For this Sunday, September 20th, the focus for our
meditation will be on Effort. In April 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt
delivered an address to the Sorbonne, the esteemed university in Paris,
France. His theme was individual
citizenship, or the Effort put forth
by the common man through sometimes small actions that collectively contribute
to advancing the greatness of an entire nation.
There is an oft-cited portion of his speech that goes, “It is not the critic who counts; not the
man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds
could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in
the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives
valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no Effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the
great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in
the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at
least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those
cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” His remarks make clear that without Effort, without at least giving it our
best try, we cannot accomplish anything.
Yes, there will be failures and times when we fall short, but the act of
striving and putting forth an Effort
is what will ultimately allow us to succeed.
This week in our prayer and meditation let us consider how we make an Effort in our life. Let us ask if there are ways in which we have
not taken the initiative for fear of failure and be shown how to courageously
step forward and make an attempt to accomplish something we feel may be greater
than our abilities. If all across our country
were willing to put forth the Effort
to do our best, just think how great this nation could become.
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 willing to put forth
the Effort even though I know I may
not always succeed? How does it feel in
my body when I am able to make an Effort
in a way that contributes to a larger achievement? 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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