Opening Body Awareness Practice
With eyes open and a soft focus, take in and release three deep breaths before letting your breath return to normal. With the third out-breath, gently close your eyes. 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
Psalm Portion
Psalm 98: 4–9
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
For the Gift of Music
God we give thanks for the gift of music. For horn and flute for strings and drums, for crescendo and staccato, for the gift that gives our spirits a divine voice. Hear this prayer for those who write music, arranging sound, seeking beauty. Hear this prayer for those who play music, creating sound, releasing beauty. Make their music your vessel. Let heaven pour joy and sorrow, love and loss, through them. So that they overflow with your most secret prayers for you people, drawing others to your blessings. So that when we hear their music, our souls turn back to you for shelter. Amen — Bob Hostetler
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, accepting each as they are, and holding them in love to source of all 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
The Lord has promised good to us and we are surrounded by goodness in many expressions—visible and invisible, obvious and mysterious, clamoring for our attention and quietly waiting to be discovered. May the Spirit who lives in you attune you to the goodness in which you live and move and have your being.
So have a blessed day: go in peace, wash your hands, love your neighbor—you are not alone