Beside Restful Waters

by Greg Hermann

Finally, the seventh homecoming is yourself. Begin by reflecting on your experiences of your mind and body. Consider how your experiences are valuable, important, and crucial. Invite all the parts of yourself into your awareness, including the parts of yourself that seem too ugly or overwhelming… Say welcome to yourself. Relax. Inhale. Exhale and come home to yourself.

Richard Wagamese

Embers: One Ojibways Meditations

I have never given thought to the welcoming of the experiences of my mind and body. Yet, as I ponder these experiences, I am moved by the fact that I take these for granted. We seem to frequently recall our memories with almost every social encounter, AND most especially when we are sharing pains and traumas.

I find it enjoyable to recall and welcome the fun, warm memories, and share them in the stories of friends and family. Our oldest daughter just held a surprise celebration for her husband’s graduation. The stories were rampant and filled with laughter and good-hearted harassment.

We are also experiencing the mourning as people gather to suffer the loss of a beloved daughter, sister, and friend. These stories too permeate each soul with a myriad of emotions. Some of these emotions are not immediately welcome but apparently necessary for individual and collective healing.

I share a final thought of a painful void. One of our daughters is adopted. She has not been able to connect with her birth parents. She speculates on their lives and the loss of relationship, history, and a sense of completeness she longs for.

I am sure you can ponder and welcome your own experiences of mind and body. I pray you are able to welcome the joy and the healing of these experiences. Also, reflect the sharing of these experiences and know their healing power to others.

Inhale ……. Exhale …….. I am grateful

Namaste’