Tag: prayer

Listening to the Silence

   It’s 11:00 in the morning and I have no writing done. I’m on deadline and I have no writing done. This is usually my cue to beat myself up emotionally which feeds all sorts of issues which if fed enough will trigger the chorus line of personal demons that I think most of us have in our heads. Once that chorus begins to chant their negative messages and dance their little dance not only is writing unlikely to happen today, but my day will be wrecked. I will be wrecked emotionally and it just goes downhill from there.
   Often when I’m behind in my morning routine for work I try to hit the writing hard and make up for lost time, sometimes that works, but not when my head has already started going dark. On days like that I’ve learned that I need to do one of two things, maybe both, get on the treadmill and walk off the black mood, and/or mediate. I light a candle and try to focus not on the stressful morning, or all the things that are feeding the bad day, but on listening to that still, small voice that we all have inside us. The voice of our good angels, our totems, our spirit guides, that little slice of God/Goddess that is there to help us if we take the time to listen. It’s hard when most days are so rushed, but I’ve learned that if I can take even a few moments to stand outside in the sun, or hug a tree, or do anything that helps me be still and truly listen, that there will be comfort, or wisdom, or I’ll think of something I didn’t think of before that helps. Think about how powerful that is, that inside each of us is a spark of the Divine that will guide us, teach us, steady us, and it is always there, if we enter the silence and listen for it. (For all you atheists out there, you have it too, maybe you call it consciences, or inner knowing, but it’s there.)
   I came away from meditation with this thought, “That there has to be chaos before there can be order. Sometimes you need that bad relationship in order to learn the lessons needed to have that wonderful relationship next time. Sometimes you lose an opportunity, because a better one is waiting for you. You make a mistake that turns out to be exactly what you needed to solve a major problem in your life/job/family/romance. A frustrating morning can lead to a life lesson that helps you find your way to a better afternoon, and to happier days in general.”
If I can hold onto this lesson, I’ve already put it in my journal, and I’m typing it here, then perhaps I won’t let the negative things drowned out the positive things, which I have a tendency to do.
   I meditated and then I allowed myself to sit in the big, comfy leather chair in my office, cuddle with one of my dogs, sip tea and read from the book I’d almost finished. It reminded me that life isn’t all about the rushing around and accomplishing goals, it’s also about working hard so you can have the time to enjoy the things that make you happy. Now, I feel ready to start on that second bottle of water of the day, and get back to working on the story that is due. I have hope that I’ll get through the majority of it today, which is a lot better attitude than I had before I took a few minutes to be still and listen.

Praying in Time


 

 

I went to a Christian college because it was the only college close enough to home for me to stay at home and take care of my grandmother.  Dr. Martin was head of the history and political science program and he was a man of strong faith.  I no longer remember what tragedy had happened, there were a lot of them when I was younger, but it was over and done with and I was in his office crying.  He said, “Let’s pray.”  I said, “But its over, you can’t pray for help when its over.”

His reply was this, that God and the angels are not trapped in time the same way that people are.  God does not live time in a linear fashion like a straight line.  God is everywhere all at once, so we could bow our heads and pray for help about something that had already happened.  
I am no longer Christian, I have been happily Wiccan for twenty years, but that moment of comfort, that thought that God, Goddess, Allah, Buddha, whatever name you use for your Deity is not trapped in time, but can move back and forth in a way that we cannot, I still believe that.  So let us pray.  Let us pray for the people, animals and land impacted by hurricane Harvey. Let us pray for all the people and animals suffering through the wild fires in the Western United States.  Let us pray for all those effected by the earthquake in Mexico.  Let us pray for those injured in the bombing in London.  Let us pray for all the countries and islands devastated by hurricane Irma.  Let us pray that help comes to those in need, not just for the electricity, the medical care, the food, clean water, clean clothing, sanitation, and all the rest that the survivors need to be well, but that our prayers reach them before each disaster, and during.  That the angels protect and keep them, that hope and comfort are there for everyone in that moment of fear.  That God and Goddess reach out to all that have been effected, even those that are not directly impacted, but lost in the overwhelming confusion of how to help.  Let us ask for guidance on where best to spend our time, our money, our goodwill to do the most good.  Let us send back in time prayers of hope and comfort, and let us pray forward that our world grows wise and better prepared.  Let us pray for the now, and find ways to give hope and comfort, and real aid to those who have been touched by all the horrible things that have happened recently.  If you can give money, then find a charity and donate.  If you don’t have extra cash wait until they have places that are needing donations of old clothes, and household items that will get to the survivors, or help those closer to home with donations of things that you no longer need or want.  If you can’t help those impacted by the hurricanes and the earthquake directly, then please find other people in need to help.  I believe if we all do what we can, even if it is simply to be kinder to the people we meet every day that we can take care of each other.  God doesn’t always come with angels and a heavenly light show, sometimes He comes in the shape of another person who offers a helping hand when we need it most.  Let us pray and then let us do something good.