If you feel you are losing yourself in the busy-ness of this Advent season, this prayer can help ground you in the present. It’s really a meditation technique for people who have trouble with the usual meditation instructions (following your breath; using a mantra; concentrating on an object).
This simple technique is a way of praying our direct experience. In this prayer we are not concerned with the past or the future. Just right now.
The Practice
- Find a comfortable place to sit and relax uninterrupted for a few minutes. Set a timer if you like. Anything you need to do to be able to be free of concerns about time.
- Become aware of God’s infusion of the present moment. This is where you will experience God!
- For the amount of time you have designated, let yourself become aware only of what is in the present moment—the sounds in the room; the play of light; the dog’s snoring; the hum of the heating unit. Whatever is, right now, become aware of it without judgment.
- Stay in the present moment as much as you can. When you find your mind wandering to the past or the future, gently correct and come back to the present.
- Continue to withhold judgment about what happens in this prayer of direct experience. Just be present to the moment.
- When your timer goes off, gently end this prayer with a few words to God.
For more about spiritual direction as I practice it, check out my website. Most of these prayer practices come from my book 50 Ways to Pray. If interested, it can be purchased here.
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