Spiritual Awakening - Anytime Anywhere

I am writing this while still on vacation in the Colorado Mountains. Thanks to the generosity of some loving USCD members, I have had the opportunity to spend the better part of this past week surrounded by the beauty and serenity of nature.

It was my intention to take this time to be quiet and introspective without the influence of technology or media. That lasted about two days. While I did devote some quality time to meditation, silence, writing, and simply sitting on the deck observing the wonders of the natural world, I found myself getting just a little stir-crazy after a while.

I have friends and colleagues who have expounded on the glorious benefits of 9-day silent retreats. I fail to understand how they can withstand that much silence. After a while, it became for me just another thing to do, something to accomplish rather than a gift that I was giving myself. So, I decided to let go of this as another spiritual goal.

Yes, I have some judgment of myself about not being able to do it. Yes, I am doing my best to release it.

Ultimately, I arrived at the insight that spiritual awakening does not only happen for us in the silence of prayer or meditation. It does not only happen when we remove ourselves from the world of technology and media. It does not only happen when we are seeking it. In fact, it rarely if ever happens when we are seeking it. Instead, it happens in every moment of every day when we are open and receptive to it.

Every tree, every bird, every blade of grass, every rabbit, every squirrel, every elk, every deer, every person, indeed, every thing is alive with the One Life Energy and every moment is alive with the potential and possibility for us to awaken to and bear witness to it.

We awaken to our spiritual nature, not only by connecting consciously with our individual expression of the One Life Energy, but when we consciously connect with the spiritual nature of all creation.

For many, including me, being in nature helps to facilitate this awakening. However, it is not the source. The awakening happens within us as we recognize and deeply realize the One Life Energy that not only expresses as all visible creation, but also exists in the field of invisible Life Energy in the space between.

We are ever connected in and through this One Life Energy by whatever name or nature we know it to be. We only need open our hearts to sense it.

I offer this as a suggested practice –

Select an object of focus. I suggest a plant, animal, or something that you consider sentient

Close your eyes and take a deep cleansing breath

Breathe  deeply and focus your awareness in the area of your physical heart

Take another deep breath and invite your awareness to sink deeper into your emotional heart

Stop for a moment to feel what is arising there, without resistance or judgment

Take another deep breath and invite your awareness to sink even deeper into your spiritual heart

Feel your spiritual heart open wide

If you sense any resistance or heaviness, keep breathing deeply until you sense it open

Softly open your eyes so that they are not completely focused but a bit blurry

Gaze upon your chosen object of focus

Invite your awareness to observe the energy field around it

Gaze deeper and invite your awareness to witness the energy field within it

With your heart wide open, invite awareness of the energy field that is flowing between you

You may see it as color, as waves, as sparkling light. Just allow it to reveal itself to you

Bear witness to the energy connection you share with this object

Breathe deeply, focusing in your heart once again

Bring your awareness back to your emotional heart noticing what is arising there, again without resistance or judgment

Once again, with a deep breath bring your awareness back to your physical heart

Breathe normally and when you are ready open your eyes

I have recorded this visualization. Please click the link below to listen and follow.

I encourage this as a practice, especially when feeling separate and alone. It is a clear reminder that we are always connected to and a part of the One Life Energy that imbues all. Every moment can be a spiritual awakening, anywhere, anytime.

What Were You Thinking?

My prayer partner said something during our weekly call this week that hit me like the proverbial “ton of bricks.”

We began our call commiserating about the challenges of ministry in the virtual age. She shared with me that she had officiated her first virtual memorial service the night before our call. She talked about her anxiety and concern regarding the technology learning curve. She expressed her sadness about the lack of personal connection.

I expressed my struggles with getting accustomed to speaking to a camera, rather than to people. I talked about how I miss the human connection and being in the flow of the energy which has always been such an invaluable aspect of Sunday service. I shared with her how the energy of the building seems so different now that there is so little activity going on and how I miss the vital aliveness that we had before we suspended meetings here.

Almost in unison, we said “ministry is difficult and challenging right now.” Then, she said, “I just heard what I said. I have been affirming that ministry is hard. Is it any wonder that that is what I am experiencing?”

That’s when it hit me. I have been affirming the same things. That is the energy vibration that I have been resonating. And, I have been feeling the effects of it. At times, I have felt weary. I have felt apathy. I have been uninspired. I have trudged through my days with very little enthusiasm or joy. Is it any wonder?

Yes, two Unity ministers who teach the power of our thoughts/feelings and words, were not practicing what we “preach.” In fact, we were practicing the opposite of what we “preach.”

To top it off, I have been facilitating a class on The Five Basic Unity Principles, one of which states that we experience life according to our way of thinking and feeling.

My prayer partner and I agreed that we are going to change the vibration of our thoughts/feelings and words about ministry in the virtual age. We are going to affirm that ministry is exciting and full of opportunities for us to learn and grow in our capacities to master technology, learn and practice new ways of staying connected to our community, and embrace innovative, leading-edge, transformational teaching in our respective ministries.

I share this with you as an example of how easy it is to get sucked into the vortex of negativity. It is important for each of us to check in with ourselves and become aware of the energy of our thoughts/feelings and words. It is especially true given the gravity and complexity of the energy of the collective consciousness today concerning the pandemic, racial justice, and the political tension, all of which are permeated with the energy of fear.  

I encourage us all to continue to condition our minds with Truth through prayer, meditation, contemplation, denials and affirmations. We have the power to choose where we will place our attention and choose the thoughts to which we give power. We are not only affecting our current experience, but we are also shaping our future, both individually and collectively. Let us choose wisely.