At the
Creation Spirituality Symposium held at the Carmelite Centre in May Jan Morgan
and Graeme Garrett introduced us to a practice of prayer they have been
developing, in a session they called ‘Learning
to Pray in the Anthropocene’.
Invitation
Find a place
where you feel a sense of being in the presence of Nature. This may be by the
ocean, in the desert, on a cliff top, in the mountains or the bush, in grasslands
or wetlands, by a river, creek or pond. Chose somewhere you can go regularly,
somewhere that calls to you, however faintly.
For city-dwellers find a place that is as near
to a ‘natural’ wild order, as relatively intact an ecosystem, as you can find.
For example, a tract of bush remaining in parkland, or the re-vegetated edge of
a local creek or pond. But it may be your own created garden, or even simply a
single tree or a plant in a pot.
Our
circumstances differ, and change through time. The point is to find some connection
with the wider living world of which we are part.
You might
imagine this as returning to the Garden, as an act of re-membering ourselves as
part of Creation, or simply as seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and
feeling the life-world of which we are part, the Ground of our Being from which
we have been separated.
We suggest
you commit yourself to keeping the practice for 3 months. Like a growing plant
this work is slow, organic, unfolding quietly. A half hour each day or even
twice or once a week would be a way to start. If you already have a spiritual
practice – meditation, contemplation, prayer,
yoga, you will already know the value of a regular commitment. Consider
re-allocating some of the time you already set aside. If a practice is a new
idea, you may need just to plunge in. You may already be in love with the
natural world, and spend time hiking, canoeing, surfing or walking or
gardening. This is a different way to attend.
The practice
is done alone, but you might find a friend who would like to join you, either
at the same place and time or separately. You could then agree to meet once a
week and share stories and/or journals (see below).
You also
need to think about what we call ‘the weather’. Do you need to take a hat, sunscreen,
rain jacket, umbrella, gloves etc?
Other people
may walk by. Decide ahead simply to attend to the practice. They have their
life (and probably dog), you have yours.
You might
like to meditate on certain Bible verses in preparation. The following are
useful: Psalms 8, 19, 65, 95, 104 or 148. Jeremiah 4; Job 38-41; Genesis 1-2; Matthew
6:25-30; John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-20
Beginning the practice
Once you
have chosen a place consider how you will get there. Approach matters. Build in
as much silence as you can. If you need to drive, turn off the radio or take
some meditative music to play. Perhaps park some distance away so that you can
walk in to the spot. If you do the practice in your own garden, consider a walk
around the neighbourhood as preparation, and ensure that any other people in
the house know not to disturb you (pray the baby stays asleep!). If you are in
hospital, tell the nurses what you need.
Greeting the place
Having
arrived, decide where to stand (listen to what is calling you).
Take time to
notice what you are hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling, smelling.
Turn to
honour each of the four directions (E, N, W, S), and feel the energy of the sun
pouring down, and the energy of the earth rising beneath your feet.
Dedication
Dedicate the
practice to the flourishing of all beings.
Standing (or sitting
if necessary)
Push upwards
from the top of your head.
At the same time, relax the rest
of your body, feeling the weight of your muscles dropping downwards, almost as
if you ‘let the flesh fall off your bones’. In particular, relax your stomach
muscles and your
jaw, place the tip of your tongue
behind your front teeth, unlock your knees.
Keep your eyes open. Soften your
gaze – about a 45 degree angle is good.
Empty your mind. Gently let
distracting thoughts pass by as clouds across the sky, and return again to the
practice.
The occasional use of a prayer
mantra (e.g., Maranatha; Lord have mercy) can be helpful.
You may like to put some
questions to the Earth. The first is a matter of courtesy in approach:
Are you willing to communicate
with me?
Wait in a receptive state for an
answer, then if it seems right quietly ask . . .
Is there a message?
Is there a lesson?
Is there an offering?
Taking leave
(when the half hour is up)
Make an offering sending the
energy of the practice back out into the world.
Walk/drive home silently.
Write about your experience (e.g.
half a page). Keep these pages in a folder – you will be amazed at what you
find when you read them later.
*****
We gratefully acknowledge
teachings from a range of sacred traditions, in particular Taoist and Native
American.
Jan Morgan and Graeme Garrett
No comments:
Post a Comment