Opening Thought: We often take for granted the presence of those closest to us. It is as if we take as a given that they will be there, always. This may not always be the case; one can be distant even if physically present in the same room.
Centering Meditation - From the Mindful Movement - Take 5 minutes out of your busy day to practice the meditation for gratitude. It is a great guided meditation for first thing in the morning or last thing before you drift off to sleep. I will sit on Thursdays at 7:00 pm and think of you.
Meditation Reflection: You can take your journal and write a few notes on your experience of this meditation.
Centering Poem: Our Centering Poem is Lockdown by Fr. Richard Hendrick,
Lockdown
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
Please do visit Grateful.org, where you will find this poem in its entirety
Grateful.org and their guiding principles:
“Guiding principles serve as comforting and catalyzing touchstones to help us live gratefully:
o Life Is a Gift.
o Everything Is Surprise.
o The Ordinary Is Extraordinary.
o Appreciation Is Generative.
o Love Is Transformative.
With the support of these reminders, grateful living weaves practices in many forms throughout the moments of our lives, which makes us more resilient and available to life. Moving through life with a grateful heart uplifts us, makes a difference for others, and helps change the world.”
Close reading – To do a close reading you take the text and read it first silently, and then out loud to connect with the language, the words, the story of the poem or text. Let the words seep into your body, let thoughts, images, emotions and memory surface. Highlight what you connect with, takes notes. What comes up for you? What words, sentences, thoughts stir something within you? Write your own poem or story, whatever comes up.
Centering Reflection & Writing:
As you read what you wrote reflect on the following: What do you notice? What are you aware of? What do you feel? What are you curious about? To reflect on the reflection is a practice of bibliotherapy.
Centering Ritual: Take an intentional moment to be really present with those closest to you. This can take many forms. Sitting quietly next to each other sending your caring intentions. It could be a call communicating your affection. Or a doodle shared as text
Apps: Google Collaborative Drawings and Scribbling
To learn more about these centering rituals check our page, Centering Ritual
Thank you Dr. Ortega for allowing me to use your centering rituals first published in Open Plaza. They have been the inspiration for grounding, centering, and creative self-expression. Today, I have used Dr. Ortega’s “opening thought”, recommended poem, and “centering ritual”. Other parts of todays centering were added by me.