Shelter for the Spirit

As we shelter in our homes during this crisis, how do we find solace for our spirits?  How do we calm the noise of our own thoughts and find peace amidst the constant din of news reports with scary statistics and dire sounding predictions?  How do we quell the fear that imagines our every sniffle to be a death sentence, that causes us to worry about the loved ones we cannot hug, and the circumstances we cannot control?

These are all good questions to ponder right now and I don't profess to have the answers for everyone, but I know what helps me.  I know that when I wake at 5:00 am. with fearful thoughts and worries for family members who live far away, I can breathe and pray, banishing the fear with every exhalation.  I can read Psalm 91 over and over, until its soothing assurances of protection infuse my soul with peace.  I can be still, focus on a single word or phrase, and meditate until the darkness and fear evaporate in the beautiful light of daybreak.

When the sun has risen, I can go outside, drink in the new light and fresh morning air, listen to the  birdsong and be thankful that in this moment, I am alive and well.  I can affirm that, in this moment, my body and spirit are sheltered, safe at home. From this place of calm and safety, I can pray for others, holding each person in the Light of peace and healing.

As the day unfolds, I can spend less time watching the news and more time in life-affirming activities: listening to music, walking in nature, working in the garden, cooking healthy food. I can practice mindfulness throughout my day, focusing only on what is right before me, and making a conscious effort not to entertain scary thoughts about future possibilities (the what ifs).  I can engage my senses in fully experiencing the sights, sounds, smells and sensations that surround me in each moment. 

 I can BE HERE NOW 

and find shelter for my spirit.

Embrace the Earth

The earth is crying out for us to listen, to pause, to heal. We are in the midst of a global pandemic that has left us feeling powerless; a virus has unleashed itself on the world, as if the earth sees us as the enemy and is fighting back in defense. We are forced to retreat to our homes, like turtles in their shells, trying to protect those we love, feeling isolated and perhaps alone and afraid. The very fabric of our society has been torn away and we grapple with our worries, our fears, those demons that we have been afraid to face, and the uncertainties and very real threats that lurk outside of our doors.

This moment can bring out the best in us or it can bring out the worst in us, a thought that echoes the opening words of Charles Dickens in the novel A Tale of Two Cities:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."

My daughter and I went for a walk in the park the other day, in the middle of a weekday afternoon, where we saw entire families walking together, and solitary people sitting on benches meditating, reading, or listening to music.

On social media, people share that they are baking, cooking, playing music, praying and finding authentic, experiential ways to school their children while working from home. We are using technology to our advantage, finding ways to connect virtually through Facetime and Zoom. This crisis is forcing us to engage mentally and spiritually rather than physically, in short to evolve to something higher.

The reality that we live in an interconnected world is starkly evident in the way the virus has spread.  This moment calls for world unity, a coming together of all faiths and creeds.  We are powerful spiritual beings who can meet this challenge.

 Many of us will eventually become ill with this virus; thankfully most of us will recover. We will be stronger, physically immune to its threat. Our economy will recover in time as well, although no doubt the world will be forever changed. What we do while in the midst of this will determine whether we become spiritually stronger through the experience.

This is a time to focus on the moment, be thankful for what is, listen to the earth's cry for healing and trust that in time, all will be well.
This Saturday, March 28, at 8:30 pm, your local time, the World Wildlife Fund has called for an "Earth Hour", an hour when "millions of people around the world will turn off lights for one hour to show their steadfast commitment to protecting nature...to show support for wildlife and forests, rivers and oceans, to rally around crucial actions needed to curb climate change". The earth will be bathed in an all-night vigil, as different time zones join throughout the world.

Please join me in lighting a candle and praying for the healing of the planet at this time.

A Time To Be Still

The world is coming to a standstill. Schools are closing, stores are reducing hours, restaurants are shutting their doors, international travel is banned. It's as if the earth is crying out: "enough! the busy, frantic pace of your lives, your excess and waste, your disregard for the planet, have become too much of a burden-if you won't slow down, I will force you to stop."  We have no choice but to be still.

A virus beyond our control has seized the attention of the world and we are all compelled to pause, to practice social distancing and become virtual in our interactions with each other. We are forced to rest, to think about self-care and practice good health habits, to spend time with our families.
Yes, there is stress and we can drive ourselves into a state of panic watching news reports and following the coronavirus updates on social media.  We are incredulous when we go to the grocery store and find the shelves picked clean of food and pandemic supplies like hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes. We may worry that there will not be enough for all when so many have hoarded food and supplies with no regard for the needs of others.


Yet when we spend time in prayer and meditation, we are given the gift of peace.  We are comforted with the certain faith that our daily bread will be provided and we will be protected in a seemingly dangerous world. We can reach out to make sure that those who are not able to care for themselves are helped. We can keep praying...something that the world needs now more than ever.

This morning, take a walk, breathe fresh air and be thankful for this pause.

In the words of William Wordsworth:

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune...

Reclaim nature and time to just be

Do Not Be Afraid

This day dawns golden and beautiful.....I breathe deeply and affirm peace and wholeness.  There is no fear in this space of peace and I trust that those I love are protected.

 The culture around us gives so much fodder for anxiety: the new virus, the ups and downs of the economy, the hatred spewed in politics and worldwide. I will not give in to this energy of fear, which can wake us in the middle of the night and fill us with dread.

The remedy for this anxiety, or fear of the unknown, is faith.  While fear wraps around us like dark tentacles and causes us to retreat like a turtle in a shell, faith gives us deep inner peace and motivates us to reach out in love.

Scientific studies have shown that negative emotions like fear and anger suppress our immune systems and make us more susceptible to things like the coronavirus, while positive emotions and the simple act of choosing joy each day can make our immune systems stronger.

So today, on this lovely almost spring morning, I will choose to give thanks, be joyful and banish fear.  I affirm that I am loved and protected. 

 As much as I open my heart to receive, Divine gifts will be given.

Return to Me

Spring is approaching - I can feel it in the air as I watch a flock of geese noisily returning home and smell the earth yielding to a warmer day.  As I gaze upwards at the perfect V-formation of geese, I wonder if they ever get lost, or if their instinct is so powerful that it guides them perfectly on their course.  This strikes a chord in me, as I think about how people can get lost as they chart their course in life, so they cannot find their way back to themselves and to God.  

We may choose a career path and then get so firmly entrenched in that identity  and the "hamster wheel" of daily survival that we lose sight of what originally made our heart sing.  Or it may be that a series of losses, failures or struggles cause us to give up hope, become discouraged and lose our way.  Some people succumb to an addiction and completely give up, rejecting themselves at their very core. 

Yesterday, I worked at a soup kitchen, where I see drug and alcohol addicted, mentally and physically ill people who seem to have lost their way, yet they come, seeking sustenance, a kind smile, and a little companionship to light their day.  I often wonder what their stories are; what led them to this place, what charted their course and caused them to give up on hope and a future.  Some may be here only temporarily, others cannot find their way at all.

When someone is lost, how does he or she find his or her way back, to their deepest, truest self, to the God who created them in their mother's womb?  By asking to be God's hands and by showing them love, respect and caring, by connecting with them at their core, can we make a difference?

I do not really know the answers to these questions, although I have a sense that, yes, we can make a difference, in our own lives and in the lives of others. 

We can start by becoming still, looking within and asking ourselves, "what is there for me to do on this precious day, this ever unfolding moment?" If there is uncertainty, discomfort, or pain, pray for clarity, and then spend some time listening.  When answers come, act and be open to change and renewal.  We can plant seeds, water them and then stand back and wait for transformation.

Spring is coming!