Who here has some sort of magical movie or tv special that just is guaranteed to bring a smile of Joy to your face. Whether it be for nostalgic purposes, because it brings memories of sweet times or because it is a total escape, either one is legitimate. I personally get a chill any time I see that first Harry Potter movie and Hagrid looks at young harry at simply states …” you’re a wizard harry!”[1]
This week I feel we all could use a little magic. Just one word that will make this
easier. One word that would make the air
clean again, replace homes and charred forest in an instant, and allow families
to return to their beloved communities.
Unfortunately, there isn’t. For
many people, for many of our friends and families and even some of us. It will
be a while before things start to look normal again.
Even those of us who have lost nothing physically will still
be affected by these fires for a while.
Lines at the gas stations, the smoke and ash particles in the air. Maybe you need some dental work, like I did
this week. Well the offices are short staffed and cannot do anything till who
knows. Our beautiful country side will not look the same for a while and if you
use the medical facilities in Santa Rosa the street will not look the same.
Some may have lost long time visiting sites. Places we went to get away or beloved parts
of communities we visit. We all know
someone who knows someone who has been affected. It is weird bit when the catastrophe is far
off, another state or another country our hearts break and we do what we
can. But sometimes when it is in our own
back yard it becomes overwhelming.
There were four shelters in this area alone one minute we
see a newspaper article that states here are a list of things needed the next
day that list is no good they have too much.
The red cross needs volunteers and yet their phones are backed up and
messages are full. Our hearts are broken for our neighbors and yet, many of us
feel powerless to do anything. So, for now, we can hold our communities in
prayer.
But here in the midst of fire and devastation I do want to
clearly state, God did not do this. God did not allow this to happen. I just don’t believe Gods works that way. And
if you should hear of anyone saying so …ignore them.
Christopher Spatz writes of an experience with lymphoma;
“I never believed that God had bestowed this disease on me,
nor did I believe it would be taken away because I asked. The prayers I offered were for courage,
strength, tolerance, a fighting spirit, and confidence in making the best
decisions. I refused to be fearful or despair. Rather, I made a choice to live
one day at a time and expect to be part of the future. I was open to and cognizant
of loving and being loved, and aware of the care and compassion extended to me
from many sources. I was humbled by sincere expressions of support from
coworkers, acquaintances on social media, and friends and family. I learned that
I was placed on peoples’ prayers lists most of whom I didn’t know.”[2]
Offering words of courage, offering strength when someone
feels they have none, just being that calming presence to a friend or a loved
one can help. Prayers, prayers bring comfort, prayers offer encouragement and hope
to many people. As it was stated above
just knowing he was on prayers lists brought comfort.
As the immediate, passionate response calms down there will
be needs arising. The immediate response
was overwhelming and great but this is not a thing that gets fixed quickly or
easily. Just as there are stages to grief, there are stages to recovery. But
the first thing anyone needs is compassion and empathy. But we cannot offer
that unless we ourselves are in a good place.
We need to be present.
Be present to yourself. In the
midst of all this, things are changing and that change is frustrating, scary,
sad, makes us angry, and can leave us hurt. The stress of just wondering if the
fires may move in our direction at any given moment, being constantly on edge
because we can smell fire. Just the aroma of fire, in our minds consciously or
not, means danger and puts us on edge.
So, check in with yourself. What is your emotional state? How are you feeling? Have you been finding it hard to sleep? Are you more tense than usual? Maybe you find yourself with a short
temper. This is all normal we are living
in a very stress filled situation this week.
One thing we can all do is try to relieve some of that
stress. Now it may be hard. It means taking time out to first acknowledge
your emotional state. We have to pause
and just see how we are feeling. Right now, I would encourage you Four times a
day find a quiet place. I do not care if this is on a bench on the sidewalk, in
your office or if you have to lock yourself in a bathroom for a few
minutes. Find a quite space.
“Tune into your body. Your body often sends physical cues
about how you’re feeling. Perhaps your shoulders are tense, you’re walking
quicker than normal, or your heart is racing. Perhaps you’re sitting more
slumped than normal, you are talking less in a meeting, or your muscles are
heavy and tired. Notice these physical cues, and let them serve as a reminder
to check in with yourself.”
Our bodies are fantastic things and they give us
signs on just how we are feeling. When
you pause just notice what you are physically feeling. Do not judge your body
or its aspects, pay gentle loving attention. Do not dismiss anything as
arbitrary. This is time to say what is
that pain, what is that tension, oh my I actually have a headache.
“Take a deep breath. Take a slow and full
breath, taking your time to notice your deep inhale and your deep exhale. This
helps to slow down your mind, reduce distractions, and focus you in on your experience.”
This needs to be a moment just for a you and a deep
breath helps to you pause and according to Harvard health “Deep abdominal
breathing encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of
incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, this type of
breathing slows the heartbeat and can lower or stabilize blood pressure.”[3]
This deep breath also centers you and establishes
that this moment in time is just for you.
“Ask the question. Use the simple question, “How am I
feeling?” Make it even more specific by tagging what you are doing at the
moment to the end of question. For example, “How am I feeling as I’m walking
down the hall?” “How am I feeling as I’m driving to work? “How am I feeling as
I climb into bed?” Adding the action, you’re currently doing will help focus
your brain on this moment.”
The key question is How.
How am I feeling is a non-judgmental practice. You are not taking this time to pass
judgement on yourself. This isn’t why am
I feeling this way? Or I don’t have time
for this emotion right now. This is
about being honest with ourselves. How am I felling while I am in the midst of
this day at this time and place?
You then answer
“Use descriptive words to capture how you feel in the
moment. … the concept of using specific, tailored, and detailed words to
describe your experience is incredibly important when doing emotional check-in.”[4]
I am sure we all know
descriptive words here are a few that we often may not think of:
Abandoned, Afraid, Agitated, Alarmed- fear is a natural
response to the unknown but we can see that expressive words may help us
discover better descriptors of our emotional state that we have not considered
before.
Baffled, Betrayed, Bewildered, Blissful -confusion is a
normal response to stressful situations but at this moment, when you pause,
perhaps you have had some good news or fun and you are blissful. There can be joyous moments in the worst of
times and acknowledging that and allow yourself to experience joy. Joy is
perfectly Good.
“Repeat daily. Then twice daily, then three times daily. The
more you practice, the easier this process will be, eventually becoming a
habit.
Remember, the more we know what we’re feeling in a
given moment, the more we can do something about it. Emotional
awareness of what’s happening in the current moment provides an opportunity that
we can do something to feel very different in the next moment.”[5]
This simple practice is empowering. It allows you to not only be aware of your
emotions but it is a way to make sure that your emotions are not controlling
you in negative ways. This helps you to ease into where you are spiritually at
any given moment.
Wait I thought we were talking about emotions but now you
just said spiritually.
Like most everything healthy, emotional check ins take some
time and effort at first. It may not feel natural or easy, and that’s ok. Pick
an activity you do daily and connect your check in to that activity, keeping
yourself accountable. You may want to set an alert on your phone or keep a
sticky note nearby to serve as a reminder. Continue to practice. You will start
to notice a difference, an increased level of awareness. A powerful opportunity
to do something different.
Now you may be thinking why is our pastor giving us this touchy-feely
tool. This practice some of you may be
aware of as called mindfulness. “Mindfulness meditation is the practice of
bringing gentle, accepting attention to present moment thoughts, emotions, and
body sensations. While the immediate goal is not to change or improve what’s
happening, the practice of bringing friendly awareness to our internal
experience can decrease stress and improve coping with challenges.”[6]
And I would add connect us to God.
As we acknowledge our emotions and check in with ourselves,
no matter what state we are in, we can always consciously acknowledge that God
is here or even ask ourselves where is God in this and wait for an answer to
come…or not, because sometime the answer is silence. Sometimes the answer
doesn’t come. Sometimes the silence is the answer.
I want to leave you with a long quote from a great mystic
whom I am fond of. Her most famous quote is on the cover of the bulletin.
Julian of Norwich (c. 8 November 1342 – c. 1416) was an English anchoress and
an important Christian mystic and theologian. Her Revelations of Divine Love,
written around 1395, is the first book in the English language known to have
been written by a woman. Julian was also known as a spiritual authority within
her community, where she also served as a counsellor and advisor. I have always
found great comfort in her words;
Thus, in our true Mother, Jesus,
our life is grounded,
In his own foreseeing Wisdom from
without beginning,
With the high Power of the Father
And the high supreme Goodness of
the holy Spirit.
In the taking of our human nature
He restores life to us, and His
blessed dying on the cross, he birthed us into
endless life.
And from that time, and now, and
until Doomsday,
He feeds us and helps us
Just as high matchless nature of
motherhood wills
And as the natural need of childhood
requires.
Fair and sweet is our heavenly
Mother in the eyes of our soul;
Precious and loving are His
grace-filled children in the eyes of our
Heavenly Mother,
With gentleness and humility and
all fair virtues that are proper
To children in nature.
Furthermore,
By nature the child does not
despair the mother’s love;
By nature the child does not take
responsibility upon itself;
By nature the child loves the
mother
And each one the other.
These are the fair virtues (with
all others that are like them) with
Which our heavenly Mother is
Honored and pleased.
I recognize no state in this life
Greater in weakness,
And in lack of power and
intelligence than our childhood,
Until the time that our
grace-filled Mother has brought us up to our Father’s bliss.
And then truly be made known to
us His meaning in these sweet
Words where Christ says:
“All shall be well;
And thou shalt see for they self
that all manner of things
shall be well.”[7]
In this quote from her long reflection she reassures us as children of
our Heavenly Mother Jesus, we are in love. As Christians this reassurance even
when we cannot comprehend all that is happening around us, even when there is
despair, chaos confusion. In our hour of
need to do something when it seems all is out of our hands. We have the Mother Jesus reassurance that we
are loved and held in his loving grace..
“But Jesus (who in this vision informed me of all that I needed)
Answered by this word and said:
“…But all shall be well, and all shall be well,
And all manner of things shall be well.”[8]
Jesus doesn’t promise us all will be perfect. Jesus doesn’t promise us all will be the
same, Jesus doesn’t even offer us a quick fix.
But Jesus offers us compassion, Jesus offers us rest, Jesus offers us
grace and Jesus offers us reassurance that All shall be well. So when things
are overwhelming and you do not have a moment to take inventory or paused and
find a quiet space. I have always found
comfort in her words and I often repeat them as a prayer…even out loud sometimes
all shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.
Amen!
[2] Christopher
Spatz, “The Exhilirations of Lymphoma: A Year Int He Life,” Oneing an alternative
Orthdoxy 5, no. 1: 79.
[3] Harvard Health,
“Taske deep Breath,” Harvard university, May, 2009, accessed October 12, 2017,
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/take-a-deep-breath.
[4] Allison Niebes
Davis, “The Power of Emotional Check Ins and 5 Steps to Help You Get Started,”
Dr. Allison, 2017, accessed October 12, 2017,
http://drallisonanswers.com/mindfulness/the-power-of-emotional-check-ins-and-5-steps-to-help-you-get-started.
[6] Northeastern
University, Mindfulness and Spiritual Practices, 2012, accessed October 12,
2017,
http://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/mindfulness-and-spiritual-practices/.
No comments:
Post a Comment