Meditation Instructions for Sun., Dec. 29, 2013

For this Sunday, December 29th, the focus for our meditation will be on Invitation.  Tosha Silver is the author of a book on how to have a closer relationship with the Divine.  Titled, “Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead,” it is about how to connect with and allow the Divine to have more of a presence in your life.  She writes, “I know without doubt that a Force of Love exists that can guide, help and interact with each of us in the most intimate and practical way no matter what the conditions…If only we know how to Invite it in.”  There is a common misconception about the accessibility of spiritual assistance in our life.  Sometimes it is easy to assume that spiritual beings, guides, angels, or whatever you want to call them, constantly hover around and are ever present, ready to intervene as necessary.  While that may occasionally be the case, more often than not we need to actively request their assistance by Inviting them to intercede on our behalf.  Unambiguously extending an Invitation for their participation in our life better opens us up and helps us be more receptive to their presence and aid.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us consider how we might like to extend an Invitation to the Divine to be more a part of our life.  Let us examine where we could most benefit from a deeper, closer relationship with the Divine and ask to be shown how to Invite that assistance to be with us in an intimate and lasting way.

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 a burning desire to Invite something or someone into my life?  How does it feel in my body when I know extending an Invitation for assistance in my life makes me better able to receive that help?  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., Dec. 22, 2013

For this Sunday, December 22nd, the focus for our meditation will be on Sufficiency.  A common challenge during the holiday season is figuring out what to get as a gift for the special people in our life.  The difficulty is often a reflection of the fact that few of us have an actual need for more material goods.  While there might be items we would like to have, they are certainly not essential or necessary for our existence.  Unfortunately, the pressure of getting exactly the right item for someone else, or the disappointment of being given a gift that falls far short of anything we might possibly like, only amplifies the stress of the holidays.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us consider what is really needed in our life.  What do we have as excess that we would be better off without?  Let us ponder what is truly required for us to live and ask to be shown how to be satisfied with that Sufficiency without succumbing to the cravings of materialism.  May all across our nation come to recognize what is Sufficient in their life and find contentment with what they may already have.

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 recognize what is really necessary and Sufficient in my life?  How does it feel in my body when I am able to prioritize my needs and appreciate the Sufficiency of what I already have?  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., Dec. 15, 2013

For this Sunday, December 15th, the focus for our meditation will be on Connection.  Earlier this year a TEDx talk by Dr. Brené Brown served as inspiration to focus our weekly meditation on the topic of vulnerability.  A short video (which may be found at http://brenebrown.com/2013/12/10/rsabear/) animating another talk by Dr. Brown presents the important distinction between empathy and sympathy.  She makes the point that what distinguishes the sincerity of empathy from the superficiality of sympathy is the Connection made between two people.  In empathizing with another you acknowledge that you understand what they are feeling without the banality of claiming you know exactly how they feel.  There is a healing that comes simply from the realization another person is able to make a Connection without passing judgment.  It makes you feel less alone, especially during difficult or challenging times.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us consider whether there are others around us in need of Connection.  Especially at this time of year when people feel so stressed and overwhelmed, may we be more mindful of the benefits of making Connections that may help ease the strain of the holiday season.

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 appreciate the value of Connections to other people in my life?  How does it feel in my body when others ease difficult times by reaching out and making a Connection with me?  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., Dec. 8, 2013

For this Sunday, December 8th, the focus for our meditation will be on Teaching.  With Nelson Mandela’s recent passing I was reminded of one of my favorite quotations.  In his book, “Long Walk to Freedom,” Mandela wrote, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.  People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”  What a powerful realization that people have to be Taught to hate.  Exactly how are they being Taught these lessons?  I suspect a significant source of this Teaching comes from how we model behavior for the children we may influence in our life.  Every time we are driving and fire off a rant about what we perceive as ineptitude or rudeness from other drivers, we are Teaching impatience.  Every time we pass by pretending not to notice a homeless person on the street, we are Teaching judgment and stinginess.  Every time someone around us treats a person of color with less courtesy or dignity and we fail to speak up, we are Teaching intolerance and bigotry.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us examine what we Teach others through our words and actions.  What lessons do we want to impart, and how might we want to change our behavior to serve as a better model of that Teaching for others?

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 Teaching others a positive model through my own behavior?  How does it feel in my body when what I am Teaching others represents my best attributes?  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