Morning Prayer 22/100. Here and now

Here and now. Here. Now. Not there. Here. Not then. Now.

Presence is a matter of time and space. Being present is a call to be here, now. Here and now. This place. This time.

The here part is about mindfulness. Being conscious of the environment, the situation, the surroundings — even to the minutia. Savoring the clouds that look like animals. Hearing the whispering rush of water from the faucet. Smiling to the rhythmic breath of the sleeping dog.

The now part is about time, being present for the moment, being grounded in the present moment. This is the moment that matters because this is the only moment that is real. And as soon as I wrap my mind around that idea, another moment has taken its place. Then another. Then another.

Here and now. Value to each. Sometime, someplace I have difficulty with both. I’m busy looking forward to whatever I’m preparing for. Eager to be to wherever I’m going. Eager to have finished whatever’s taking my time and energy.

Yesterday I went for my first run in over 2 weeks. Beautiful morning, legs felt great. About 10 minutes into the run I realized my mind was entirely on getting back to running: how many runs this week and what routes I’lll take and how many minutes, how many miles I will run. I literally stopped and shook my head to clear out all that nonsense.

I realized the waste. I was wasting appreciation, wasting awareness, wasting enjoyment, focus, pleasure, achievement, reward. Being present to the here and the now– or to the One HereandNow it truly is — its own reward. I reminded me I was running for the enjoyment of running. Here. Now.

This is the moment that matters. What has already happened is no more. If it had an effect on our now, that’s present but whatever happened back then and caused it is no more. And if we’re working for something yet to happen, it’s not real either. Not yet = not real. The work we’re doing to bring it about, that’s real.

Remembering those two things make it easier for me to stay HandN.

Living, loving Presence,
I enjoy your reminders that your Presence
that fills me
is of the present.
I savor your signs that at every moment
and in every place
you are with me, I am with you.
I relish being called back from thinking ahead
or looking back,
from being there instead of here, now.
Attention to this very moment’s breath,
the smile at this specific instant,
the carpet beneath my bare feet where I stand
right now grounds me.
And so it is. And so I choose to let it be.
Thank you, God!

Love and blessings,

08/10/2015

Morning Prayer 21/100. Enthusiasm

Nothing great was every achieved without enthusiasm. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Enthusiasm is such a powerful word. Its Greek root is enthous which means inspired. That originated from en + theos, meaning in + god, or God within. 

So does your enthusiasm come to you from its outside source, such as a hobby, a learning opportunity, a spiritual discovery? Or do you generate your own enthusiasm in advance to motivate your engagement?

Or do both happen, as in a self-fulfilling enthusiasm? I get excited about a round of gold and playing it (even poorly) wants me to play again. I am motivated to compose these Morning Prayers and writing one makes me look forward to the next. I love to pray for someone and to hear someone pray for me; those create AHA awareness that increases my spiritual enthusiasm.

What charges your spiritual enthusiasm?

Then what super-charges it?

There are many synonyms for enthusiasm. To which are you attracted?

eagerness, keenness, ardor, fervor, passion, zeal, zest, gusto,

energy, verve, vigor, vehemence, fire, spirit

What do you do if your spiritual enthusiasm ever needs a jump-start?

 Power, Presence and Passion
the divine spark you place in each of us
ignites our desire to know and share
Oneness with you and with all others.
The heart-mind wisdom you impart
allows us the know-how to keep that spark
alive and firing.
The tools you provide ensure that our
spiritual engine is fully charged
with your enthusiasm:
Praying. Walking at sunrise. Listening to rain showers.
Smiling at others. Lending a hand. Remembering “thank you”.
Walking at sunset. Hearing bird songs. Sipping water.
Dining with others.
All these and infinitely more.
And so it is. And so we thank you, God.
Amen.

Love and blessings,

08/06/2015

Morning Prayer 20/100. Gratitude

If you don’t know the language of gratitude, you’ll not be on speaking terms with happiness. (Unknown source)

Meister Eckhardt said that if “Thank you!” is the only prayer one ever says, that will be enough.

I’m delighted to be discovering/uncovering more and more ways to be aware of my gratitude. That means in turn I am discovering/uncovering the benefits that brings. Quite simply, the more I feel and express and share my thanks, the more reasons I find. A Pandora’s box in the positive.

All sorts of scientific evidence show that gratitude pays off. Follow the links for interesting reading!

• Feeling that “life is better“
• Increased energy and exercise
• More eagerness to do good for others
• Stronger primary relationships
• Improved health and motility
• And more….

And there are all sorts of non-scientific ways to tap into your gratitude, to know your gratitude, and to bring the additional benefits gratitude brings. (The Return on Gratitude: the ROG?)

• Write a simple list of all the things for which you’re grateful. Give yourself plenty of time to realize all the gratitudes you know. Maybe a couple of returns to the list. Read the list frequently, regularly. Reflect on the items as you read.
• Write an everyday list every day. It’s a list you write every day and it itemizes the everyday things for which you’re grateful. I write mine (“Top Ten Thankful Tankful”) every morning.
• Make sure you share your gratitude with someone every day. Tell them what brings you gratitude. Invite them to share theirs with you.
• Let someone know that you are thankful they are in your life. Let them know how they create that gratitude.

I am thankful for being led to write this. Thank you for any thoughts you wish to share.

God of Blessings, God of Thanks,
you provide so many reasons for my gratitude
and all have meaning, from the most minuscule
to the most outstanding.
You fill my heart with Peace and Joy.
You fill my mind with your Awareness.
You fill my body with laughter and health,
with energy and ability.
You bring me through my senses appreciation
of the world we share.
You bring me through my awareness belief
in the Truth we are.
You bring me through my spirit faith
that we are One.
God, thank you for all that is.
Thank you that I AM.
And so it is.
Amen.

Love and blessings,

08/05/2015

Morning Prayer 19/100. I don’t know

I don’t know. Three of the hardest words for a Westerner to say.

I don’t know. Three of the most meaningful words for anyone to say.

I don’t know for sure. But I’m thinking that admitting I don’t know, that I don’t have all the answers, that I don’t have even one answer is probably the greatest door-opener possible. This realization is partially thanks to the book by Levitt & Dubner: Think Like a Freak. And partially thanks to my bumping into the wall(s) of the box canyon I created by offering an on-the-spot answer instead of confessing, “I don’t know.”

Seems like admitting not knowing encourages either of two options. I like them both.

One option is to think about it > analyze it > determine the best experiment/research path > make the discovery. I began that 20 or so years ago when I wanted to know what I admitted I didn’t know about God, spirituality, faith, prayer. And the list goes on. Worked pretty well. Allowed me to unlearn as much as it allowed me to learn. And that allowed me to learn.

Which brought me to the other option: to open the mind/heart > allow what arrives some space and time > listen to what I hear > make the uncovery. An “uncovery” because what comes up, what is realized/learned/known was already there, already in me. This option allows me to uncover it.

Both options begin with the admission, I don’t know. And writing this I’m realizing there’s a third option: working both options together. I can look for discovery according to some plan. I can experience uncovery by actively receiving. I can do both.

All-knowing Spirit,
I celebrate the strength you grant me
to know I do not know,
to say I do not know,
to use that I not know.
Whatever means I choose to ramp up my awareness
you guide me to and through.
Whatever parts of me I use to grow my consciousness —
my mind, my heart, my senses —
you created for that purpose.
Spirit, thank you for the infinite ways
you let me know I AM One with you.
Even when I do not know.
And so it is. Amen.

Love and blessings,

08/04/2015

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