The contemplative Christian tradition offers many simple spiritual practices, rooted in the invitation to simply “be” with God. These add depth and richness to your journey, whatever path you are on. – JCMI Core Value – The Contemplative Way
What does contemplative even mean? What does it mean to simply “be” with God? You may have heard of contemplative practices such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, or prayer. We lean into such practices, believing that we do so in and with the loving presence of the Spirit, God with us. We seek awareness of the Divine in a way that is holistic and beyond intellect. The Contemplative Way is a loving presence to what is, in the loving presence of Love itself. It is in God that we live and move and have our being. The world, and living in the world, can be chaotic, full of activity and “doing”. We can get so caught up in the “doing” that we disconnect from the essence and meaning of life: what it is to simply exist and be connected to something (or someone) greater than ourselves. As a result, our connection with ourselves and others can crumble. Contemplative practices help keep us connected to the very Spirit of Life… the one who meets us, just as we are.
This week, we had our first contemplative gathering with the start of Space to Breathe, a weekly, Wednesday morning, 30-minute gathering online. During Space to Breathe, we come together to start our day with time set aside to lean into the Spirit that is always present. For the coming weeks, we will be sharing from a book of meditations called Being Home by Gunilla Norris. Gunilla’s meditations help us discover the Holy through simple, everyday acts. Some titles of the meditations are Awakening, Standing, Walking, Looking in the mirror, Climbing Stairs, and Crossing the Threshold. Please join us! It is good to simply be with one another, along with the One who loves us. Email info@journeycenterofmichigan.org to receive the link. You can join us weekly, or when you are able.
Give yourself the gift of space to breathe.