For this Sunday, May 10th, the focus for our meditation will
be on Sociability. I remember when educational-based preschool
programs first became popular, replacing unstructured play time with academic
study in a variety of subjects deemed important for the child’s development. Advocates claimed that such early exposure to
more serious learning would advance a child’s ability to subsequently perform
in school. And so they did. But recent research has shown that there is a
cliff effect where the advantages gained by participation in academic-based
preschools not only expire after the first few years but actually then have a
deleterious impact. Children who were instead
given the opportunity to play and Socialize
with peers eventually end up outperforming the Einstein-wannabes after about
one to three years. More significantly,
the disadvantages continued well into later life, with research supporting that
those who were essentially robbed of their childhood and forced into academic
training too early are more likely to commit crimes as adults and bear the lasting
imprint of emotional impairment. Other
research has shown that the greatest predictive variable of career success is
not intelligence or skill level but likeability. In other words, those who have the greatest
emotional health and are able to be more Sociable
have a higher chance of rising to the top.
There is a lesson in this for all of us.
I know early in my career I had a tendency to be a workaholic, consumed
with laser-tight focus only on my work and regarding water cooler chit chat as
an unethical waste of time. Over the
years I grew to relax and enjoy the chance to Socialize with colleagues and lo and behold, it didn’t impede my work. I like to think the experience made me more Sociable and consequently a more
pleasant coworker as a result. This week
in our prayer and meditation let us consider whether we sufficiently value the
quality of Sociability. Are there signs around us that perhaps we are
being too driven and have lost sight of the importance of our Social interaction with others? If so, let us ask to be shown fun ways to
regain the essence of our childhood and once again appreciate the lasting value
of being Sociable.
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 opportunity
to relax and be Sociable with others
around me? How does it feel in my body
when I realize how making time to be Sociable
helps me in countless ways? 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
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