Holy Week
For people of the Christian tradition of Spirituality, this is Holy Week. I have been pondering this tradition, as I was raised in a traditional Catholic religious practice. Over the past fifteen years or so, I have not been ‘practicing’ as a Catholic. However, I cannot remove 50 years of practice from my life experiences. Therefore, I have experienced some profound ponderings in recent weeks. The practice of lent has been one of those ponderings. Holy Week, being the last week of Lent, is now in front of me.
Catholicism, Christianity, 12 steps, Yoga, Spirituality of any source: One of the most powerful perspectives of these practices is that of making space. There seems to be a fundamental recognition that there is a Higher Power/God, and a lower power/evil. These cannot occupy the same space with ease and stability. Personally, when my lower power prevails, I experience extreme instability in mind, body and Spirit. My experiences with the Spiritual practices of Yoga, 12 steps, Ojibway/Native American, and Catholicism is a journey toward creating ever expanding space for the dwelling of my Higher Power/God. When I allow a vacuum, my lower power, especially my addiction, attacks in full force. My growing mindfulness demands my awareness of my sense of balance, ease and stability. My entire being is effected.
STEP 11
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
As I practice mindfulness, prayer and meditation, I am becoming more intimately aware of the many little escapes I use to make it appear (to myself and others) as if I am following my Higher Power/God. Honesty, satya, is working as dis-ease is more and more present during my little escapes. Hmmm!
This week is becoming an encounter with honesty for me:
Am I truly seeking the will of my Higher Power/God?
How do I recognize the will of my Higher Power/God?
How do I respond to my awareness of the will of my Higher Power/God?
Who is my Higher Power/God?
Who am I? Whose am I?
This week for me is a journey inside. I am compelled to make this a selfless journey. There in lies my challenge. However, I will take the challenge. Anyone else? Based on my past experiences, this type of journey has always left me beside restful waters. Today, the waters are a bit rough but I am sure that I am the cause of the turbulence. So, with surrender to my Higher Power/God, I expect the journey to smooth out. So I will practice surrender of will, pride, appetite…… I better stop here as this list can be very long.
Namaste’
Happy Easter