Reaching
Out
“Gratitude
unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and
more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion
into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home,
and a stranger into a friend.”
Melody
Beattie
We've
had a beautiful weekend here in Birmingham. Not too hot, a little
overcast, hardly typical of August in the deep South. For that I am
grateful. The spirituality group is now studying The Yoga of Jesus,
by Paramahansa Yogananda, a new way of looking at scripture through
the eyes and teachings of a Hindu Yogi. Yesterday we moved our
meeting place and created a meditation circle on the floor with an
altar in the middle, similar to the women's circles I participated in
in the 90's. That brought a sense of reverence to what we were doing
that hadn't been there before. It's surprising how creating a circle
and lighting a candle can change the atmosphere in a the room.
The
discussion yesterday centered around the question of what it means to
live a spiritual life. Is it the same as being religious? For me,
scripture provides a foundation, and how we express our faith in our
every day existence is the spiritual aspect. Experiencing the sacredness
in all aspects of living brings depth to the scriptures, and the
scriptures provide the framework for living a spiritual life. The two
are inseparable.
One
central theme of spirituality is gratitude. It is seeing the world
through grateful eyes—yes, even now, even in the these difficult
times. When there is nothing else to be grateful for, being grateful
for life itself can change one's internal atmosphere like the circle
and candle changed our room. When we're feeling down, hopeless and
helpless, making a list of all the things for which we are grateful
turns the tide from negative to positive.
I
am grateful for you today, and for this vehicle for reaching out,
knowing you are there on the other end reaching back. Have a
wonderful day.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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