Meditation Instructions for Sun., Sept. 28, 2014

For this Sunday, September 28th, the focus for our meditation will be on Sustaining.  Ecological programs and “green” movements are focused on trying to better Sustain our planet’s limited resources.  Someone approaching retirement spends years planning for that phase of their life so their financial resources will Sustain them until the end of their life.  In each instance there is a limited quantity of a resource considered precious and valuable that must be carefully considered in its use so it lasts as long as possible.  Beyond material resources there are other aspects to our life that similarly require care and planning to keep them going.  Friendships, for example, may sometimes require work to Sustain the relationship over a lifetime.  Family relationships certainly can take a lot of effort to keep them healthy and happy and Sustain those ties that can all too easily be broken.  The bottom line is the final result is well worth the investment in time and effort it may take to Sustain these important connections in our life to others and the world around us.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us consider what do we cherish most that we want to make sure we Sustain in our life?  If there are aspects to our life connections that we are not placing sufficient attention towards let us ask to be gently reminded of their value and shown how to better Sustain these relationships and resources so they remain a part of our world for as long as possible.

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 entire 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 my life connections and enjoy working to better Sustain those relationships?  How does it feel in my body when I am surrounded by the joy and peace of knowing I will be Sustained throughout my life by the connections I make to others?  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., Sept. 21, 2014

For this Sunday, September 21st, the focus for our meditation will be on Non-Judgment.  Years ago I had a work colleague who I suspected was in an abusive relationship.  Although the signs of abuse were not obvious, at a minimum, it was an unhappy marriage, and I could never comprehend why she remained in it.  At the time, I assumed she stayed in this miserable alliance because of the money and lifestyle her husband’s net worth afforded.  Yet, year after year she spoke of how she didn’t love her husband, and it even appeared she was somewhat afraid of him.  Her apparent inability to launch her independence from him baffled me, and over time I lost respect for her as a result.  With recent accounts of domestic violence in the news I was reading the stories of other women who found themselves trapped in horrible relationships.  They repeatedly spoke of feeling helpless and with nowhere to turn even when they had existing connections to family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers.  The barrier for them to reach out to this network was the fear that they would be Judged.  Often the pressure came from having to drop the façade of revealing their life was not as perfect as they wanted others to believe.  Sometimes those who knew them well had previously declared their partner was not good for them.  By having ignored their counsel they were afraid that an about-face would be received with critical Judgment.  This fear of having others see them as less worthy unfortunately led many women to remain far too long in abusive relationships.  For those of us on the periphery of an abusive situation it made me realize how wrong I had been to Judge this coworker.  By no doubt telegraphing my disapproval I’m sure I became one more contact scratched off her list of possible places to turn if things became desperate.  Fortunately, she was able to eventually leave the marriage without triggering any violent repercussions.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us consider how we may leap all too readily to Judge others.  May we be shown how to react with Non-Judgment to those who may be most in need of our friendship and support.  Through a wider practice of Non-Judgment may more women around this country feel safe in reaching out for help and thus prevent more tragedies from occurring. 

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 entire 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 suspend disapproval and react with Non-Judgment for someone?  How does it feel in my body when I recognize the importance of exercising Non-Judgment so those around me feel safe in reaching out?  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., Sept. 14, 2014

For this Sunday, September 14th, the focus for our meditation will be on Imperfection.  On a bookshelf in my office is a clay reproduction of my hands.  They were made at an art and intuition retreat taught by Rev. Jennifer Halls a number of years ago.  The process of making them required you to first create a plaster cast of your hands which was later filled with clay that hardened over time.  The project was difficult in many ways and a number of participants found it more frustrating than enjoyable.  Plaster casts cracked or broke.  Clay became stuck and could not be removed from the molds.  It was certainly an exercise in patience.  When you look closely at the clay sculpture of my hands you notice a number of flaws.  There are obvious cracks and extra bits of clay that probably could have been shaved off before the sculpture hardened.  For someone who regularly has to battle a tendency toward perfectionism I was surprised to find the flaws more fascinating than disappointing.  They reminded me of images I had seen of Mother Teresa’s hands.  They were wrinkled and gnarled and far from perfect.  But they made me appreciate the value behind Imperfection.  Thankfully, we are all Imperfect beings.  If we were without flaws or weakness life would likely proceed far too smoothly with no struggles or trials to help us grow and learn.  Rather than detest our Imperfections let us use our meditation time this week to feel a sense of gratitude for the lessons they bring.  Let us ask during our meditation time to be shown how to be thankful for our Imperfections and recognize the growth we achieve because of them.

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 entire 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 accept my Imperfections with gratitude and grace?  How does it feel in my body when I am thankful for my Imperfections and the growth they ultimately help me to achieve?  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., Sept. 7, 2014

For this Sunday, August 31st, the focus for our meditation will be on Moderation.  An international prayer group that I belong to has set their focus for this next month on bringing an end to the violence wrought by extremist groups.  As I thought about this issue I quickly realized there is no place in the world that is immune to this problem.  Here in our own country we have the historical blight of the Ku Klux Klan and in more recent times the idiocy of the Westboro Baptist Church.  The problem with such groups is their firm belief that they are right, everyone else is wrong, and their mission in life is to make everyone adopt their views without scrutiny or question.  I’m not sure such extreme ideological groups even appreciate the luxury they have of being able to freely voice their opinions in this country.  It says something about the tolerance and fair-mindedness of this nation that groups that deviate so far from mainstream ideas have the right to exist.  There is nothing wrong with having diversity in the viewpoints presented for consideration by our citizens – I consider it to be a hallmark of our democracy that it actually encourages some dissension.  After all, weren’t our forefathers the original dissenters in not only voicing their dislike but acting upon them in creating this new nation?  The difference between diversity of opinion and extremism is the extent to which people are willing to allow differing views to be expressed and considered.  Extremists won’t even open their mind to consider the perspective of those who differ from them.  Moderation has been one of the pillars of this country’s strength over the years in that it allows differing or even radical ideas to be thoughtfully assessed and on occasion to even drive needed change.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us cherish the value of Moderation in this country.  Let us ask through our prayers that more people across this nation be open to receiving the viewpoints of others and to permit the peaceful communication of ideas that differ from their own.  Through greater respect for diverse philosophies and beliefs may the characteristic of Moderation continue to strengthen this land for many years to come. 

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 entire 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 recognized the value of Moderation in being open to the views of others?  How does it feel in my body when I am able to be Moderate and open-minded in my own beliefs?  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