Peaceful, Centered + Connected
True Story: One time my heart was broken so badly I thought I would not recover. I prayed the most important prayer I've probably ever prayed. It was only two words, "Help me."
A voice from within said, "Read the Bible."
For 365 nights I sat quietly on the floor next to my daughter's bed as she drifted off to sleep and I read every verse. That was nearly 12 years ago and for 12 years I have tried my best to share what happened to me over those 365 days. I call it "the deal," but it's not a deal in a transactional kind of way. It's a deal in the "share your story so others might realize that you're not accessing something everyone doesn't have access to kind of way."
And so that's what I'm doing here. This is part of the deal... proclaiming the Good News of Access.
My mind becomes this intersection where I search for language and metaphors to respond to people I meet when they ask me, "What is contemplation?" My elevator speech about "what I do and what contemplative spiriutality is," has traversed hundreds of floors and still feels off. How do you describe the indescribable?
The thing about an elevator speech is it doesn't leave much space for experience or time for questions.
And that is what happened sitting on the floor 12 years ago reading with my broken heart. I was experiencing something and I had a lot of questions.
No one on elevators talks about broken hearts and sitting quietly in a room alone. Do they?
Perhaps if that changed, we would too.
But then, we'd need more floors.
A New Way to See the Good News
A new way to see the Good News is a short passage that may offer a fresh perspective or insight into the ancient collection of poems, letters, and stories known as the Bible.
"The dead animals were still on the ground, each animal cut into two pieces. Then a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the halves of the dead animals. So on that day the LORD made a promise and an agreement with Abram."
- Genesis 15:9-21
This ancient practice is where we get the term "to cut a deal" from. It comes from the ritual of cutting animals in half when making an agreement. The parties (both of them) would each pass between the halves of the dead animals and enter into a covenant with each other. The idea is that in making the agreement they were saying "may the same thing happen to me as just happened to these animals I cut up, if I break my end of the deal."
In Genesis 15 something subtle and extraordianary is happening. But first a little about smoking firepots and flaming torches...those signify the presence of God (remember, Moses and the burning bush?) Tradition would have it that both parties would pass through the halves and here, it is only the Presence of God. Those hearing this back in the day would have known this was not the way deals were done. A new covenant is happening...one with a God who holds up the entire agreement and Abram doesn't have to think about ending up like the animals should he fall short.
Until next time.
Grace + Ease,
Tia
New Course Coming in September
In the previous News + New Good Things I asked for your feedback on ideas for new offerings. Over 66% of you said you'd like a course on creating your contemplative practice toolkit to live a more connected life. Your feedback is appreciated and I'm excited to share the course has been designed! Here are the details for the virtual course begining September 28th.
Building Your Contemplative Toolkit: Essential Practices for a Balanced Life
Tools for Healing and Transformation
An immersive live virtual course where we explore transformative practices that connect your mind, heart, and body. This course allows us to experience and grow together in real time.
What You'll Experience
This course is rooted in ancient traditions and inspired by newly learned lessons. These practices have been my guide through uncertainty, fear, and anxiety, bringing healing in both personal and relational aspects of my life. Now, I’m sharing these transformative tools with you. Each session will provide a brief explanation of a contemplative meditation practice rooted in the Christian tradition, emphasizing how our mind, heart, and body work together to create a connected and fulfilling life and time to engage in each practice together.
You will:
Create Your Contemplative Toolkit
Throughout this course, you'll develop a personalized toolkit of contemplative practices and meditations. These tools will help you navigate daily challenges, fostering a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you. Whether you need to calm your mind, process emotions, or reconnect with your body, you'll have a range of practices to support you.
Deepen Your Understanding of Interconnected Practices
In this course, I will provide details illustrating how a variety of contemplative practices are related to each other. We'll explore how these practices can be better understood through the dynamics of our personal relationships and lived experiences. This holistic approach will help you see the interconnectedness of these practices and how they can enrich every aspect of your life.
Grow Your Intuition and Mind, Heart, and Body Integration
By listening to what our mind, heart, and body have to say, we begin to live a more connected life. Reflect on how you operate in the world. Are you someone who is often in your head? Do you feel a deep emotional connection with others? Or do you notice your feelings and emotions in your body first? Awakening to how God speaks through these Centers in the silence beneath our thoughts, the emotions of our heart, and the sensations in our body is valuable on our spiritual journey. This awareness can help maintain a consistent meditation practice, breaking cycles of frustration and creating space for grace.
What is Contemplation?
Imagine you have a special way to talk to God that goes beyond saying prayers. Father Thomas Keating explained it like this: Contemplation is when God's Spirit (like a very loving and powerful part of God) prays inside of us, and we say "Yes" to it.
It's a bit like having a quiet time where you feel very close to God, without needing to use lots of words. It's about being still and letting God's love fill you up from the inside. In the quiet of the practice, we're letting God do the talking and feeling in our hearts, and we simply agree to it and feel it deeply.
Think of Contemplative Prayer as an umbrella term. Under it are practices that support how we feel day-to-day and deeply impact how we show up in the world.
Course Highlights:
- Expert Guidance: Led by Tia, a seasoned meditation practitioner, spiritual mentor and teacher
- Personalized Support: Receive individualized feedback as questions arise.
- Community Connection: Join a supportive community of like-minded individuals on the same journey.
Your Journey Awaits. Join Us Live
Course Outline:
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Week 1: What to Expect, Framework for Building Your Toolkit
- Practice: Beginning to Listen and Trust (Tool #1)
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Week 2: How Friendships Illuminate Your Inner Wisdom
- Practice: Connecting Breath + Body (Tool #2)
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Week 3: Overthinking and Divine Connection
- Practice: Shaking Loose Thoughts (Tool #3)
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Week 4: When it Feels Like Your Prayers Aren’t Working + The Dark Night of Soul
- Practice: Focus, Sink, Relax (Tool #4)
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Week 5: Connection + Transformation
- Practice: Silence, Solitude, Stillness (Tool #5)
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Week 6: Living Your Life in Union
- Practice: Addressing Emotional Upset (Tool #6)
Ready to dive in? Enroll now and unlock the secrets to a richer and more fulfilling spiritual practice and connected life
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Building Your Contemplative Toolkit: Essential Practices for a Balanced Life
Tools for Healing and Transformation
A Live Virutal Course
Create Your Contemplative Toolkit... Read more |
