Hey, It Works For Me, Anyway
Apr 23rd, 2009 by Brian Robertson
Lots of very spirited and interesting back and forth about Christianity and meditation practices last few days, which I really have enjoyed and greatly appreciate.
No doctor has a single medicine sitting on his or her shelf to hand every person who comes to the office. The same is true of spiritual practice, more pointedly meditation or contemplation. One’s relationship with God is personalized, for my own experience has been that God speaks to us in so many ways that what our job is must be to find the way and connection that works for each of us. Fortunately, there are great souls who have gone before us who have left not so much guidelines as checkpoints, as it were, to help us realize when we may have wandered off the path into the woods and are in danger of being lost.
I’d like to mention one thing that I find myself doing, almost spontaneously. I find that first thing in the morning, when our chronically loud household (and I mean really loud, I won’t get into the details) is quiet, I love to sit on my back porch/deck with the many plants and trees, the wind and the sounds of birds or squirrels chattering and even of trains passing a mile or two away.
I find what appeals to me is to move back and forth between three very distinct but gracefully linked things. First, I think it is essential to have something to have that will realign me when I find my mind wondering, something to center myself in that particular moment. For that reason, as in this morning, I took a longtime favorite passage by St. Teresa of Avila:
Let nothing upset you,
Let nothing frighten you.
Everything is changing;
God alone is changeless.
I let my breathing work on its own, no forcing or controlling, just letting it work at its most natural rhythm as I think:
Let nothing upset you, (On the inbreath)
Let nothing frighten you. (On the outbreath)
Everything is changing; (On the inbreath)
God alone is changeless. (On the outbreath, making sure to smile slightly)
This leads to a few thoughts as I think about one of the lines – think about things changing — loved ones, my own body and health, the need for change if we are to have life, my own and every other person’s mortality, the way a hard and fast enemy can become a great and trusted friend, and on and on.
When my mind is thinking of something on my desk or on an Internet site I saw last night, etc, I stop and go back to the “Let nothing upset you (on the inbreath)” part of things until I’m centered again.
The third and final, wich happens on its own, is to drop the thoughts altogteher, to simply be there as much as the tree that moves in the breeze, the sound of the train or bird that is happening without me grasping at it, the blue sky with the clouds moving past and changing. If I’m starting up the thinking process again, I just go back to focusing on my breath and watching it until things are calmed down again. If it’s really a distraction, I go back to the St. Teresa of Avila quote and the breathing without kicking myself for having messed up, without criticism or discouragement. Those are feelings that are changes as well, I guess, and I let them go.
How long do I do this? I’m not trying to be a champion, I’m just trying to really be there for a few minutes. I think fifteen minutes is wonderful if it can be done comfortably, but sometimes, like this morning, I find a half hour shoots by without me being aware of the passing of time.
Of course, this idea may or may not appeal to you, but it is the structure I wanted to at least offer up. Change the quote to fit your needs at the time, but it must NOT be one of those quotes about how sinful you are, or how oppressive and judgmental God is, but, rather, a loving compassion that points beyond itself.
I’d love to hear what your short “verse” might be if you were to give this a try.
Blessings,
Brian
Technorati Tags: teresa of avila, everything is changing, god alone is changless, christian mystics, christian mysticism, meditation, contemplation, christian meditation
Thanks for sharing this, Brian. It was quite beautiful to read
What an awesome verse to use. I am going to have a go at this, and I think I will use Julian of Norwich’s “Sin is behovely [necessary]. But all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.”
That triumvirate of “wells” should get me nice and spacey, LOL
Nice idea! My small suggestion for you to ponder is that you leave off the first part and start with “All shall be well/All shall be well/and all manner of things/shall be well.” I was told long ago that in doing this kind of thing, the lead balloon of “sin” throws things a different direction. For me, it would. Your mileage may vary!
Hey Brian,
First off what a beautiful picture! I think having the nature that surrounds you as your meditation altar sounds wonderful. I have just recently discovered the enormous impact that the writings and prayers of the saints can have on our lives. I am looking forward to reading more from St. Teresa of Avlia.
As I am more of a night person I find my waking period a little sluggish, so for me making it outdoors well… Anyway I have my meditation altar in the corner of my bedroom. It is one of the first things I see when I wake up and one of the last when I go to sleep.
As I approach the presents of God in my sacred space I am drawn to the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I have found that in having this meditation/prayer altar that my focus on God is more clear and radiant throughout my whole day. In creating this altar I am able to place items on it that reflect many things that I find as a part of my spiritual journey. Reminders of aspects that shape my image of the Divine
I would love to hear if there are others who have meditation/prayer altars and how the altar impacts their lives.
Go with God,
Tamara
What a delightful response! You’re right on target and I appreciate you sharing. Eknath Easwaran who gets mentioned on here from time to time as having “passage meditation” on a passage always says one should start with that prayer, by the way.
Wonderful to hear what you do and I would also like to hear about personal altars any readers might make use of.
Blessings,
Brian
Thanks for sharing this passage from St Teresa
it has a lovely ring to it and will be a much used addition to my meditation times
I have often used something very simple to centre
heavenly (on in breath)
father (on out breath)
like you Brian, I find nature provides a bountiful altar and I am blessed to be surrounded by it in my new home
You asked for people to share their “short verse.” In the morning I direct my soul toward
Father in heaven,
Christ in the world,
Spirit in me.
Sometimes I change it to
Christ in heaven
Christ in the world
Christ in me.
In this way I intentionally connect my soul with God as transcendent Reality, as Immanence in all the universe, and as the Ground of my being.
Sometimes I even add some movement: hands together in a posture of prayer directed upward, then arms open wide to embrace the universe, then together again at my heart.
Thanks for your blog. Just discovered it. I have been a practitioner of contemplative prayer – off and on – for forty years.
Marshall
In my spiritual journey, one of my greatest ongoing struggles is pride. My inclination and ability to overestimate the height of my accomplishment and the depth of my suffering is truly mind-numbing. I recently started practicing what you might call a “humility meditation” using the following passage:
Whatever I know
Others know more
Whatever I give
Others give more
However I love
Others love more
However I hurt
Others hurt more
You can try matching this to your breathing in different ways to see what works best for you, but I’ve found it effective to repeat one line on each in-breath and one line on each out-breath, starting with the first in-breath. By matching your breathing in this way, the thought with each in-breath focuses inward, on yourself, and the thought with each out-breath focuses outward, on others. As you fill your lungs with an inward focus you can feel yourself puffing up with pride, and as you relax your lungs with an outward focus you can feel yourself surrendering false claims of elevated status as you acknowledge the worth of others. It can also be helpful on each out-breath to think of a specific person to whom the “outgoing thought” applies — someone who you know embodies the quality more fully than you do.