Photograph compliments of Joshua Burgard
Today a small personal miracle occurred. I found my “sacred word”—–one that is very powerful for me and one I will only use within the context of centering prayer (CP). Just thinking this word brings me almost instant relaxation and a sense of well being—-of being safe in oneness with Creator. I am not saying this word will always do that, but today it did. I am grateful.
This morning when I used this word in our 11th Step Centering Prayer group it felt like I had found my way home and God was there greeting me with a big bear hug full of unspeakable love. It wasn’t an “aha” moment or even an epiphany. It was, however, a wonderful gift to have finally found my own personal shortcut to feeling intimately loved in the present presence of God.
To speak about my experience in too much detail detracts from its magic and the depth of its meaning, so I will stop trying to explain. Instead of wondering how and why, I choose to accept this gift with the faith of a child. This gift of relationship with Creator in the present moment just is.
Image courtesy of vectorolie/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
It is like waiting up on Christmas Eve hoping to finally catch a glimpse of Santa Claus and finally encountering him for real 61 years later. I have had previous “moments of encounter” before, but they were not initiated by my intentional voluntarily consent, surrender, and acceptance. One was drug initiated back in the 60s, and the others have been crisis initiated. Those encounters were just as real, and they were also awe-inspiring. But knowing that I now have a way to let myself be caught up in the magic whenever I want without having to experience a crisis or swallow a hallucinogen is a very exciting discovery.
Enough blathering. I tend to do that when I am excited about something. I hope this Saturday is being good to you. May God bless and keep you.
Living One Day at a Time 