Opening Body Awareness Practice
With your eyes open and a soft focus, take and release three deep breaths before letting your breath return to normal. Gently close your eyes. Then feel the weight of your body on the chair, bed, or floor. Finally, take a minute to do a body scan: noticing how the body feels as you scan steadily down from the top of the head to the feet, not trying to change anything, just noticing. Close the practice with another deep breath, in and out.
The Sarum Prayer
God be in my head—and in my understanding
God be in my eyes—and in my looking
God be in my mouth—and in my speaking
God be in my heart—and in my thinking
God be at my end—and at my departing
Wisdom Portion
Proverbs 8: 1–11
Does not wisdom call,
Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights beside the way,
in the paths she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
“To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the sons of men.
O simple ones, learn prudence;
O foolish men, pay attention.
Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
They are all straight to him who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold;
for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
Words of Jesus Portion
John 7: 34–35
In response to objections by some regarding the company he kept, Jesus said, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Prayer for Loved Ones
Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth as you devote the next minute to naming your loved ones, presenting them in love before the one who is Love.
Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
Gratitude Practice
Today, identify one thing feel appreciation for: a person (living or passed on), a beloved pet, or houseplant, a recent kindness received, big or small. Fine to repeat earlier this week. Then place a hand over your heart, take in and release a nice deep breath, and rest your focus on the subject of your appreciation, the feeling of appreciation for a half a minute or so. Close with another deep breath.
The Sarum Prayer
God be in my head—and in my understanding
God be in my eyes—and in my looking
God be in my mouth—and in my speaking
God be in my heart—and in my thinking
God be at my end—and at my departing
Benediction
Psalm 121: 5–8
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. So go in peace, wash your hands, love your neighbor—you are not alone.