Meditation Instructions for Sun., October 2, 2022

For this Sunday, October 2nd, the focus for our meditation will be on Prayer. Social activist Dorothy Day once said the following about Prayer: “Does God have a set way of Prayer, a way that He expects each of us to follow? I doubt it. I believe some people – lots of people – Pray through the witness of their lives, through the work they do, the friendships they have, the love they offer people and receive from people. Since when are words the only acceptable form of Prayer?” When you look at Prayer this way it makes how we choose to Pray so much more meaningful. I have friends who engage in handcrafts who put a Prayer in each bead, each knitting or crochet stitch, often for the recipient. The finished work becomes an entire Prayer. Some people have a custom of Praying when they are idling at stop lights. I have a finger Rosary in my car that I will slip on so I can Pray the Rosary while driving, often assigning a decade to a particular concern or person. I also love walking Prayer and will begin each day with a morning hike on a wooded trail with my dog and use that time to Pray for different causes. Maybe it is the multitasker in me, but I love that I am accomplishing more than one thing at once. I am walking the dog, I am getting my exercise, and I get to Pray! The world now more than ever so needs our Prayers that I ask in this month’s meditation time we consider whether there are more varied ways we can add Prayer into our life. Perhaps while we are doing what might otherwise seem like mindless household chores such as laundry, washing dishes, mowing the lawn, etc., we can fill that time with Prayer. Since for me Prayer is a physical activity where I am consciously using my body to send out the energy of my Prayer, doing so while engaged in a physical activity only helps amplify its power. This month in our Prayer and meditation time let us ask to be shown new ways to include Prayer in our daily routine. May we find creative ways to engage in Prayer that help to bring light into the world and ease its many ills.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I am aware that Prayer can be a physical exercise? How does it feel in my body when I delight in finding creative ways to include non-traditional Prayer in my life? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., September 4, 2022

For this Sunday, September 4th, the focus for our meditation will be on Progress. As we continue to slowly emerge from the pandemic it is becoming clear that we may need a new yardstick with which to measure what we consider to be Progress. A woman I know whose son was enrolled in “gifted” classes pre-pandemic struggled with online learning and now feels he has let everyone down because he is not making the same Progress he made before the world was turned topsy turvy. However, with the reopening of schools he is back in the classroom and able to once again participate in group activities such as clubs and sports. Perhaps this is a new benchmark of Progress. As I get older, I find it takes more effort to remain fit. There are days when I have to trick myself into going to the gym for a workout by compromising and telling myself I will only do one set of repetitions in my strength training routine. On some of those days I actually find myself feeling better with the exercise and go on to do more. Other days, I barely get through the first set. No longer do I measure how I am doing based on how much weight I lift or how many repetitions I complete. Instead, I pat myself on the back for having even made it to the gym. Another new index of Progress. Experiences such as these make us realize that perhaps our previous method of measuring Progress was unsustainable or even unrealistic. Although it is admirable to always seek to achieve our very best, there are times when we need to be more forgiving or lenient with ourselves. In those instances, instead of considering ourselves to have failed we might want to redefine what we call Progress and give ourselves credit for just trying. This month in our prayer and meditation let us consider how we measure our Progress in life. What are the benchmarks we have set for ourselves, and are they perhaps no longer serving us well? Let us ask to be guided to recognize when we are making even subtle Progress and be willing to occasionally accept what was our best effort for that day.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I make Progress toward a goal in a new or different way from how I performed before? How does it feel in my body when I can give myself credit for my best effort even if the results fall a bit short of what I previously labeled Progress? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., August 7, 2022

For this Sunday, August 7th, the focus for our meditation will be on Openmindedness. There are very few political pundits whose work I bother reading. Most come across to me as too strident, too angry, and too convinced they are right about complex, multifaceted issues that they often are trying to oversimplify into a binary black-and-whiteness. A year or so ago I discovered one writer whose work I actually look forward to reading. I won’t identify him by name as I’m not keen on promoting political writers (email me directly if you want to know who it is), but there are a number of things I enjoy about his emailed newsletters. He carries a real sense of optimism about our country, which I share, but what I really appreciate is his Openmindedness. He reads all comments his readers send to him and truly listens to those who dispute his opinions. Even more impressive, he is willing to change his mind. If a reader can intelligently articulate where his reasoning has fallen short, he takes it in, researches the topic further, and then updates readers with his new thinking about the matter. Such a refreshing quality, particularly in someone who writes about political issues! Jane Goodall, the famous scientist, once wrote, “I think what’s the most important about a scientific study is to keep an open mind. Not having a narrow viewpoint you see more and you can get these aha moments which may lead to a completely new way of thinking about something.” I like to think her remarks extend beyond just scientific studies but serve us well in life overall. When we become convinced we are right about something we shut ourselves off from those “aha moments” that can bring us greater clarity and awareness. We do ourselves a disservice when we stubbornly refuse to let go of a viewpoint or conclusion we believe in all our righteousness makes us correct. Because sometimes we are far from correct in that thinking. How many of us look back with chagrin on our adolescent selves when we reached that stage where we thought we were right about so many things but now realize how wrong we actually were? Even this backward-looking perspective takes on a rightness-wrongness valence it probably doesn’t deserve. We may have initially had the best intentions in our thinking, and there may have been aspects to our beliefs that we still find compelling, but the picture as a whole has shifted over time. This month in our prayer and meditation time let us seek to Open our minds more and be willing to change our opinions by taking in new information. Let us ask to be graced with those “aha moments” that life can bring if we only remain Open to receiving them.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I am able to remain Openminded and take in new information that shifts my thinking? How does it feel in my body when I am willing to change my thinking on a topic and stay Openminded rather than stubborn about my opinions? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., July 10, 2022

For this Sunday, July 10th, the focus for our meditation will be on Disconnecting. Normally I post the meditation topic just before the first Sunday of each month, but as you will notice, this posting is a week later than usual. That is because I had been away on a trip of a lifetime – a three-week pilgrimage to Scotland and France. Since the purpose of the trip was to be on pilgrimage (as opposed to being a tourist on vacation) I chose to Disconnect myself from email and especially social media as much as possible. Sometimes the Disconnection was forced by unreliable Internet access but sometimes it was purposeful on my part. During that time, I typically only responded to a few emails and would occasionally scan headlines of news bulletins. I was vaguely aware of what was going on in the world but was not drawn into the emotional turmoil that seemed to accompany what was happening. This period of Disconnecting made for stark contrast when I finally returned home and began to re-engage with friends and neighbors. Many of them spoke of feeling depressed, angry and fearful at events that had been occurring. I sympathized with their angst but did not experience the same level of emotional intensity they obviously felt. I had no real words of wisdom or consolation for them either, other than to interrupt their harangues by asking what they could do in response. They often spoke of their motivation to encourage people to vote, to write to political representatives, and to publicly demonstrate in support of their position. All of that was admirable, but I privately wondered if it might be easier to not become so emotionally charged by events as well. Let me make clear that I am not advocating complacency or apathy. I think it is important for us to stay apprised and knowledgeable of what is happening in our world, but my experience made it clear that sometimes too much immersion in current events can also be detrimental. We often need distance in time to gain a better perspective. In the immediacy of an experience our emotions often respond with too much force, and this can distract us from seeing things more clearly. Over the remainder of this month in our prayer and meditation time let us consider whether we might benefit from withdrawing a bit from the reporting of events, particularly through television and social media. Let us ask to be guided how to better focus our time and attention on activities that sustain rather than drain us. May we learn how to become comfortable with Disconnecting from the addiction of social media and gain better balance and serenity in our life as a result.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I find myself feeling more calm and serene after periodically Disconnecting from news and social media? How does it feel in my body when I am able to Disconnect from the emotional turmoil that seems prompted by world events? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for June 5, 2022

For this Sunday, June 5th, the focus for our meditation will be on Creation. Recently I was joined for dinner by a neighbor I did not know well. I knew she had lost her husband a few years ago and for the longest time had been a bit reclusive but was finally beginning to emerge from her shell. Another friend with us asked how she was doing, and she replied, “Well, life is what you make it.” She admitted she had gone through a difficult period but eventually decided to look at things differently and re-engage again. She knew her life would never go back to how it was before, but she also knew she did not want to continue on the path where she had found herself. To her credit, she realized she could Create a new life for herself but only if she took the initiative. We are given the potential each day to either take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves or apathetically let them go by. I am always amused any time feedback is solicited about a meal, a training program, a performance, etc., because inevitably there will be some who experienced it positively and others who take a negative perspective of the exact same event. I have to wonder if the identical experience is perceived differently because of how the individual approaches it. Those who are stuck in wanting to find something to criticize will probably be able to do so. Those who come with an open mind and heart, ready to receive without expectation, will interpret it with positivity. It makes us understand we are given the raw clay of potential with each day and have the responsibility to decide what to Create with it. Will we let the clay dry out and harden or will we begin to mold something beautiful from it? This month in our prayer and meditation time let us reflect on what we are Creating from all that we are given. Are we pleased with the end result, or do we feel we are perhaps missing an opportunity to produce something better? Let us ask for guidance from Spirit to help us recognize those opportunities to be more Creative in our life and build up more than we are breaking down.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I have been able to Create something that makes my life more positive? How does it feel in my body when I have wisely used my talents to Create goodness rather than bring negativity? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., May 1, 2022

For this Sunday, May 1st, the focus for our meditation will be on Divides. Have you ever known a family where some members refused to communicate with certain relatives because of a past dispute? Sometimes it was a perceived slight that wasn’t actually intended or even a truly trivial incident. These Divides are created and often remain in place until both parties eventually pass on. I have to wonder if in the afterlife when they meet again, they both realize how foolish it was for them to allow something like that to separate them. Worse yet, I believe that when we allow Divisions to exist between us and others it impedes our ability to feel close to God. How can we fully embrace God in our life if we insist certain people be excluded whom he accepts and loves unconditionally? Such constraints only serve to hamper our own ability to appreciate that God accepts all of us as we are, warts and all. There is already so much Division in the world that this month in our prayer and meditation time let us ponder how we might repair some of the chasms that exist in our personal life. Let us ask for Divine guidance in how to bridge the gaps that separate us and in the process of healing those broken relationships let us also heal the brokenness in our relationship with God.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I have been able to repair a Divide that existed between myself and another person? How does it feel in my body when I desire not Division but closeness with others in my life? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., April 3, 2022

For this Sunday, April 3rd, the focus for our meditation will be on Lessons. I never understand when someone says they wish they were young again or could go back in time why they really feel that way. Sure, there is something to be said about having the vigor or innocence of youth, but there isn’t much else that would appeal to me to return to those years. I’ve heard people ruefully say if they only had the chance to live their life over, they would not make some of the same mistakes again. We’ve all made mistakes if only because none of us is perfect. When I look back on the mistakes I’ve made along the way I prefer to focus instead on what Lessons did I gain as a result? For each and every one of them I can usually identify something positive that came out of the mistake. My life took a direction it otherwise would not have taken, or I learned something so invaluable that it helped me avoid making that same mistake again. After all, isn’t it through our mistakes that we often gain the wisdom we accumulate over life? Rather than regret the errors of our past, let us instead consider how the Lessons they provided were beneficial. This month in our prayer and meditation time let us reflect on when we have made mistakes in our life and how they may have helped rather than hurt us. Let us ask to more clearly see the positive Lessons we were given from those mistakes so we may find an appreciation for the growth they enabled.

In our efforts this month let us also continue to use the energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills this nation. As we perform our meditation let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of the light we create. Just as before, begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost impossible to look directly at it. Raise this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch of our country. From shore to shore and border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country and the people who live across its vast lands. 

Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.

Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I can appreciate the Lesson I have learned as a result of a mistake? How does it feel in my body when I recognize the growth that occurred from the Lessons I could only have gained through my mistakes? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings to the nation.

Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.

If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share, please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com