Hinduism has a strong
tradition of
meditation, and uses
the whole body in
yoga to “still the
mind”.
I weave a silence to my lips…my mind…my
heart… Calm me, oh Lord, as you stilled the
storm. Still me, oh Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within me cease. Enfold me,
Lord, in your peace.
As a Christian….
….which opportunities can I use within my
spiritual tradition to worship with body and soul,
walking, kneeling, standing…?
….how can my faith help me towards stillness in
my life? Which images, hymns or stories can I
meditate on to help me find silence?
Photo by ~crystalina~ at http://flickr.com/photos/15396401@N00/11463203.
Five times a
day, Muslims
answer the
call to prayer
– getting up
before
sunrise,
interrupting
their work,
“reorientating”
themselves
towards
Mecca.
As a Christian…
…can I find a similar routine of prayer, that
takes precedence over whatever else may be
happening in my life? Can the texts and prayer
times of the Church help me to do so?
…can I become more confident with
presenting myself as a person who prays in
public, maybe letting people know that I am
praying for them?
In Judaism, there are many symbols that show a deep respect
for the word of God – it is written in the mezuzahs, which can be
found at the entrance of Jewish homes, and the Torah is never
touched by hand. A reading from the Torah marks the entry into
adulthood.
As a Christian…
…can I find more time to study the Bible, with a deeper
appreciation of God’s word as a gift , and an answer to the
questions life throws up?
…can I find a way of marking occasions with passages from
the Bible – in greeting cards, by going back to favourite texts
in difficult situations, by picking readings careful when
helping to organise a special Mass…?
Thus says the Lord:
‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do
not return without watering the earth, making it yield and
giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the
eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return
to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in
what it was sent to do.’
Isaiah 55:10-11
Sikhs carry a ceremonial dagger, the kirpan, which
reminds them that they are soldiers for justice
and peace.
As a Christian…
…are there any saints’ lives
that inspire me
God, help us to be
particularly in their
inspired by the
determination to fight for spirituality of other
peace and justice?
religions, so that we
may come closer to you
…how do I live out my call in our love and
friendship for others.
to help the weak and the
Amen.
poor in my daily life – in
decisions about what I buy,
in how I spend my time…