Pray. Meditate. Nourish Yourself.

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, January 29, 2017

Pray. Meditate. Nourish Yourself.

I have had a stressful several days. I am sick. I have a garden-variety cold, but it is particularly awful. (I feel particularly awful, too.)

I needed to take my daughter for an interview several hours away. We left on Friday morning, and came back yesterday evening. I felt like death warmed over yesterday morning, truly. However, I managed to get my daughter there and back again, and to all of the activities she needed to attend.

I really needed this reading from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book How to Sit tonight. He described practicing mindful sitting anywhere, even on a place like a train or a bus traveling to work in the morning. “You can create a meditation hall of your bus or your train. Use your time, wherever you are, to nourish and heal yourself.” [1]

What a concept! Nourishing and healing myself certainly sounds appealing, especially right now. (Especially with an awful cold.) When I slow down and concentrate on my breathing, and on allowing my muscles to relax, it is so beneficial to me and lowering my stress levels. When I am able to coax my tight shoulders and neck to relax and unwind, I feel so much better, in all kinds of ways.

Dear God, thanks for this excellent advice. Help me to not only read it, but to follow these excellent suggestions. It will be so good for me to practice these simple things. Thank You for such amazing suggestions that allow us to nourish and heal ourselves, from the inside out.

@chaplaineliza

 

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] How to Sit, Thich Nhat Hanh. (Berkeley, California: Parallax Press, 2014), 41.

Praying Through the Rain

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, October 27, 2016

 

Praying Through the Rain

Ordinarily, I like the rain. I enjoy walking in rain, on occasion. I especially relish retreating inside after a chilly, rainy walk, with the prospect of hot coffee or tea. Curling up with a good book and bundled in a warm, snuggly sweater.

Today was not one of those days. Today was a wet, dismal day. Mid to high thirties, so especially damp and chilled. Downright frigid, when the wind blew. My sister and I drove to a museum and toured a large house, a long ways from home—yes, through the raggedy rain, driving against the car’s windshield and windows.

Don’t get me wrong. It was wonderful for us to talk at length, and see some things along the way I had never seen before. However, it was a stressful trip. Especially stressful for my sister, who drove for a long way in mostly heavy traffic.

I sent up several quick prayers, requests for safety on the road.

Do you know about arrow prayers? An older acquaintance told me about what he referred to as arrow prayers. He would shoot them up to heaven, quick and straight. Just like arrows. He would fire them straight to God. A man who chose his words with care, a circumspect man, I thought that arrow prayers described his communication with God perfectly.

Accordingly, I sent up a few arrow prayers today. I thank God for responding. Answering. Calming my heart, and hopefully, my sister’s heart, too. Thanks, God, for being with us every step of the way.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er