JOIN US THIS LENTEN SEASON FOR SIX CONTEMPLATIVE COMMUNION SERVICES To Cultivate Happiness A LENTEN JOURNEY Breath as a Path of Transformation Reflection Live Music Silent Contemplation The Sacrament of Bread and Wine Metropolitan will offer a Contemplative Communion Service on each of the Six Sunday Nights in Lent 2014: March 9, 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13 7:00-8:30 PM the Sanctuary Senior Pastor Charlie Parker, and Drema McAllister-Wilson, Minister for Congregational Care, will lead this liturgy of healing and renewal with Bruce Caviness as organist and Music Director. This service is for all who seek a deeper encounter with the Holy Spirit. Come to one or all of these evening celebrations sponsored by our Ministries of Worship and Caring with support from the United Methodist Women (UMW) of the Metropolitan Cooperative Parish as their annual “Call to Prayer and Contemplation.” Daily Lenten Devotions Ash Wednesday March 5 to Holy Saturday April 19, 2014 ALSO OFFERED DURING LENT 2014: Every Wednesday, 8:30 AM, the Sanctuary: One-hour Meditation group organized by Drema McAllister Wilson, Ann Cochran, Mary Jo Marchant, Betty Rogers Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church 3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 Lent 2014 Breathing is our most fundamentally natural act: it is the first thing we do when we enter the world, and the last thing we do when we leave. It happens all day long, every single day of our lives. And yet, breath is also one of our most powerful tools for focusing our spirits, quieting our minds, and listening to the voice of God. Because of this, all spiritual traditions across the globe include a focus on breath as a resource for prayer. As we enter this holy season of Lent, we will be spending some time focusing – both physically and metaphorically – on our breath. We are going to slow down our breathing and, by doing so, slow down our pace. We are going to step away from the constant busy chatter that is always in the background of our minds, and listen a little more closely to what God might be saying to us. This Lenten devotional is a gift to help you bring some focus to your breath: to the ways in which breath has been a metaphor for God’s movement and to the ways in which your actual breathing can help you to be more attuned to God’s movement. Take advantage of these weeks to breathe a little more deeply, a little more slowly, and to give yourself space to hear God’s voice. Lent is about letting go of the business and clutter, and to focus on “the one thing needful.” Claim this great gift. Create a little room in your life for God to move. And in this way prepare yourselves for the new life coming in Easter’s resurrection. Blessings, Rev. Dr. Charles Parker, Senior Pastor Reflections Reflections A LENTEN JOURNEY Breath as a Path to Transformation These daily Lenten devotionals invite you into a daily practice of cultivating greater awareness of your life-giving breath and its power to nurture, calm and heal. You might read the passage slowly, silently or aloud contemplate or “rest in the meaning” of the words enter a time of silence explore some act of self-expression such as writing a journal entry or making notes in this booklet close with prayer or meditation Or you might explore your own ways for reading these words with your heart into a deeper encounter with the healing power of your own breath. Blessings on your journey. Entering A Daily Practice For Cultivating Breath Awareness Ash Wednesday March 5 One of the best-known verses in the Bible is Genesis 2:7, “And the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.” This verse sets a pattern for the rest of the Bible, where breath is often equated with life itself. In fact, references to breath or breathing are frequent in the Bible, with many allusions to God as the giver of breath (and life) to humans and animals. The respiratory system has many distinctive design features, which show forth the providence of God. Breathing also illustrates our human vulnerability and complete dependence upon God. One easy experiment to show this is to try to hold our breath. For most of us, air hunger becomes painful well within a minute, and we would die in just a few more minutes if completely deprived of air. So, our breathing apparatus is one of our most vital systems— absolutely necessary to sustain us from moment to moment. ―“The Breath of Life: God’s Gift to All Creatures,” David Demick Holy Saturday April 19 I have traveled many moonless nights Cold and weary, with a babe inside And I wonder what I've done Holy Father you have come And chosen me now, to carry your son I am waiting, in a silent prayer I am frightened, by the load I bear In a world as cold as stone Must I walk this path alone? Be with me now, be with me now Do you wonder when you watch my face If a wiser one should have had my place? But I offer all I am for the mercy of your plan Help me be strong, help me be strong Help me be strong, help me [Chorus] Breath of Heaven, hold me together Be forever near me, breath of Heaven Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness, for you are holy Breath of Heaven ―”Breath of Heaven,” song by Jessica Simpson Good Friday April 18 Matthew 27:50 Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. Thursday March 6 In the [canon of the Hebrew Bible], the word ruach generally means wind, breath, mind, spirit. In a living creature (nephesh chayah), the ruach is the breath, whether of animals or humankind. God is the creator of ruach: "The ruach of God (from God) is in my nostrils" (Job 27:3). In God's hand is the ruach of all humankind is the principle of life that possesses reason, will, and conscience. The ruach imparts the divine image to humans, and is the animating dynamic which results in human nephesh, i.e. in a personal existence. When applied to God, the word ruach indicates creative activity and active power. The Spirit of God also works in providence, in redemption, in upholding and guiding his chosen ones, and in the empowering of the Messiah. As the ruach is to the created nephesh, so the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God) is to God Himself, part of God and identified with God. Ruach may be understood as the author of the animating dynamic of the created order, the underlying Principle of creation, and the One that imparts the nephesh to the entire universe. "The Ruach of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." (Genesis 1:2) "Behold, my Servant whom I uphold...I have put my Ruach upon him." (Isaiah 42:1) "And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him, and he opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: The Ruach of YHVH is upon me, because he has anointed me." (Luke 4:17-18a) ―From the Ruach Studies Portfolio Friday March 7 Holy Thursday April 17 Breath; Breathe; Breathing: Breth, Breth, Breath'-Ing: In the English Versions of the Bible of the Old Testament "breath" is the rendering of neshamah, and of ruach. These words differ but slightly in meaning, both signifying primarily "wind," then "breath," though the former suggests a gentler blowing, the latter often a blast. As applied to persons there is no very clear distinction between the words. Yet in general one may say that of the two, neshamah is employed preferably of breath regarded physiologically: "vital breath," hence, the vital principle: "Soul (animal) life"; while ruach (though it, too, sometimes signifies "vital breath") is the word generally employed where the breath is regarded physically-breath or blast as an act or force--and so is related to the will or the emotions, whence the meaning "spirit"--- also sometimes "thought," "purpose" . . . . Yet when employed of God they signify not of His own life, but of that imparted to His creatures. "Breathe" in English Versions of the Bible of the Old Testament requires no remark except at Psalms 27:12 ("such as breathe out cruelty"), from yaphach, "to breathe hard," "to snort" (compare Acts 9:1). In the New Testament "breath" (pnoe) occurs once in Acts 17:25 in the sense of vital principle, the gift of God. "Breathed" is employed in John 20:22 as our Lord's concrete symbolism of the giving of the Spirit. In Acts 9:1 Saul's "breathing threatening and slaughter" is literally "snorting," etc., and the nouns are partitive genitives, being the element of which he breathed. ― Essay on Sacred Breath by J. R. Van Pelt ... If the dead can come back to this earth and move unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night—amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours—always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or if the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. ― The Left Hand of God, Paul Hoffman Wednesday April 16 I needed to talk to my sister talk to her on the telephone I mean just as I used to every morning in the evening too whenever the grandchildren said a sentence that clasped both our hearts Saturday March 8 Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. Did you know? I called her phone rang four times you can imagine my breath stopped then there was a terrible telephonic noise a voice said this number is no longer in use how wonderful I thought I can call again they have not yet assigned her number to another person despite two years of absence due to death Your lungs have about 800 million alveolar air sacs It only takes about 1½ seconds for your heart to spread blood over a lung area of half a standard tennis court and then shunt it back into circulation. This happens about 100,000 times every day, usually totally automatically. The weight of the total blood circulated through your lungs each day is around 8 tons. In an average lifetime, this is double the weight of the giant aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. ― “I Needed to Talk to My Sister” by Grace Paley Yet: The work of breathing at rest only takes some 3–5% of the body’s energy consumption. To ensure smooth breathing without gasps, the basic nerve impulse controlling it is a “ramp” signal that begins weakly and increases steadily for about two seconds, then stops for three. ―Jerry Moore M.D. WEEK ONE: FIRST BREATH Tuesday April 15 Sunday March 9 . . . Then God sat down On the side of a hill where He could think; By a deep, wide river He sat down; With His head in His hands, God thought and thought, Till He thought, "I'll make me a man!" Up from the bed of the river God scooped the clay; And by the bank of the river He kneeled Him down; And there the great God Almighty Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky, Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night, Who rounded the earth in the middle of His hand; This Great God, Like a mammy bending over her baby, Kneeled down in the dust Toiling over a lump of clay Till He shaped it in His own image; Then into it He blew the breath of life, And man became a living soul. Amen. Amen. ― “The Creation,” John Weldon Johnson For once not arguing, we divide among ourselves the things she left; her mother's mother's swan brooch, her pilled and odorless brown coat, sturdy Timex, the night shirt she mended with clashing thread. The morning before, I sat by my mother's bed to ask her what she would like the paper to say about her life. It was like being read a story backwards, the reader becoming the child afraid to fall asleep. With the shift nurse helping and some baby oil, and trembling the way he did the day he slipped it on, my father bends over the quieted body I thought I saw breathe, and slides off her wedding ring. ―"Personal Effects,” Frannie Lindsay Monday April 14 After three days of sitting hard by the window following grief through the breath like a hunter who has tracked for days the blood spots of his injured prey I came to the lake where the deer had run exhausted refusing to save its life in the dark water Monday March 10 Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” In January of 1971, I entered my first intensive retreat. . . . . The first instructions were to be aware of my breath. The simplicity was shocking. AnapanaI as it is called is a fundamental practice for a number of reasons. The breath is natural and uncontrived. When I first began practicing, I would become anxious about the next breath, as though I had to create it. But if I said to myself, “You’re breathing anyway, you might as well just be aware of it,” I could relax. Being aware of the natural breath, we bring forth ease of mind and body. . . . and there it fell to ground in our mutual and respectful quiet I realized that I could simply settle back into the present. It felt startlingly balanced and completely right, as though I were returning to a natural home that I had been unknowingly missing. pierced by the pale diamond edge of the breath’s listening presence. . . . Awareness of the breath serves as a clear mirror, not for or against anything, but simply reflecting the moment, without the obstruction of concepts and judgments. We can freely let pass whatever arises in the mind, as we maintain attention on the breath. . . Returning to the breath, as we continually let go of these judgments, we give birth to compassion for ourselves. ― “Sitting Zen,” David Whyte ― A Heart as Wide as the World, Sharon Salzberg Tuesday March 11 WEEK SIX: LAST BREATH Palm Sunday April 13 I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.” ― The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath And then we ease him out of that worn-out body with a kiss, and he's gone like a whisper, the easiest breath. ― Mark Doty I had never before thought of how awful the relationship must be between the musician and his instrument. He has to fill it, this instrument, with the breath of life, his own. He has to make it do what he wants it to do. And a piano is just a piano. It's made out of so much wood and wires and little hammers and big ones, and ivory. While there's only so much you can do with it, the only way to find this out is to try; to try and make it do everything. ―Sonny's Blues, James Baldwin It's what makes the pancake hold still while you slip the spatula under it so fast it doesn't move, my father said standing by the stove. All motion stopped when he died. With his last breath the earth lurched to a halt and hung still on its axis, the atoms in the air coming to rest within their molecules, and in that moment something slid beneath me so fast I couldn't move. ― “Moment of Inertia,” Debra Spencer Saturday April 12 I know that I shall meet my fate Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate, Those that I guard I do not love; My country is Kiltartan Cross, My countrymen Kiltartan's poor, No likely end could bring them loss Or leave them happier than before. Nor law, nor duty bade me fight, Nor public men, nor cheering crowds, A lonely impulse of delight Drove to this tumult in the clouds; I balanced all, brought all to mind, The years to come seemed waste of breath, A waste of breath the years behind In balance with this life, this death. ― “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death,” William Butler Yeats Wednesday March 12 Ezekiel 37:5: Behold I will cause breath to enter you. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. So that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. Amma Syncletica said: In the beginning of the spiritual journey, there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and afterwards, ineffable joy. It is like those who wish to light a fire. At first their breath is choked with smoke and tears, until they obtain what they seek. As it is written, "Our God is a consuming fire; so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through gasping breath, tears and hard work. Abba Hyperichius said: Praise God continually with spiritual hymns and always remain in prayer and in this way you will be able to bear the burdens that come upon you. A traveler who is carrying a heavy load pauses from time to time and draws in deep breaths; it makes the journey easier and the burden lighter. ― From Sayings of the Desert Fathers Thursday March 13 Friday April 11 John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. .... Do not be amazed that I said to you, `You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Psalm 33:6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the Breath of His mouth all their host. O Breath of Life, come bend and break us, Humbly we confess our need. Then in your tenderness remake us, Revive, restore, for this we plead. O Breath of Love, come breathe within us, Renewing thought and will and heart. Come love of Christ, afresh to win us Revive your people in every part ―Excerpt from Hymn “O Breath of Life,” Bessie P. Head . Thursday April 10 The Shakuhachi flute is not like a recorder: it has no mouthpiece as such, and simply blowing in one end will not produce a sound. To play a note, your lips and mouth must become part of the instrument (how appropriate for an instrument also known as the Zen flute!). And it is this "oneness" of instrument and player that permits so much flexibility in pitch, tone, color, and loudness of playing. Friday March 14 Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu Buddhist, Sufi, or Zen. Not any religion or cultural system. I am not from the East or the West, not out of the ocean or up from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not composed of elements at all. I do not exist, Part of the discipline of mastering the flute is learning to deal with the frustrations inherent in learning to play it. That is why much of its study is dedicated to "forging the mind-body" - developing the intuitive, spiritual side of the performer as much as the musicianship itself. am not an entity in this world or in the next, did not descend from Adam and Eve or any Playing the shakuhachi in this context is called suizen, or "blowing Zen." To blow Zen, one requires great breath control; yet, after years of training and practice, the shakuhachi player strives not to try to control the breath at all. Instead the breath is observed. I belong to the beloved, have seen the two worlds as one and that one call to and know, The player "watches" the breath with a concentration that consumes both the observer and that which is being observed the player "becomes" the breathing. ―from a newsletter of the Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia origin story. My place is placeless, a trace of the traceless. Neither body or soul. first, last, outer, inner, only that breath breathing human being. ― “Only Breath,” Jalaluddin Rumi Saturday March 15 Wednesday April 9 God acts within every moment And creates the world with each breath Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me with life anew, That I may love what Thou dost love, And do what Thou wouldst do. He speaks from the center of the universe, In the silence beyond all thought. Mightier than the crash of a thunderstorm, Mightier than the roar of the sea, Is God’s voice silently speaking In the depth of the listening heart. ―Psalm 93: A Book of Psalms Selected & Adapted from the Hebrew, Stephen Mitchell Breathe on me, breath of God, Until my heart is pure, Until with Thee I will one will, To do and to endure. Breathe on me, breath of God, Blend all my soul with Thine, Until this earthly part of me Glows with Thy fire divine. Breathe on me, breath of God, So shall I never die, But live with Thee the perfect life Of Thine eternity. ―Hymn “Breath on Me Breath of God,” Edwin Hatch Tuesday April 8 WEEK TWO: BREATH WITHHELD Sunday March 16 The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes--- certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life. ―Robert Louis Stevenson Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies. ―Erich Fromm Ezekiel 37:4-14 Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, `O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.' "Thus says the Lord God to these bones, `Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. `I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.'" So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, `Thus says the Lord God, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life." So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, `Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.' "Therefore prophesy and say to them, `Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel." Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. "I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it," declares the Lord.'" Monday March 17 Monday April 7 Start living now. Stop saving the good china for that special occasion. Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes. Every day you are alive is a special occasion. Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God. To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. ―Mary Manin Morrissey Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath. ―Thich Nhat Hanh If you want to juggle eight flaming bowling pins, like the flying Karamazov Brothers, you’d practice with the pins a long time before you set them on fire. And you’d probably start with just two. That’s why we start with the breath. – Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There: A Mindful Retreat, Sylvia Boorstein ―Thomas Merton WEEK FIVE: BREATH OF PRAISE Tuesday March 18 Sunday April 6 Breathing just a little life flows without thought of each moment passing away draining into the next every drop of anticipation sucked dry of life's rich bounty unfolding in the unexpected joy of being alive. Breathing together of all things I find myself awakened revelling in every drop of anticipation dripping wet in the ripe, rich fruit of life flowing effortlessly into the unexpected joy of being alive. ― “I Am Breathing,” Mary Oliver Don’t let your throat tighten with fear. Take sips of breath all day and night. Before death closes your mouth. There is no love in me without your being, no breath without that. I once thought I could give up this longing, then thought again, “But I couldn’t continue being human”. ― “From Unseen Rain,” Jalaluddin Rumi Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again. ―The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh Wednesday March 19 Rather than allowing our response to affect our breathing, we can learn instead to let our breathing change our relationship to the event. ― Cyndi Lee Enough. These few words are enough. If not these words, this breath. If not this breath, this sitting here. This opening to the life we have refused again and again until now. Until now. ― “Enough,” David Whyte Saturday April 5 Get some sleep. Be friendly. It will help make you happy. Take a deep breath. Hope for everything. Expect nothing. Take care of things close to home first. Straighten up your room before you save the world. Then save the world. Be nice to people before they have a chance to behave badly. Don't stay angry about anything for more than a week, but don't forget what made you angry. Hold your anger out at arm's length and look at it, as if it were a glass ball. Then add it to your glass ball collection. Wear comfortable shoes. Do not spend too much time with large groups of people. Plan your day so you never have to rush. Show your appreciation to people who do things for you, even if you have paid them, even if they do favors you don't want. After dinner, wash the dishes. Calm down. Don't be too self-critical or too self-congratulatory. Don't think that progress exists. It doesn't. Imagine what you would like to see happen, and then don't do anything to make it impossible. Forgive your country every once in a while. If that is not possible, go to another one. If you feel tired, rest. Don't be depressed about growing older. It will make you feel even older. Which is depressing. Do one thing at a time. Be good. Be honest with yourself, diplomatic with others. Do not go crazy a lot. It's a waste of time. Drink plenty of water. When asked what you would like to drink, say, "Water, please." Take out the trash. When there's shooting in the street, don't go near the window. Love life. ―"How to be Perfect,” Ron Padgett Friday April 4 Wage peace with your breath. Breathe in firemen and rubble, breathe out whole buildings and flocks of redwing blackbirds. Breathe in terrorists and breathe out sleeping children and freshly mown fields. Breathe in confusion and breathe out maple trees. Breathe in the fallen and breathe out lifelong friendships intact. Wage peace with your listening: hearing sirens, pray loud. Remember your tools: flower seeds, clothes pins, clean rivers. Make soup. Play music, learn the word for thank you in three languages. Learn to knit, and make a hat. Think of chaos as dancing raspberries, imagine grief as the out-breath of beauty or the gesture of fish. Swim for the other side. Wage peace. Never has the world seemed so fresh and precious. Have a cup of tea and rejoice. Act as if armistice has already arrived. Don't wait another minute. ― “Wage Peace,” Mary Oliver Thursday March 20 Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” ―Stepping into Freedom, Thich Nhat Hanh I pass the spot where I almost died in a car crash; it happened fast— a stick turned into a snake. Our arms and hands pulled us out of it, our body cells wanting to live while our minds' dumb generals slept at headquarters. How easy it was to meet and talk with her— the other driver, our sideswiped cars askew at the roadside, moored in grass. It was gentle, intimate: we were brother and sister conspiring against dying. The heart took a deeper breath. We knew ourselves one with the sparrows and flies, and the red-haired trooper who wrote our information in his notebook. The trees looked new, and her face I was almost in love with: young, incredibly interesting. ― “Passing the Spot,” Robert Winner Friday March 21 I have left my wife at the airport, flying out to help our daughter whose baby will not eat. And I am driving on to Kent to hear some poets read tonight. I don't know what to do with myself when she leaves me like this. An old friend has decided to end our friendship. Another is breaking it off with his wife. I don't know what to say to any of this---life’s hard. And I say it aloud to myself, Living is hard, and drive further into the darkness, my headlights only going so far. Thursday April 3 When we focus our attention on the passage of breath, we break the usually continuous flow of thoughts of attachment, hostility and so forth, whatever they might be. This causes such thoughts to subside for the moment. Thus, by occupying the mind with our breath, we cleanse it of all positive and negative conceptual thoughts and thus remain in a neutral state of mind unspecified as either constructive or destructive. This is the meaning of the line in the root text, "Thoroughly clean out your state of awareness." This unspecified or neutral state of mind, cleaned out of all positive and negative conceptual thoughts, is the most conducive one to work with. Because such a state of mind is unburdened and supple, it is easier to generate it into a constructive state. --The Tradition of Mahamudra, H.H. the Dalai Lama with Alexander Berzin I sense my own tense breath, this fear we call stress, making it something else, hiding from all that is real. As I glide past Twin Lakes, flat bodies of water under stars, I hold the wheel gently, slowing my body to the road, and know again that this is just living, not a trauma nor dying, but a lingering pain reminding us that we are alive. ―”Following the Road,” Larry Smith You know that our breathing is the inhaling and exhaling of air. The organ that serves for this is the lungs that lie round the heart, so that the air passing through them thereby envelops the heart. Thus breathing is a natural way to the heart. And so, having collected your mind within you, lead it into the channel of breathing through which air reaches the heart and, together with this inhaled air; force your mind to descend into the heart and to remain there. ―Nicephorus the Solitary, 13th century Byzantine monk Wednesday, April 2 The soul is a breath of living spirit that with excellent sensitivity, permeates the entire body to give it life. Just so, the breath of the air makes the earth fruitful. Thus the air is the soul of the earth, moistening it, greening it. . . . There is the Music of Heaven in all things and we have forgotten how to hear it until we sing. . . . Underneath all the texts, all the sacred psalms and canticles, these watery varieties of sounds and silences, terrifying, mysterious, whirling and sometimes gestating and gentle must somehow be felt in the pulse, ebb, and flow of the music that sings in me. Saturday, March 22 Those who will not slip beneath the still surface on the well of grief turning downward through its black water to the place we cannot breathe will never know the source from which we drink, the secret water, cold and clear, My new song must float like a feather on the breath of God. nor find in the darkness glimmering the small round coins thrown by those who wished for something else. ― Hildegard de Bingen, a 12th Century German Benedictine Abbess, mystic, philosopher, composer ― “The Well of Grief,” David Whyte Your breathing should flow gracefully, like a river, like a water snake crossing the water, and not like a chain of rugged mountains or the gallop of a horse. To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching and sensing the breath should always be used. ― The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh WEEK THREE: BREATH OF CREATION Sunday March 23 I know plenty of people who find God most reliably in books, in buildings, and even in other people. I have found God in all of these places too, but the most reliable meeting place for me has always been Creation. Since I first became aware of the Divine Presence in that lit-up field in Kansas, I have known where to go when my own flame is guttering. To lie with my back flat on the fragrant ground is to receive a transfusion of the same power that makes the green blade rise. To remember that I am dirt and to dirt I shall return is to be given my life back again, if only for one present moment at a time. Where other people see acreage, timber, soil, and river frontage, I see God's body, or at least as much of it as I am able to see. In the only wisdom I have at my disposal, the Creator does not live apart from creation but spans and suffuses it. When I take a breath, God's Holy Spirit enters me. When a cricket speaks to me, I talk back. Like everything else on earth, I am an embodied soul, who leaps to life when I recognize my kin. If this makes me a pagan, then I am a grateful one.” ― Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith Tuesday April 1 There is one way of breathing that is shameful and constricted. Then, there is another way: a breath of love that takes you all the way to infinity. ― Jalaluddin Rumi In the beginning was – breath. Breath is life, movement. For Ilse Middendorf, it became the source of all being and the salt in the soup of life. Her renowned therapeutic method is “the experience of breath.” It was her dream to become a dancer. But her parents, who were textile traders in the Saxon town of Frankenberg, decided otherwise. Ilse was born in 1910. When she was twelve, she was in the garden when suddenly a voice within her said, “You need to breathe.” Her research was based on the reforms of the gymnastics movement and physical therapies in Germany. It was from Cornelius Veening, a Dutch depth psychologist and breath therapist, that she learned not to separate breath from the moment of feeling it. Breath is “now.” “Breath – is.” Intuitively, she found her way, “the experience of breath,” which addresses the wholeness of human beings. In Gerd Conradt’s film Ilse Middendorf Atem - Stimme der Seele, we see her in her 99th year, shortly before her death in 2009, small, delicate and almost transparent. Like a dancer, she lets breath turn into movement. Fine and permeable, fluency shimmers through every pore. We see her in her breath therapy sessions, energetic and listening. She was a master at deeply moving people and “aerating unawareness” with greater awareness. ―Tribute to the memory of Ilse Middendorf Monday March 31 Monday March 24 A lifetime is not what is between the moments of birth and death. Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so. A lifetime is one moment Between my two little breaths. The present, the here, the now, That's all the life I get. I live each moment in full, In kindness, in peace, without regret. ―Chade Meng, Taoist poet The practice is simply this: keep coming back to your breath during the day. Just take a moment. This will give your mind a steadiness and your breath a gracefulness.... There's so much to let go of, isn't there? Your nostalgia and your regrets. Your fantasies and your fears. What you think you want instead of what is happening right now. Just return to your Breath. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. ― Yoga: The Poetry of the Body, Rodney Yee O Great Spirit, Whose breath gives life to the world, And whose voice is heard in the soft breeze: We need your strength and wisdom. Cause us to walk in beauty. Give us eyes ever to behold the red and purple sunset. Make us wise so that we may understand what you have taught us. Help us learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Make us always ready to come to you with clean hands and steady eyes, So when life fades and breath ceases, like the fading sunset, Our spirits may come to you without shame. Amen. ― Traditional Native American Prayer to the Holy Spirit Tuesday March 25 Once again, we are reminded that awakening, or enlightenment is not the property of Buddhism, any more than Truth is the property of Christianity. Neither the Buddha nor the Christ belongs exclusively to the communities that were founded in their names. They belong to all people of goodwill, all who are attentive to the secret which lives in the depths of their Breath and their Consciousness. ― Compassion and Meditation: The Spiritual Dynamic between Buddhism and Christianity, Jean-Yves Leloup Let Your Mind Settle Like A Clear Forest Pool. To begin meditation, select a quiet time and place. Be seated on a cushion or chair, taking an erect yet relaxed posture. Close your eyes gently and bring a full, present attention to whatever you feel within and around you. Let your mind be spacious and your heart be kind and soft. As you sit, feel the sensations of your body. Then notice what sounds and feelings, thoughts and expectations are present. Allow them all to come and go, to rise and fall like the waves of the ocean. Be aware of the waves and rest seated in the midst of them. Allow yourself to become more and more still.In the center of all these waves, feel your breathing, your lifebreath. Let your attention feel the in-and-out breathing wherever you notice it, as coolness or tingling in the nose or throat, as a rising and falling of your chest or abdomen. Relax and softly rest your attention on each breath, feeling the movement in a steady, easy way. Let the breath breathe itself in any rhythm, long or short, soft or deep. As you feel each breath, concentrate and settle into its movement. Let all other sounds and sensations, thoughts and feelings continue to come and go like waves in the back ground. ― “Sitting Meditation,” author and meditation teacher Jack Kornfield WEEK FOUR: BREATH OF RELEASE Sunday March 30 Acts 2:1-4; 14-17: When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability….. Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young shall see visions and your old shall dream dreams.’” Saturday March 29 It is a common belief that we breathe with our lungs alone, but in point of fact, the work of breathing is done by the whole body. The lungs play a passive role in the respiratory process. Their expansion is produced by an enlargement, mostly downward, of the thoracic cavity; they collapse when that cavity is reduced. Proper breathing involves the muscles of the head, neck, thorax, and abdomen. Chronic tension in any part of the engaged muscles interferes with natural respiratory movements. Breathing is a rhythmic activity. Normally a person at rest makes approximately 16 to 17 respiratory incursions a minute. The rate is higher in infants and in states of excitement. It is lower in sleep and in depressed persons. The depth of the respiratory wave is another factor which varies with emotional states. Breathing becomes shallow when we are frightened or anxious. It deepens with relaxation, pleasure, and sleep. But above all, it is the quality of the respiratory movements that determines whether breathing is pleasurable or not . . . . The importance of breathing need hardly be stressed. It provides the oxygen for the metabolic processes; literally it supports the fires of life. But breath as "pneuma" is also the spirit or soul. We live in an ocean of air like fish in a body of water. By our breathing we are attuned to our atmosphere. If we inhibit our breathing we isolate ourselves from the medium in which we exist. ―The Voice of the Body, Alexander Lowen Wednesday March 26 Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here, And you must treat it as a powerful stranger, Must ask permission to know it and be known. The forest breathes. Listen. It answers, I have made this place around you, If you leave it you may come back again, saying Here. No two trees are the same to Raven. No two branches are the same to Wren. If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you, You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows Where you are. You must let it find you. “Lost,” An old Native American elder story rendered into modern English by David Wagoner, in The Heart Aroused - Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America by David Whyte Thursday March 27 At night, I open the window and ask the moon to come and press its face against mine. Breathe into me. Close the language-door and open the love-window. The moon won't use the door, only the window. .... No more words. In the name of this place we drink in with our breathing, stay quiet like a flower. So the night birds will start singing. ― Night and Sleep, Jalaluddin Rumi Friday March 28 Make a place to sit down. Sit down. Be quiet. You must depend upon affection, reading, knowledge, skill-more of each than you have-inspiration work, growing older, patience, for patience joins time to eternity… Breathe with unconditional breath the unconditioned air. Shun electric wire. Communicate slowly. Live a three-dimensional life; stay away from screens. Stay away from anything that obscures the place it is in. There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places. Accept what comes from silence. Make the best you can of it. Of the little words that come out of the silence, like prayers prayed back to the one who prays, make a poem that does not disturb the silence from which it came. ― “How to be a Poet (to remind myself),” Wendell Berry