Mindfulness

 Norma Hochgraf has introduced to our Tuesday morning Bible Study the concept and practice of mindfulness.  Mindfulness is a practice of one-pointed focus and awareness.  It is amazing to me how much our state of being is dependent upon what we put our minds on.   We can only really put our minds on one thing at a time but our minds dance onto and off of one thought and the other in rapid succession.  Sometimes we get so caught up in an idea it takes control of us.  The problem comes when it is the wrong idea.  It is like we are enchanted by it and placed under its spell.

Christian meditation and contemplation puts our mind on one thing; for example a word, a phrase, an image, breath, an activity or prayer.   By virtue of the practice our minds are taken off other things. Today I want to introduce to you a prayer that comes from the Navaho tradition.  Sit with these words in relaxed and prayerful contemplation when you do your daily prayer.  Put away distraction and center yourself with them. Address them to God out loud and return them silently.

O you who dwell in the house made of the dawn

In the house made of the evening twilight . . .

Where the dark mist curtains the doorway,

The path to which is on the rainbow . . .

I have made your sacrifice.

I have prepared these thoughts for you.

My feet restore for me.

My limbs restore for me.

My body restore for me.

My mind restore for me.

My voice restore for me.

Today, take away your spell from me.

Away from me you have taken it.

Far off from me you have taken it.

Happily I recover.

Happily my interior becomes cool.

Happily my eyes regain their power.

Happily my head becomes cool.

Happily my limbs regain their power.

Happily I hear again.

Happily for me the spell is taken off.

Happily I walk.

Impervious to pain, I walk.

Feeling light within, I walk . . .

In beauty I walk.

With beauty before me, I walk.

With beauty behind me, I walk.

With beauty below me, I walk.

With beauty beside me, I walk.

With beauty all around me, I walk.

It is finished with beauty.

It is finished with beauty.

It is finished with beauty.

This is the Christian prayer:

With God/Christ/Spirit before me, I walk.

With God/Christ/Spirit behind me, I walk.

With God/Christ/Spirit below me, I walk.

With God/Christ/Spirit beside me, I walk.

With God/Christ/Spirit all around me, I walk.

It is finished with God/Christ/Spirit.

It is finished with God/Christ/Spirit.

It is finished with God/Christ/Spirit.

The invitation of this prayer is to be aware of where your mind is focused, so often in a restricted sense of self, and look beyond it to a transcendent reality that is always present for us in the daily walk of our life.  Where we place our attention matters because it is there that we find our meaning.

In Christ,

+Pastor Will+