Meditation Instructions for Sun., Dec. 1, 2013

For this Sunday, December 1st, the focus for our meditation will be on Deceleration.  This year I saw Christmas decorations beginning to appear in retail stores before we had even reached Halloween.  Each year they seem to come out earlier and earlier as retailers rush to draw in shoppers.  Even the madness that is known as “Black Friday” is now gradually creeping into Thursday.  For many of us life seems to be going by so quickly that I resent this added impetus to an already hectic pace.  The pressures of modern life with work and family activities can often lead us to try and squeeze more and more into our schedules.  When we succumb to this temptation to overfill our lives it is easy to rush through activities without pausing to truly savor or appreciate them.  Instead, we should recognize how precious these fleeting experiences are to us.  To truly cherish them we need to Decelerate our lives so we can take time to relish each sensation, each perception, and form a lasting memory that will retain more detail than just a blur.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us ask to be shown ways to help Decelerate our lives so we may experience each moment to the fullest rather than rush on to the next.  By learning how to slow life down we will better recognize the incredible value each instant holds for us and thereby appreciate the perishability of this all-too-brief life on earth.

In our efforts this week 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 this week 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 how do I feel when I am able to Decelerate the pace of my life and retain more of each moment in memory?  How does it feel in my body when I Decelerate my usual hectic rush and take more time to recognize the value of my experiences?  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 k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., Nov. 24, 2013

For this Sunday, November 24th, the focus for our meditation will be on Worthiness.  The writings of a woman named Linda Tirado about being stuck in the endless cycle of poverty recently were picked up by the Huffington Post and quickly went viral.  The writing is edgy, eye-opening, and just plain honest (you can read it here at http://huff.to/1e9KHKX).  She speaks frankly about the poor decisions she readily admits to making while being stuck in poverty and her expectation that she will never escape its clutches.  One particular quote leaped out at me in her discussion of what impels someone who is poor to make bad decisions such as having multiple children they can’t afford.  Tirado writes, “You have no idea how strong the pull to feel worthwhile is.”  The poor are often incapable of long-term thinking and only live in each moment, trying to eke out whatever pleasure or momentary comfort they can.  They are then forced to live with the consequences.  For those who have never experienced poverty it offers a brief glimpse into that world and provides some insight as to why they are unable to break free of the cycle.  What is striking is that despite the many qualities that separate the world of the poor from the rest of society we all share this basic human need to feel Worthy.  It is what sometimes drives us into bad relationships or leads us to sacrifice our personal lives in order to over-achieve at work.  The funny thing about Worthiness is we all too easily make the mistake of assuming it is something bestowed upon us by an external source, be that an adoring companion or the accolades we strive to collect in a career.  The joke is on us, however, for true Worthiness is a value we ultimately have to grant to ourselves.  It comes from the full knowing of who we genuinely are and the acceptance of that honest persona as being okay despite the flaws.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us ask that all people who struggle with approval find a way to realize their own Worthiness.  May those who lack self-esteem come to accept they are as Worthy as the next person and in learning to better love themselves may they find peace through recognizing their own value.

In our efforts this week 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 this week 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 how do I feel when I realize I am a Worthy person regardless of what others think?  How does it feel in my body when I am able to love and appreciate myself for who I am, leading me to recognize my own Worthiness?  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 k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., Nov. 17, 2013

For this Sunday, November 17th, the focus for our meditation will be on Pilgrimage.  When most people think of a Pilgrimage they often bring to mind the faithful who travel great lengths to a sacred destination in search of fulfillment, enlightenment, or even just as a demonstration of their devotion.  For this week’s meditation let us consider a slightly different perspective.  Let us think of Pilgrimage as the process of separating yourself from your ordinary life in a manner that leaves you transformed.  No one remains permanently on a Pilgrimage, so another key element is that you eventually return to that routine life as a changed person.  If we are unable to enter into Pilgrimage by traveling thousands of miles to an exotic locale how then can we achieve this same transformative experience?  The opportunities for Pilgrimage are present even in our normal environment.  Consider local retreat centers where you might step out of ordinary life by experiencing a weekend of silence, reading, prayer and meditation.  Vary your normal routine and for one weekend skip the relentless pace of running errands, shopping, etc., to instead spend the time taking long walks or hikes in nature.  Create an altar in your home with a candle placed in front of a spiritually meaningful image, statue or object and spend time in reflection before it.  By removing yourself from ordinary life in this way you may experience the subtle yet powerful changes that are associated with Pilgrimage.  Through this transformative process you may find your return to ordinary life leaves you seeing your surroundings from a fresh perspective that ultimately renews your spirit.

In our efforts this week 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 this week 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 how do I feel when changes in my routine and environment leave me with a fresh perspective as though having gone on a Pilgrimage?  How does it feel in my body when I take a moment to step out of ordinary life and honor my spiritual thirst for Pilgrimage?  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 k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., Nov. 10, 2013

For this Sunday, November 10th, the focus for our meditation will be on Equanimity.  When someone has been in the presence of a deeply spiritual person they often are described as having felt a powerful sense of calm, serenity, and peacefulness emanating from them.  The Equanimity they exude embraces everyone in their immediate vicinity and can alter how others around them subsequently feel.  There is a steadiness and evenness to their composure in which they exhibit neither the extreme highs nor lows others may experience.  For many of us, achieving this state of energetic homeostasis can at times seem out of reach.  A regular meditation and prayer practice is thought to help achieve that sense of balance.  This week let us use our meditation time to ask for assistance in attaining a deeply-rooted feeling of Equanimity that will help buffer us against the turbulence of everyday life.  Through a stronger sense of Equanimity may we become beacons of calm and serenity in our world and ultimately have a more positive impact on those around us.

In our efforts this week 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 this week 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 how do I feel when I have experienced a deep calm and serenity associated with Equanimity?  How does it feel in my body when I realize I am in the presence of the profound peacefulness of Equanimity?  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 k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., Nov. 3, 2013

For this Sunday, November 3rd, the focus for our meditation will be on Reverence.  To have Reverence towards something or someone is to hold them in respect, honor, perhaps awe or even love.  It is a deep, profound feeling that fills one’s heart when you are either in the presence of the object of Reverence or even just contemplating them.  In our modern society unfortunately we all too easily misattribute feelings of Reverence for pop stars, athletes and actors.  While some of them may indeed be individuals worthy of being held with esteem, too often people place them on pedestals and offer Reverence without really even knowing anything about their character.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us ponder what in our life we most Revere.   If we find at the top of our list someone or something that may not reflect the spiritual beings we aspire to be let us ask to be shown who is worthy of those intense, profound feelings of Reverence.  By drawing closer to them in prayer and meditation may we then find our hearts filled beyond capacity, leaving us able to take in even more love than we had ever imagined.

In our efforts this week 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 this week 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 how do I feel when I hold a deep feeling of Reverence for another being?  How does it feel in my body when my heart is filled and expanded by my awareness of Reverence for another?  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 k_miritello@bellsouth.net or kmiritello@gmail.com