Holy, Wholly, Hole-ly listening in personal retreat and quiet time.

June 11-12, 1999

The one word I ask you to remember is "beloved." Henri Nouwen writes "Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence." God’s quiet, soft, gentle voice speaks to us in silence and solitude and through gathered spiritual community. Tilden Edwards has said "each of us is an adventure of God’s spirit."

How can we incorporate faith and our belovedness into everyday life? By holy, wholly, hole-ly listening to the Whisper of God in our lives. Someone has said "To seek God is the greatest of all adventures. To find God is the greatest of all achievements. To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances." We can seek, find and love God in many ways. Scripture is one way many experience their belovedness through simple centering and contemplative prayer practices. These are often called "prayers of the heart."

• Prayer is a gift which I can prepare myself to receive and participate in.
• God does desire to gift us.
• God does invite us to pray.
• Scripture is a privileged place for meeting God.
• God’s self-revelation occurs in many guises.
• All of life contains the possibility for meeting God.

In today’s holy, wholly, hole-ly listening, we will experience three ways of praying with scripture to reclaim and seek the Mystery of Love in large and small groups, with planned time for solitude and spiritual community regathering and sharing. We will pray with scripture through centering words, phrases and simple body movements for our morning’s session in "holy listening." For the afternoon we will experience a "wholly listening" prayer time through a reverent (lectio divina), repetitive reading and quiet guided time with Psalm 23 to reclaim the blessings of stillness and belovedness in all of life’s situations. Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved and famous scriptures. We sometimes hear it so often, we forget its power and meaning. We also identify it as a Psalm of comfort during funeral services. Psalm 23 was written for daily life for real people. Our final prayer experience will close with an imaging experience from John’s gospel (in a handout titled "The Mystery of Love"). Imaging is profoundly easy to do. It can provide powerful spiritual work that can be transformative and healing to our souls. All three of these methods offer us soul care cherished across the centuries.

Often we cram in content, intellect, busy activities and many words in our prayers. We can actually hide in our busyness and our many words from the Presence of God. We become too busy to slow down and linger with a few words to experience prayers of the heart that refresh, renew and help us in the greatest of all romances. In contemplative and centering prayer, you’ll notice less is more.

Stillness, silence, solitude, spiritual community in large and small groups help us reclaim some of the spirituality practices of Christ. He knew how to rest in God, simply "be" and pray in God-power in the simplicity of soul food. He had a cherished, intimate, loving name for God. While he never recorded his prayers, many have found journal writing a time tested and cherished spiritual practice that is profound. Journal writing helps us converse both silently with feelings too deep for words and then with words in our prayers.

Holy Listening with our Bodies helps us develop and discern an interior, still center and Presence of God

(Greek word for body: Soma. Means whole human self; body, emotions, intelligence and will. Soma includes our feelings, personalities, spirit, physical incarnational experiences.)

Christ became incarnational. He had a body and models wholeness as one person. He hungered, experienced thirst, had sexual desires and felt fatigue and pain. He also experienced pleasure, joy and all of our bodily senses of feeling, tasting, seeing, hearing and feeling. A wonderful meditation might be found in John 1:14. The Word, Christ, became flesh and dwelt among us. We too, are flesh (soma) and called to incarnational living as Christ. Julian of Norwich has put it this way: "As the body is clothed in skin…muscle…heart…so are we, body and soul clothed in the Goodness of God and enclosed."

Many are surprised to learn that praying with our imperfect bodies can help us grow more deeply in love of God. Often our first memories and awareness involve our bodies with feelings of pleasure, shame or other feelings. We were never meant to live as disembodied people. Our bodies help us get grounded and centered. "Our bodies are companions, to be loved and heard with passion and discernment." For better or worse, through sickness and in health, through poverty or riches, as long as we live, we are embodied.

Often we are at war with our bodies. We want a different face, eyes, nose or body shape. We feel too fat, too thin, too old, too whatever. Our bodies carry our unhealed inner hurts and affect our emotional selves. When we are teased, rejected, criticized, stressed and exhausted, our bodies show symptoms and reflect a spiritual concern. "Our feelings are doors to our souls. They are our friends and lead us into much larger aspects of ourselves."

How we relate to our bodies profoundly influences how we relate to God, one another, in our prayer and all of life. If we have contempt for even one small part of our body, it is deeply damaging to the whole.

We can experience grounding and empowering embodiment prayers with simple, symbolic body prayer movements. Touching a tree, taking a walk, lying in the grass, playing with clay and dancing can be prayer. We experience body prayer through feasting and fasting. Our bodies help us become more open and available to God. Attention to our bodies is integral to our spiritual lives. Posture, breath, movement, gestures, clothing and diet all affect our prayers. We develop an awareness of an interior center that helps us embrace and discern Divine Presence.

Stationary postures such as standing, sitting, kneeling, lying down help us pray. Taking off our shoes, using a prayer corner and/or using a prayer rug can help us center. For sustained prayer, sitting is often the best. Sitting straight, not tense, feet flat on the ground, in a comfortable chair or prayer bench helps us remain alert and attentive to the Spirit. It’s helpful to sit still. Movement can be distracting. "A still body invites a still, receptive mind."

Stretching postures help us relax. We stretch for exercise, so why not for prayer? Simple movements such as walking, standing, slow and deliberate steps in spiritual pilgrimage, moving with grace with intent help us focus. We can center through taking a few extra minutes in our day to relax through driving and walking between our appointments.

Meaningful gestures such as touching, bowing, smiles, handshakes, genuflection, lighting a candle, simple hand postures assist us. Try sitting with your hands and arms open, resting your hands on your upper thighs or lap while in a sitting position. These simple movements help unite our mind and body and helps us be wholly, holy present to God in our prayer.

An ancient prayer tells us "God is closer than our breathing, nearer than our hands and feet." Breathing God’s holy wind is the simplest way to center, slow down, and let the Spirit go deeper. By paying attention to our bodies through breathing, the healing breath of life from God can enter into our body with each breath. The simplest way to center, focus, become quiet and still, is through breath prayers. Breath prayers help us listen to our bodies. We breathe, feel, listen to our heartbeat. By sitting silently and in stillness, quiet breath prayers can get us in touch with our hidden, buried feelings and help us become more real and authentic to God’s loving presence and gentle, healing Spirit.

"In the Beginning was the Word, the Sound, the Vibration of God." Sound shapes and guides life. Symbolic sounds in religious history through drums, bells, and musical instruments have helped us pray. Beethoven is credited with saying "music is a fuller way to God than words." We experience the power of vibration in nature through wind, rain, the singing of birds. Many spiritual communities in both the Eastern and Western words use chant for meaningful and powerful experiences. Simple, resonant words that are especially effective in guiding us from sound into silence have "ah" and "om" sounds. Words such as shalom, Abba, Amma, Yeshua, Adoni, holy, amen, alleluia are simple words easy to use in chant and centering prayers. There is great spiritual power in centering with different names for God. Ghandi used centering prayer in this way and recommended it highly to his followers

The great mystery of silence can draw us deeper into reality, stillness, openness, gentleness and awareness of the Presence of God. Many are afraid of silence, so we become very noisy inside to compensate. Modern faxes, beepers, boom boxes, cellular phones and other electronic interruptions distract us from developing our still interior. Sometimes we need to intentionally leave those distractions behind to be more available for uninterrupted times of silence.

Much in the contemplative tradition encourages us to trust silence. Ps 46:10 tells us to "be still and know that I am God." Being still before God is prayer. Tilden Edwards has said "being still is the purest form of listening…for God in the silence."

A centering word is simply a vibration that is very particular. It can lead us into a wordless presence for God. Some center with one word. Others enjoy centering with a phrase or simple breath prayer. Many have experienced inner stillness with the quiet repetitive Jesus prayer. These words and phrases symbolize our will’s consent to God’s liberating presence.

The ancients often used one word or the Jesus prayer as a continuous mantra. John Main has taught this method of centering prayer with the continuous breath prayer using the Greek word "Marantha" (Our Lord, Come). The Jesus prayer is a bit longer. The longer version is "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." The shortest is "Jesus, mercy."

More modern centering prayer leaders often use a word for centering until the mind becomes open, still, loving, attentive to God. When thoughts stray or intrude, returning to the centering word is often enough to regain the quiet interior. We are usually very busy and active people. Our thoughts race and become jumbled. Many find it necessary to sit quietly in stillness and silence for at least 10 minutes to reach a sense of interior calmness while centering. Father Thomas Keating is famous for this centering prayer method and calls it "Divine therapy."

Whether ancient or modern centering practices are used, they remain graced moments and are gifts to be cherished. Truly God is wonder-full to be with.

A simple centering prayer exercise using sound to guide us into silence and stillness is to quietly choose a phrase or word for centering prayer. Take several slow, deep breaths. Let the short word come to your mind for centering, but don’t force it. Just stay with the word in the center of your mind ever so gently. Rest in God. Simply just "be" in the Presence. You may be "surprised by God" in your deep awareness of holy Presence. Tilden Edwards has said "the deepest sound and silence of God takes us into our spiritual heart." Rest in your belovedness in these quiet moments of holy listening.

Sometimes less is more. Lectio Divina is our second way of praying with scripture for today’s retreat. The simplicity of soul food through holy and wholly reading is something everyone of us can do. By quietly reading, lingering, reflecting and praying through scripture we can experience the transforming power of God for renewal. Sometimes we need to be transformed through the power of a few words before we attempt to change the world.

By being wholly attentive with all our senses, we can experience holy reading with greater power and openness to God in prayer. Some experience holy reading in only a few words. Others read an entire chapter of scripture until a word glimmers and catches their attention. Both are valid and help us meet God. This slow reading and rereading can reclaim the power of well known scriptures we often take for granted because we have heard them so often. Both the famous Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23 can be experienced in personal renewal through holy, wholly reading. Sometimes a different translation can help us hear the Spirit in new ways.

Lectio divina is holy reading with scripture and has four stages. Not everyone will experience the four stages, nor should we be obsessed with experiencing each stage. Lectio, as it is commonly called, is simply reading, reflection, prayer and resting in still presence through holy, wholly reading. People throughout the ages have stopped with a word or phrases "shimmers" a God awareness moment. Simple reflection may result as we ponder what God might be saying to us in this word at this time. Prayer is an active response to this word. Still presence is resting in the spaciousness of awareness. One southern preacher put it this way: "I read myself full, I think myself clear, I pray myself hot, I let myself cool."

Macrina Wiederkehr describes Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) in this way in her beautiful book, A Tree Full of Angels (HarperCollins Publishers).

"Imagine in your reading, reading the psalm or other biblical passage as we would put food in our mouth. For meditation, "chew" on it. "Dig for treasure in the passage. When something touches your heart, stop reading. God has given you a word to be a guest in your heart. Welcome it. Walk with it. Wrestle with it. Ask it questions. Allow it to nourish you. Receive its blessing. If nothing touches you, be still. God also speaks in silence and darkness. Pray your feelings…rejoicing…weep…sing…scream…kneel…talk to God. Prayer is a link, a mutual yearning-straining-aching. Prayer is tasting life. Having tasted…respond…let yourself fall into the hands of the living God. Trust. Melt into God. Stop struggling. Surrender. Nothing is left except being in God. Write down the phrase that you used and any thoughts that you wish to record. Carry the phrase with you through the day."

Others experience wholly listening to scripture by sitting quietly with a passage and just breathing it. The Jesus prayer is one such example. Others find quiet, repetitive reading with brief pauses powerful. Consider using different bible translations to hear with fresh ears. Pray the passage and simply sit with it.

Our final way of praying with scripture today is listening in our humanity as a way to experience prayer through reading. Hole-ly listening with our imagination is a creative and valid way to experience God’s loving presence.

Henri Nouwen has written "To see Christ is to see God" (Behold, the Beauty of the Lord). Madeleine L’Engle has said "Jesus is God’s show and tell" (Glimpses of Grace: Daily Thoughts and Reflections). One powerful way to see God and experience our place in the Biblical stories is through imaging ourselves in scripture. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are great places to begin.

If you could only read one story in John’s gospel to demonstrate the Mystery of God’s love for us, John 13: 1-17 would be enough for a lifetime. In this tender story, we reclaim our belovedness and all the elements of biblical blessing: We find meaningful touch, spoken words of value and active commitment to fulfilling our blessing in the example of Christ washing the feet of his family of choice. This is beloved John writing about his beloved Jesus.

Imaging ourselves in scripture followed with quiet time and spiritual journal writing is easy to do. Simply read the story. Allow your imagination to put you there! Smell, hear, taste, touch and see yourself somewhere in the story. Perhaps you are an anonymous observer in the crowd. Or actively in the midst of the drama miracles! Imagine yourself in conversation with Jesus. Ask your questions. Write your thoughts, reflections and story in a journal. Some helpful questions are: Where am I in the story? What’s happening? Where is God in this? What does this mean for me?

John 13: 1-17 is part of what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls a trilogy of discipleship that is found only in John’s gospel. "Discipleship is joy," he writes in The Cost of Discipleship. He suggests the profound trilogy centers in chapters 3, 13 & 15. This involves spiritual birth/awakening, a humble servant lifestyle and spiritual faithfulness in persecution and oppression.

Slowly read this story. Let it sink in your imagination. Write it in your journal in your own words wherever you are in the story. Share your reflection with others in the group. This form of contemplative soul food has been enjoyed by many throughout the centuries and is a valid expression of spirituality. God bless you in your reading.

"God in an Apron"

"Try to imagine this scene. You are sitting at the table with Jesus and his friends on the night before he died. A confusing sorrow overshadows you. Yet, a mysterious hope has settled in your heart. Suddenly Jesus is standing in front of you. He looks into your eyes and immediately you are filled with an awareness of your tremendous worth.

Supper was special that night. There was both a heaviness and a holiness hanging in the air. We couldn’t explain the mood. It was sacred, yet sorrowful. Gathered around the table, eating that solemn, holy meal seemed to us the most important meal we had ever sat down to eat. We were dwelling in the heart of mystery. Though dark the night, hope felt right as if something evil was about to be conquered. An then suddenly the One we loved startled us all. He got up from the table and put on an apron. Can you imagine how we felt? God in an apron! Tenderness encircled us as He bowed before us. He knelt and said, "I choose to wash your feet because I love you." God in an apron, kneeling. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was embarrassed until his eyes met mine. I sensed my value then. He touched my feet. He held them in his strong, brown hands. He washed them. I can still feel the water. I can still feel the touch of his hands. I can still see the look in his eyes. Then he handed me the towel and said, "As I have done, so you must do." Learn to bow. Learn to kneel. Let your tenderness encircle everyone you meet. Wash their feet not because you have to, because you want to. "There are so many feet to wash," I keep saying.’’ "No," I hear God’s voice resounding through the years. "There are only my feet. What you do for them, you do for me."

As we close our retreat, remember to holy, wholly, hole-ly listen for God’s Whisper in every day life. Remember, God is closer to us than our breathing. God is closer to us than our hands and feet. Reclaim scripture as a sacred and privileged place to meet God. God wants to gift us in prayer. Remember to be still and reclaim silence for your spiritual renewal. Remember to breathe! Breathe in the Spirit of God. Breathe deeply. Breathe slowly. Breathe often. Breathe well. Breathe in the breath of God everywhere you go. May the blessings of Christ and kindness of God’s Presence be with you always, with every breath, all the days of your life. Amen.

The author of this material is "Surprised by Joy" (surprisedbyjoy@yahoo.com). "Surprised by Joy" is an ordained UFMCC Christian minister who discovered that God is wonder-full to be with. It is our hope and prayer at soulfoodministry.org that all visitors will experience the tenderloving- kindness of God and receive spiritual food for their journey.

May 6, 1999