Practicing a New Way of Life

Practicing a New Way of Life

"Here's a suggestion for you today. At some point, stop. Gaze at something God has created. Take in its shape and form, its color, its movement, its intricacies. It could be a single bud on an autumnal flower, an animal or bird, shapely fruit, or flowing water. Gaze at something long enough until you can see through it to its source: God - so majestic, infinitely creative, and miraculously generous to share these traces of God's glory with us."—Br. Curtis Almquist. Society of Saint John the Evangelist.

mary anne seibert

Brother Almquist gives us a new spiritual practice. He asks us to gaze at something in creation, a tree, a flower, a bird, a river, the rain, the snow until we see the Creator in it. We might name it observo divina. This will be a new practice for today. It all started yesterday when we saw two fawns of different ages with a single doe in our backyard. We were mesmerized by the fawns' awkward walk, curiosity, and seemingly delight in a new world at every turn.

Today, as I write, a lone male deer with huge antlers passes by my window. He takes my breath away. Multiple deer once passed my window, but now a visit is infrequent. The buck probably is headed across the street to meet many other deer living in the woods behind our son and his wife's house. There I know he will be just as welcomed as he was here. As he majestically walks by, I think of a scene from the movie, The Queen when Elizabeth II encounters such a beautiful deer. They just look at each other and admire each other. They seem to see the beauty of creation in the other.

This is also what we do for each person we meet today. We look into their hearts to see Christ, God, and Spirit within them. Our task is to see the Creator in all creation, to praise and give thanksgiving for this creation.  

We start with lovable things until we can finally see creation in those with whom we have difficulty. Take heart. Sometimes it may take more than a lifetime. But God never gives up on us.. or on them!

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Loving Kindness Meditation

Loving-Kindness Meditation

 “Sitting comfortably, lying down or while driving, sitting in a meeting, waiting in the hospital, or any other potentially stressful situation.

 Silently repeat these words, intending loving-kindness to be sent to yourself:

‘May I be peaceful. May I be happy. May I be safe.’

Next, silently repeat the same words, intending loving-kindness to go to a person you love:

‘May I be peaceful. May I be happy. May I be safe.’

Next, silently repeat the same words, intending loving-kindness to go to a  neutral person in your life, someone you barely know:

‘May I be peaceful. May I be happy. May I be safe.’

Finally, silently repeat the same words, intending loving-kindness to go to someone you are in conflict with or dislike:

‘May I be peaceful. May I be happy. May I be safe.’

Take a breath. Inhale and exhale.

Notice reactions to this meditation. Accept what you are noticing. Be aware of thoughts, emotions, or responses to this meditation or to people you directed your meditation.  This is the practice of mindfulness.”

—Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury,  “What is Loving-Kindness Meditation.”

https://positivepsychology.com/loving-kindness-meditation/

Dr. Jay McDaniel, a retired professor of Religion, Philosophy of Religion, and Theology at Hendrix College, spoke recently at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church about using this Loving-Kindness Prayer if we have difficulty loving our enemies. The Loving-Kindness meditation is an ancient Buddhist meditation on unconditional love, with no expectations of receiving anything in return. The many forms of the Loving-Kindness meditation direct our thoughts and love toward ourselves and others.

The original name of this practice is metta bhavana, which comes from the Pali language. Metta means love in a non-romantic sense. It is our word for friendliness or kindness, thus loving-kindness. It is an emotion, something you feel in your heart. Bhavana means development or cultivation.

Our nation and we desperately need healing. We can start with this loving-kindness meditation and see what happens.

 Joanna   https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Faith

Faith

“Faith means receiving God. It means being overwhelmed by God. Faith helps us find trust again and again when, from a human point of view, the foundations of truth have been destroyed. It gives us eyes to see what cannot be seen, and hands to grasp what cannot be touched, although it is present always and everywhere.”—Eberhard Arnold in Why We Live in Community (Plough, 2014).

Bishop Curry

Faith is believing in something we cannot see or understand. The mind takes us to a certain level of belief, but then faith must be present for us to take the leap from there. My favorite quote about faith, attributed to a multitude of people, is: “The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty.” If we are so sure about something, we have crossed back over that line, away from the place where faith abides.

This gives all of us doubters great comfort. In fact, we know that our doubts lead us into deeper faith—across the line, down new pathways, and sometimes even onto major highways. We may take a wrong turn, run a red light and hit someone, or become completely lost.

Then that stranger who met us on the road to Emmaus shows up. He may remind us of a quote from Scripture that was meaningful to us in the past. He may ask us if we remember how we have been continually cared for by the God of our understanding and by God’s stand-ins, our community, and our friends. He constantly feeds us precisely what we need to continue the journey, and before he disappears, he leaves on the dinner table a GPS.

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/