Meditation Instructions for Sun., February 28, 2016

For this Sunday, February 28th, the focus for our meditation will be on Shift.  The Charlotte area hosts an annual gathering known as SHIFT Charlotte (www.shiftcharlotte.com) to bring together like-minded people interested in becoming more conscious, authentic, happy and healthy.  Invited speakers, such as my friend and mentor, Rev. Jennifer Halls, address a variety of spiritual topics in their presentations.  I find it interesting that the name of the event is SHIFT Charlotte.  To Shift implies a slight movement or change in position or direction.  If you think about it, isn’t that how all transformation truly begins – with a single, small Shift in behavior?  Sometimes when we are seeking a change in our life, one that may appear to involve a drastic alteration in who we are, our surroundings, and our life circumstances, the end result can seem so distant that it is entirely out of reach.  The sense of it being unattainable can prevent us from taking that initial small step that is needed to begin.  The transformative process may be one that takes a good deal of time – to have a radical alteration instantaneously could be too upsetting and more difficult to accept.  But, when transformation occurs gradually, with incremental Shifts, it can help the change take place in a less traumatic or painful way.  The key is to summon the will and courage to allow that first small Shift to occur.  That is what sets us on the path for a more complete transformation and ultimately delivers us to a place we may not even presently be able to imagine.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us consider whether there are small, incremental Shifts we would like to take in our life.  Let us ask to be gently guided on how to Shift direction that will ultimately lead us to a place where we are more conscious, aware and in tune with our spiritual purpose.

 

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 what do I feel in my body when I am able to make small changes that help Shift the direction of my life?  How does it feel in my body when I have the courage to take that first step that helps bring about a long-lasting Shift in me as a person?  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., February 21, 2016

For this Sunday, February 21st, the focus for our meditation will be on Deceleration.  Many indigenous traditions view life not as a linear path but as one that proceeds in more of a spiral.  With each passing year the outer curves of the spiral become longer, leading to the notion that as we age time appears to move faster and faster.  Because the outer rings are larger than the inner ones yet represent the same amount of time the speed with which that time is experienced seems to accelerate.  As a result, many people have the impression that what used to feel like an eternity in our youth now rushes by in a flash.  While we may not be able to alter the passage of time the one thing we can control is how we allow ourselves to experience the time that we have.  It is easy to let the frantic pace encourage us to try and squeeze more and more in to our life.  That, however, only adds to the stress we experience.  Instead of trying to cram more in to the time we have we would be better served to Decelerate our life by truly cherishing more individual moments.  Take time to meditate, to focus on our breath, and examine the beauty that surrounds us in the world.  Those momentary pauses can help us feel as though time is not slipping away from us quite as quickly because we extract more enjoyment from what we experience.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us be asked to be reminded from time to time to pause and allow the pace of our life to Decelerate.  By letting ourselves experience life more fully may we Decelerate the pace at which we live and reduce the stress we are under.

 

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 what do I feel in my body when I consciously take time to Decelerate the pace of my life?  How does it feel in my body when I am able to remove the sense of having to rush and instead enjoy more of each moment through Deceleration?  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., February 14, 2016

For this Sunday, February 14th, the focus for our meditation will be on Sacrifice.  This past week Christians around the world began commemorating the 40-day period of Lent that leads up to our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  This Lenten period is often marked by Sacrifice as people voluntarily give up something they enjoy in a symbolic reflection of the ultimate Sacrifice made for us by the crucifixion.  Abstaining from favorite foods or choosing not to engage in certain activities is a common way people opt to Sacrifice something from their life.  However, the point to Sacrifice is not to enhance a craving that will ultimately be satisfied once again after Lent is over and we can return to gorging ourselves on chocolate or wasting time playing video games.  The key to Sacrifice is to participate in it as something that causes us to reflect on what we truly value on in our life.  It should prompt a 40-day period of reflection in which we ponder what consumes us and whether it brings us a measure of fulfillment in return or is less than beneficial.  The temporary absence of this desired object can help bring a clarity in how we ultimately perceive its presence in our life.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us consider whether there are things in our life that may have grown in importance and far exceed the value we should place on them.  Let us ask where do we find the most value in our life and how much significance to we attribute to that or has it become subverted to other, less beneficial alternatives?  May we use this period of reflection and service during Lent to help us reestablish our priorities and bring greater balance into our lives through the willingness of Sacrifice and may we ultimately emerge at the end as being better aligned with our higher selves. 

 

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 what do I feel in my body when I willingly Sacrifice something that means a great deal to me in order to appreciate its true importance in my life?  How does it feel in my body when I am able to make a Sacrifice in order to regain control over what matters most to 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 kmiritello@gmail.com

Meditation Instructions for Sun., February 6, 2016

For this Sunday, February 6th, the focus for our meditation will be on Genuineness.  Have you ever heard the term “imposter syndrome” before?  It refers to a label originally used by a pair of psychologists to describe a phenomenon they had noticed repeatedly among their patient populations.  Imposter syndrome refers to the irrational fear often held by prominent and well-accomplished individuals that they are undeserving of the respect and acclaim of others.  They feel as though they have fallen into any success by mere luck or through fraudulent means such as the use of charm to compensate for their perceived lack of ability.  We all tend to be overly critical of ourselves; many of us are quick to say we are not as bright or beautiful or kind or whatever other positive attribute we feel others see in us that we fail to internalize as our own.  One of the wonderful things about our animal companions is they accept us for who we are without critical judgment.  If only we could learn to accept ourselves in the same way.  Rather than focus on where we feel we fall short of how others see us, let us instead aim to merely be Genuine in each moment.  Let us be willing to be vulnerable in our interactions with others and not try to conceal our flaws and weaknesses.  They will sense and appreciate the quality of Genuineness that is more valued than any other characteristic you feel they expect.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us ask to be gently reminded to only seek to be Genuine in who we are and to have the courage to allow others to see this in us rather than a façade we feel we must maintain.

 

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 what do I feel in my body when I am willing to be completely Genuine in my interactions with others?  How does it feel in my body when I have the courage to drop any pretense and show my Genuine self to the world without fear of judgment?  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