Stay Ready
41 Two activities: one at the beginning, one at the end. 42 Whichever of the two occurs, be patient.
Dear Ones,
thank you to those who energetically & fiscally support not only this Substack, but all the things, seen & unseen, which support my ability to offer. deep warm bows to you.
i will be on retreat next week, but that doesn’t mean you need to be without a slogan! is there a “without” with 40 slogans already in your heart-mind?
may even one remain on the tip of your tongue.
Two activities: one at the beginning, one at the end.
there are so many hacks on how to have a productive day, but so many of these aspirations may be self-focused & leave one day bleeding mindlessly into another.
as soon as the alarm goes off, turn it off & immediately express the wish to use all the abilities you have to be of benefit to others today & have an open-heart.
at the end of the day, when you have removed & silenced all your devices & your head is about to hit the pillow, reflect on the day’s activities. where were the spaces where you helped others? where were spaces you could have helped? celebrate & set the intention to continue to be of benefit.
in this too busy world, when folks are asking for a way to start cultivating a practice, this is a wonderful space to start. try this practice for at least 21 days & see what you notice & leave a comment.
Whichever of the two occurs, be patient.
this is also quite direct.
whatever we may meet in our lives, practice–
be patient & know that moment-to-moment, there will be change.
as a youth, i remember the nuns in elementary school reminding us that God did not work for us (or was a genie or a wishfulfilling jewel). it was an encouragement to pray regardless of the circumstances. i believe this foundation has rooted my foundations to turn to spiritual practice– regardless of the tradition.
things shift at the speed of Spirit, not our wishes & whims. this can feel more difficult when Times seem more dire like now or even when everything seems in our favor.
when paired with the previous slogan, you will be able to see how having a practice impacts your life because you are setting the space to do so.
may whatever arises be of benefit.