If you have access to a houseplant nearby or a view of some trees or shrubbery outside your window, so much the better. We’ll make use of that in the word meditation portion today.
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
Words of Jesus Portion
Luke 10: 21
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”
Jesus, like many great spiritual teachers had a playful side, including freedom to express childlike delight—despite the struggles his life, the dramas, concerns, dangers, and conflicts. The Greek word [pneuma] translated here as Spirit, could also means wind or breath. In ancient times, the three were difficult to distinguish—the Spirit being God’s breath, the Spirit understood by Jesus and others, as wind.
Psalm Portion
Psalm 150: 6
Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord. Hallelujah!
If you like, use this Psalm portion as breath-prayer. For added enjoyment, keep your eyes open and if there’s a house plant in your line of sight, or some trees or bushes outside your window, have a few moments of spiritual communion with them. Call them to worship with the words of the Psalm, or just enjoy them.
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
Place a hand over your heart, and allow yourself to feel gratitude, appreciation, or delight in 3 good things that are part of your existence. Rest your awareness on gratitude for them or any others that come to mind over the next minute.
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.