Meditation Instructions for Sun., November 1, 2015

For this Sunday, November 1st, the focus for our meditation will be on Silence.  I recently read an article by someone who had experienced significant loss and grief in his life.  He spoke of the inanity of some of the comments people feel compelled to make to those who are grieving.  None of them were helpful and several were actually unintentionally hurtful to him.  Knowing someone who experiences a tragedy can be challenging for those who want to express their sympathy but aren’t quite sure what to do or say.  While perhaps well-meaning, comments that tend to dismiss the pain people are going through in order to encourage them to feel better actually make things worse by robbing them of the need to grieve.  Although several books have been written about the “stages” of grief, each person goes through the experience of loss individually.  The best way to honor that process is to acknowledge their loss and pain and then simply be present with them in comfortable Silence.  The mere fact that a caring friend or neighbor is willing to stay with someone in pain without shrinking away helps them feel understood and accepted despite the tragedy that may have irrevocably altered their life.  The physical presence of someone who sits in Silence with another who is grieving removes the need to say anything; by their presence they are giving the other person the freedom to just be no matter what they may be feeling in the moment.  A space filled with Silence is not empty or devoid of compassion but is a validation of what the other person is feeling simply by being a witness to it.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us ask to be shown how to be comfortable with Silence when it is needed.  May we be gently guided to recognize the power of Silence in the presence of pain and be willing to overcome our own discomfort by accepting those moments when words are not necessary.

 

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 feel comfortable being Silent in the presence of others?  How does it feel in my body when I understand how moments of Silence can be filled with compassion for those who are in pain?  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., October 25, 2015

For this Sunday, October 25th, the focus for our meditation will be on Civility.  It has long been recognized that there is something about the anonymity of the Internet that encourages a disturbing amount of insensitive remarks towards others.   Complete strangers who hide behind a remote screen feel compelled to spew their venom often without reason and apparently just as a means to vent their own anger and unhappiness.  It is such a common phenomenon that there is even a name for those who “troll” popular social media or chat sites and blogs waiting for some unsuspecting victim to cross their path.  I’ve seen it in Internet groups of people with similar interests, such as in dogs, and been aghast to read nasty comments posted by others simply because they disagree with the kind of leash someone uses, or what they feed their pet, or how they are training them.  The comments often are so vicious that I find it hard to believe that if the conversation were held in person they would express themselves so freely.  While some can brush it off, others are devastated by such unfair criticism, and it can lead to tragedy when someone tries to make another person feel worthless particularly if they are already emotional vulnerable or fragile.  This week in our meditation time let us work to counter the ever-present tide of rudeness on the Internet and direct the light and energy of our prayers to foster greater Civility in its place.  Let us ask that people stop and consider the human being on the other end of their electronic communication before lashing out.  Given that political rhetoric is also beginning to ramp up as we lead into another presidential election next fall, let us also ask that this same energy of decency and Civility extend to those who seek political office across this nation. 

 

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 presence of Civility from those I encounter in person or on the Internet?  How does it feel in my body when I am aware others are treating me with decency and Civility despite differences in opinion?  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., October 18, 2015

For this Sunday, October 18th, the focus for our meditation will be on Darkness.  I always find such profound meaning in the writings of Father Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar, who wrote, “There are two wildernesses, two Darknesses in the spiritual journey. One you go into by your own stupidity, by your sin, blindness, ignorance and mistakes. We all do that. But there’s another Darkness. The holy Darkness is the Darkness that God leads us into, through and beyond. This is a necessary Darkness for the journey. In a certain sense, God’s Darkness is a much better teacher than light. There comes a time when you have to either go deeper into faith or you will turn back, when you have to live without knowing or you lose faith altogether.”  Without Darkness most of us would not achieve the developmental progress we do in this life, for it is the Darkness that often compels us to make difficult decisions and change.  If we were not forcefully prodded to enter the Dark tunnels we all find ourselves in from time to time how would we ever have discovered the light that exists at the other end?  It is the hopeful exploration driven by our blindness in the Dark that allows us to plumb the depths of our beliefs and discover just how resilient our faith can be.  Such periods of Darkness can lead to an even stronger sense of faith and connection to God that fortify our foundation to the core and allow us to emerge a better person on the other end.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us consider whether there are Dark places in our life into which we have been afraid to venture.  Let us ask to be shown how to enter those periods of Darkness that we all encounter in our life with hope and faith and ask to be guided by Spirit in a way that helps see us through to the other end, victorious. 

 

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 how I am aware of the spiritual guidance that surrounds me during periods of Darkness in my life?  How does it feel in my body when I have struggled through a period of a Dark tunnel in my life only to finally emerge stronger into the light?  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., October 11, 2015

For this Sunday, October 11th, the focus for our meditation will be on Sharing.  In a talk by author Dr. Brené Brown she speaks about her belief that she cannot be truly happy until all people in the world experience happiness.  This belief stems from her strong awareness of our Shared connection to the rest of humanity.  If others are in pain and suffering then none of us can be completely at peace and totally happy.  However, our connectedness does not mean we must necessarily adopt their pain and abandon our own happiness.  The connectedness works in all directions, so we can also transmit to others some of our happiness in a way that may help ease their distress.  If enough people around the world were willing to Share the sense of joy or contentment they experience it may be possible for these positive emotions to gradually radiate around the entire globe.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us ponder what we find ourselves Sharing with the rest of the world.  Do we radiate anger and resentment, or do we make a purposeful attempt to Share instead simple moments of joy, feeling confident that someone else out there may benefit from that energy.  Let us maintain an awareness of our connectedness to others and ask to be gently reminded to Share the abundance of our joy with the world.

 

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 how I am connected to others and gladly Share the positive feelings that I have?  How does it feel in my body when I appreciate the abundance of goodness in my life and consciously Share this joy with others in need?  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., October 4, 2015

For this Sunday, October 4th, the focus for our meditation will be on Signals.  I know several people for whom the appearance of a particular bird, animal or insect following the loss of a loved one is interpreted as a reassuring Signal that the individual who has passed is happy or content with where they are.  Other friends attribute great significance to seeing the digital clock display of 11:11 which regularly gets their notice and holds a particular meaning as a Sign or Signal in their life.  What is the purpose of such Signals?  They are to get our attention, to make sure we don’t miss or overlook something important.  Sometimes they help us piece together the synchronicities that occur around us and recognize the connection between this moment and another in terms of importance.  They serve to remind us of our close association with God and our spiritual helpers and to get us to pause from the daily rush to acknowledge their presence in our life.  They are like the attention-getting ding of a smartphone as a text message comes in, telling us to break momentarily from what we are doing and connect with another being.  Haven’t we all had those times when, facing a particularly difficult decision or choice, something seemingly innocuous appeared in our environment that served not just as an alerting Signal but also a beacon that helped direct us in the right direction?  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us consider those instances when Signals have appeared at just the right moment when we needed them most.  Let us ask to be gently shown how to become more aware of the presence of such Signals and to grow our appreciation for their significance in our life. 

 

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 recognized the presence of a Signal in my life that helped bring my focus to something important I might have otherwise overlooked?  How does it feel in my body when I appreciate the significance of Signals in my life that help me acknowledge the palpable presence of Spirit in my life?  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