging gem from Henri Nouwen via Christine Sine*:

My main problem is that I have not really made prayer my priority. … much of what I am doing is motivated by many other concerns: getting back in shape, learning some manual skills, knowing more about birds and trees, getting to know interesting people… and picking up many ideas and experiences for future teaching.  But if prayer were my only concern, all these other laudable things could be received as free gifts.  Now, however, I am obsessed by these desires which are false, not in themselves but by their being in the wrong place in the heirarchy. (p42)

*Source: http://godspace-msa.com/2015/07/28/preparing-for-retreat-thoughts-from-henri-nouwen/
*Photo: Rod Janz

Clearing

This poem describes where I am at right now... waiting.

It feels like a "dark night" in contemplative language. Nothing satisfies. Despite my desperate need for more income, I'm tired of chasing after shiny things and don't want to start anything new. The whisper I hear is to simply "be a practitioner."

I am trying to be patient, live one day at a time and allow life to unfold.

So here I am.

Creating a clearing.

Clearing 
by Martha Postlewaite

Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself
to this world
so worthy of rescue.

Thanks to Christine Valters Painter for posting on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinevalterspaintner/posts/10153590340182089