Assessments

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daily practice, inner strength, Lent, navigate, persevere, routine, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

So now again it is March—and raining. The capricious month is back. Has it come quickly for you or does it seem as if we have been dealing with unexpected happenings for a very long season? “In like a lion, out like a lamb,” we say. I think the lion has been with us for a very long time. Can you go back in memory to early March of last year (for us 3/12/20)? Could you have even conjectured what was brewing? And how have you navigated events since then? Have you settled into a routine that allows you some sense of achievement or is lassitude a constant companion? Who and/or what are you missing that has been impossible or restricted over these past months? Have there been any benefits? How has your spiritual life survived/thrived?

So many questions…so many changes. Should we say today: “Happy New Year,” just hoping against hope that the vaccines that have been approved will be an answer for us if we continue for a specified time to follow the protocols of mask-wearing and hand-washing and social distancing? (That seems like a BIG IF). Are we up to the task ahead of us? (Perhaps we are lucky that it’s Lent, the season of disciplining ourselves for the good of the whole.) If we’re still waiting for our “start-up” practice to begin in earnest—for our inner strength to kick in—perhaps we ought to add a prayer practice that will get us back to a routine—even if it’s just “Good morning, God! Thank you for this day!” when we wake up and “Good night, God. Thank you for this day” before we sleep each night.

We seem to be on the verge of better days. Let us hope for that but persevere no matter what is ahead of us. God bless us all!

Think On These Things

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daily practice, gracious, honorable, just, life, mindfulness, Philippians, pure, qualities, spiritual growth, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, true, wisdom

I’m interested this morning in the lectionary text of St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians (4:6-9) as he is ready to conclude his message to them. He exhorts them to keep in mind certain qualities that will help them remain steady on the path of spiritual growth. He calls them to what is true, honorable, just, pure and gracious. I think that is a noble bundle of traits for the spiritual person. Living from that list, I can see myself acting in ways that will assure deeper wisdom and the peace that Paul promises them today.

So what will be required to develop those qualities for consistency in practice? Just that: practice! And in addition, I will need to stay awake when I begin to fall away from truth-saying or graciousness, etc. so that I can call myself back to mindfulness without delay. A big order. A plan for life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shifting the Lens

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change, comfort, daily practice, fear, feelings, grace, gratefulness, gratitude, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I had a very serious and heartfelt conversation yesterday with someone whose life partner is dying. We spoke of many things. While the main and most important topic, of course, was constellated around fears about change and how to let go of this precious life together that has lasted so long, we also talked about how to face everything in the best way possible which included being honest about feelings and reactions, not skirting anything but facing things head-on with as much grace as possible. And then we spoke of gratitude. We came to the conclusion that the best way to proceed was to make it a daily practice to be thankful for one thing in their life together – great or small, no matter – and to share a conversation about the detail.

The recognition of the need to be intentional and resolute about such a practice brought a glimmer of light into the situation and a determination to focus on and talk about the gratefulness that is certainly at the heart of the relationship. Will this practice erase the pain in the experience of letting go that is upon these two loving and loved ones? Certainly not. I have a hope that it will shift things a bit, however, and serve to comfort my friend in the days to come.

Thinking about all that made me conscious that the above practice would be something worth adopting in any of our relationships – not just in a time of impending death. Why not start taking one precious person at a time – or the one person we most need to attend to on a daily basis – and share with him/her/them each day a reason for your gratitude. What have we got to lose? Even more to the point: what might we gain from the practice?

 

 

 

 

An Extraordinary Idea

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awakening, compassion, daily practice, Jan Phillips, mindfulness, No Ordinary Time, social awareness, spiritual, spiritual practice, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, tranquility

Today I’m meeting with Cheryl, my co-facilitator of our summer series on Jan Phillips book, No Ordinary Time. Jan’s workshop with us was so inspiring that Cheryl thought it a good idea to keep that awakening going and it seems that others – myself being the most enthusiastic – agree. (Check the “Events” page on our website for further information.) To prepare for our planning session, I decided to read a little of Jan’s Tuesday chapter. Here’s what she said:

Our spiritual practice tones our mindfulness muscles just as physical discipline might tone your abs. The results of mindfulness are tranquility, compassion, spiritual and social awareness, balance, bliss. I could go on. All this is guaranteed, but there is a minimal requirement. Daily practice. Hence, the word discipline…

We have disciplined ourselves to fasten our seatbelts, to put children in car seats, to stop smoking, for the most part, and these external disciplines promote our well-being. This discipline of interior practice promotes the well-being of our spirit and bodymind. And since we are to love others as we love ourselves, this is one way of fully loving ourselves… (p. 31, 33)

If you live close enough, won’t you consider joining us? If not, my suggestion is to gather a group yourselves and read the book together. I am certain that you won’t regret it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come to Your Senses

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attention, compassion, daily practice, Genesis, God, gratitude, hearing, intention, open my heart, prayer, seeing, senses, smelling, tasting, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, touching

In the Genesis story of disobedience in chapter 3 (1-8), when both Adam and Eve had “eaten of the fruit,” the text tells us, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened,” and they saw the truth of what they had done. In the gospel of Mark (7:31-37) there is a story of the healing by Jesus of a man in the district of Decapolis. “Ephphatha,” he said, touching his ears and tongue and “immediately the man’s ears were opened and his speech impediment was removed.”

Upon a first read of these stories I began to think about our five most basic human senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. What precious gifts they are! I can’t say I often take them for granted since everywhere I go I am wowed by the sights and sounds of God’s creation. I am similarly moved by the experience of smells that come wafting from the kitchen and the tastes of what has drawn me to dinner. And then there is the touch of another’s hand or a full body hug in the greeting between friends who come together after a long absence. Gratitude for the magnificent creation of our physical bodies and compassion for those who are diminished by their lack ought to be given more than the passing thought. Conscious attention in all that we do should be a daily practice.

My deepest prayer in response to these readings today comes, however, from the gospel acclamation, for it is here that the central motivation of all our actions resides. “Open my heart, O Lord,” we pray, “that we may listen to the words You speak.” May that be our prayer and our intention each and every day of our lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal Prayer

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centering prayer, daily practice, intentions, new year's resolutions, Peace, personal betterment, prayer, shortcomings, spiritual practice, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I was just looking at some intercessory prayers for liturgies and was reminded of a common practices in our local Catholic Church (and many others, I’m sure). After the formally written intentions are spoken at Sunday liturgy the reader always asks, For what else shall we pray? and individuals in the congregation shout out their needs.

It occurred to me recently that while I daily ask God to be present to me and me to be present to God in my practice of centering prayer, I don’t intentionally pray otherwise for myself with any regularity. It was an interesting realization as I certainly think there are ways in which I benefit from the prayer of others. Moreover, I could quickly make a list of shortcomings in my life that I would happily live without and virtues that I would dearly love to cultivate. It strikes me that this could be a good spiritual practice – to consciously ask for specifics of my personal betterment along with my pleas for peace in the world, for those devastated by weather events and health for those who have asked our prayers.

A little late to the game of New Year’s resolutions, I think this practice of humility might be just the ticket to get me on the bus toward renewal and transformation! We shall see…

Back to Basics

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balance, bliss, centering prayer, compassion, daily practice, disciple, discipline, Jan Phillips, mindfulness, No Ordinary Time, spiritual and social awareness, spiritual wisdom, tranquility

I’ve been getting a little “antsy” over the past few days. In an attempt to shake off the last vestiges of the virus that has held me hostage for over two weeks, I have been sleeping more and doing less, determining every night that “tomorrow will be better.” Yesterday I decided to “act myself into a new way of being” (an adage I heard long ago that makes a lot of sense to me!) so last night I set my alarm and rolled out of bed even before it rang this morning! My enthusiasm was short-lived – perhaps because it is another cold, rainy morning – so I turned to my friend, Jan Phillips for encouragement and this is what I read from her Tuesday morning thoughts in No Ordinary Time:

There are different ways of looking at the word “discipline.” One brings to mind spankings, standing in the corner, boot camp. Another, more tender reading brings to mind the word “disciple,” one who passes along spiritual wisdom…Our spiritual practice tones our mindfulness muscles, just as physical discipline might tone your abs. The results of mindfulness are tranquility, compassion, spiritual and social awareness, balance, bliss. I could go on. All this is guaranteed, but there is a minimal requirement. Daily practice. Hence, the word discipline.

Well, that was enough for me. Knowing the truth of what Jan expresses in these few sentences, I am at least motivated enough to finish my coffee, put a period on this reflection and move to my mat for centering prayer. That trio complete, I should have mined enough “spiritual capital” to get to the shower, to my car and to the office where the blessing of routine awaits! Happy Tuesday to all!