Meditation Instructions for Sun., August 28, 2016

For this Sunday, August 28th, the focus for our meditation will be on Humility.  There’s a video of a musician I recently saw on social media that totally captivated me with the Humility as well as the amazing talent of the performer.  A folk musician named Ted Yoder who plays the hammered dulcimer had his son videotape him while he performed his version of an iconic song by the popular band, Tears for Fears.  He was shown in his backyard, his wife and children sitting nearby, and their menagerie of pets including kittens and a raccoon romping in the background.  The video almost overnight became an Internet sensation and in just a few days had been viewed more than 30 million times (and climbing) and earned him a write-up in The Huffington Post.  All he wanted to do was share his music and his love of this ancient instrument with others.  He had no idea it would turn out as popular as it did, and the public reaction reduced him and his wife to tears.  What is it about this performance that clearly resonated with so many people?  For one, it was totally unpretentious in nature – no fancy sound system or lighting, barefoot and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans – just him and his instrument which he played so beautifully.  I also think it was the genuineness of how he presented himself.  He seemed completely authentic in who he was, and his love of music was the focus, not himself.  For me, this example stands in sharp contrast to the spectacle that our national election has become.  Rather than bringing attention to the important issues and needs of constituents, it seems instead to be all about the ego of those invested in running for office.  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us ask that the spirit of Humility and authenticity begin to infuse our political system.  May the same Humility shown by this skilled musician encourage our politicians to be more genuine and willing to present their true selves to the public rather than the artificial image created by public relations staff.

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 recognize and appreciate the presence of Humility in others?  How does it feel in my body when I see the authenticity of Humility in how others behave?  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., August 21, 2016

For this Sunday, August 21st, the focus for our meditation will be on Place.  For those displaced by homelessness or the wildfires in Southern California or the floods in Louisiana, not having a secure Place to live can seem to put one’s life on hold.  I’ve fortunately never had to evacuate a home owing to a financial or natural disaster and can only barely imagine what it must be like.  The first thing that probably goes through most people’s thoughts is what would they take with them, presuming they had some forewarning.  Family members and pets, obviously, but what then about any material possessions?  I hope and pray none of us ever has to experience this, but in more of a mental exercise what would you put a priority on wanting to have with you to help establish your Place in a new location?  What would you consider to be essential to creating your identity in a new Place where you had to live?  If you lost all your possessions owing to a sudden disaster such as a fire or flood, what would you want to have to try and reestablish your Place?  Having the security and stability of a Place to call our own is something so many of us take for granted in this country.  Every now and then we have these sort of catastrophes occur that shake us up and make us think about the “what if’s.”  This week in our prayer and meditation time let us express gratitude for having a Place in our life that we can call our own.  Let us also use the light and energy of our prayers to send strength, protection, and assistance to those facing disasters that threaten to rob them of their homes or businesses. 

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. 

Additionally, let us please direct this light to help cover those areas being threatened by wildfires or flooding, especially in Southern California and Louisiana.  May all living beings find comfort and relief as they seek to find a Place of refuge.

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 feel secure and stable in a Place I can call my own?  How does it feel in my body when I recognize the value of having a Place that shelters and comforts 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., August 14, 2016

For this Sunday, August 14th, the focus for our meditation will be on Objectivity.  As human beings we are naturally predisposed to various cognitive vulnerabilities.  One of these, confirmation bias, has been written about a great deal because of the tremendous impact it has in critical decision-making processes in many diverse fields.  Confirmation bias refers to the phenomenon that once you have made your mind up about something your brain tends to filter out or disregard any new information that contradicts that viewpoint and will only take notice of new information that matches what you’ve already decided is the right answer.  The scary thing about confirmation bias is that just being aware we are all prone to this does not completely eradicate its effects.  I’m certainly seeing reflections of confirmation bias in what is circulated on professional as well as social media forums regarding our political candidates.  It seems daily I shake my head in wonder at what I see people post as “fact” when the information is so evidently distorted or biased in its presentation.  This is by no means the singular domain of any particular political party.  I see information presented for and mostly against both political candidates that regularly is debunked, but the debunking unfortunately tends to be given less attention.  People would much prefer to trumpet what they already want to believe and what matches or confirms what they think they already know.  It astounds me that otherwise intelligent people actually want to believe some of what they are presenting as “fact” when it clearly a distortion that is often aided by being taken out of context.  This is only going to continue in the run-up to the November election, and the only answer is to hope that people acquire the ability to process information with greater Objectivity.  The next time you read an article ask yourself if there are any weaknesses, gaps or loopholes in the story that may be purposely omitted in order to slant what they want to say.  Often it isn’t so much what they report but what isn’t being reported that is most important to seeing the truth.  In our prayer and meditation time this week let us ask that a spirit of greater neutrality and Objectivity spread across this nation.  May people develop the willingness to remain open-minded and try to process all the information being presented on an issue before making an important decision.  We will all ultimately have to come to a final decision about how to use our vote, but in the meantime let us seek to consider all sides to a story, even the untold version that may try to remain hidden, in our pursuit of the truth.

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 remain neutral and Objective in considering all available information before making an important decision?  How does it feel in my body when I reach a state of Objectivity that allows me to see more than one side to an issue?  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., August 7, 2016

For this Sunday, August 7th, the focus for our meditation will be on Interest.  Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel, who survived the Holocaust after being imprisoned in two concentration camps and went on to author numerous books, traveled the world to lecture and speak out against oppression, passed away last month at the age of 87.  In one interview he was quoted as saying, “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.  The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference.  The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.  And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death.”  Now that our two primary political parties have selected their candidate for election this fall citizens who perhaps remain dissatisfied with both nominees have a choice to make.  They can opt to learn as much as they can about the positives and negatives of all candidates, research where they stand on various issues, pay attention to all of their communication and analyze it with objectivity, or they can simply withdraw in resignation and choose not to even bother exercising their right to vote.  It doesn’t matter to me whether someone ends up voting for a different candidate from the one I ultimately will have to choose.  They presumably have assessed that candidate and truly believe them to be the best qualified.  The greater harm comes from someone who is apathetic and fails to participate at all in the election.  When we cast a vote we are contributing our energy to the nation, and I firmly believe whichever candidate ends up being selected will be supported by that cumulative energy that is amassed for the nominees.  When people withdraw entirely from the process they fail to contribute any energy, and their criticism from afar may actually sap the energy the nation needs to gather to see us through this important process.  As Elie Wiesel so wisely noted, the greater harm to the world comes from indifference.  This week in our prayer and meditation let us ask that all citizens across this nation cultivate a genuine Interest in educating themselves about the nominees for political office.  May all our citizens develop a serious Interest in casting their vote and contributing their energy to the entire country as they do so.  May the energy of sincere Interest in our political process ripple across this country and help keep at bay the more insidious movement of apathy and indifference that will only weaken us as a 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 what do I feel in my body when I am able to summon the necessary Interest to participate rather than withdraw?  How does it feel in my body when I become genuinely Interested in learning more about an issue?  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