Today, I am inviting you to a contemplation practice and I encourage you to extend the practice beyond just today if possible, all the way through Tuesday (Election Day) and the entire week ahead. Contemplation, like many spiritual practices, can be defined in varied ways. For this week, I am outlining a general definition of contemplation as "constant"remembrance, by repetition of, and reflection on, a specific word or phrase. This is similar to mantra meditation that is practiced by mental and usually silent, repetition of a word or phrase that serves to focus your attention as you let go of other thoughts and feelings as they arise. In meditation, attention and thoughts (and feelings of different types) come and go, and as we recognize that, we gently return our attention back to our mantra, and regain a relaxed state. When I say 'relaxed', I am specifically including muscle relaxation, throughout the body, as best we can. Of course there are other forms of meditation that involve imagery or sounds or movement, but the point for today, and the week ahead, is contemplation.
This contemplation is not just an intellectual exercise. It is a spiritual practice that is moving you toward new insight or understanding. Keep the practice easy; simply move through the day, into the evening and night, waking up the next day with your same word or phrase. Let it run through your mind throughout the day. When you forget, which you inevitably will, you forget. But, the practice itself will cycle back to you at some point and you will pick it up again.
This particular week, such a practice offers a fresh perspective, a personal spiritual perspective, however the election may be unfolding. Let it stay an undercurrent, moving inside you while you watch whatever updates and news, and otherwise go about your life. As it echoes in you, let it be private. If you want to share your experience with anyone, wait until you have completed the practice. And let it be positive; affirmations lend themselves well to contemplation. There is enough frightful speculation floating around this week; explore the Good. Consider your contemplation extending to, or connecting, with the larger Life, the All. A possible starting point might be a single word repetition like Peace, Healing, Love, Light, or Gratitude , or simply "Here." Or a phrase, "An Open Door", "Wisdom's Gift", "Newness of Life", "Where I Belong", or "It's all Grace", or from last weeks post, "Wonder unto Wonder".
Yesterday, when I sat to meditate, I realized I had not given myself a phrase to contemplate this week! So I sat in silence briefly, inviting the right phrase to come to me. Despite my advise to keep yours private until the week is done, I decided to share mine and the story behind it. I first practiced contemplation 45 years ago in a class designed by Albuquerque minister Helen Brungardt-Pope, that included 6 phrases for contemplation, to be practiced sequentially, one per week for six weeks. Initially, Larry Morris, was the teacher, but after the first meeting, he was suddenly hired as an English Professor at Eastern New Mexico University and left. Helen continued the class. While I did complete the contemplation sequence, the intensity peaked as I (along with Helen and Larry and several others from the group) attended a meditation retreat at the Grand Tetons. The class contemplation practice that week was "I am." One night during that retreat, walking back to my cabin through a moonlit field, repeating "I am", I had a life changing, self-shattering, mystical experience. In the years that later unfolded, Larry returned to Albuquerque, I began ministerial studies, Helen eventually left Albuquerque, and Hillside Church was formed. I do not remember the whole of the class practice; my life had changed. But in meditation yesterday, one of the phrases from that original class came to me for contemplation this week: "Thou art That."
Don't overthink this process. There will be pauses in your practice, when you find yourself, bringing the word(s) into new perspective for you at this time in your life. Life is change. Let Life lead you. (Susan Nettleton)
For Poetry: https://grateful.org/resource/today-when-i-could-do-nothing/ https://thevalueofsparrows.wordpress.com/.../poetry.../ https://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/.../Descendfromy/index.html
For Larry Morris' perspective-- https://hillsidesource.com/.../2018/6/16/motionless-doing...