Tonight we'€™re going to take a journey. A journey to your heart. To the part of you that is at your very core. The part of you that is the Self at its most whole and powerful. This is a journey of the here and now. This part of you exists even when you can't feel it or find it. Your journey to your heart will take you to the place where you make the most compassionate and ethical choices. Decisions that are in the best interest of everyone concerned. Decisions that do not harm. In fact,  your journey to your center takes you tonight to the only place where compassionate and caring decisions are made. As we journey together through the next several weeks you will learn to feed and nurture your heart and you will learn how to stay connected to this place even in the most stressful of times.

 

We begin, then, by relaxing. Letting the tension of the day ease away. A deep breath in ~“ and then out. Again. And again. Feeling the circle of your breath as it moves through your body. Reminding you of your connection to breath and life. Feel the tension flowing down your body and out the bottoms of your feet. Some, perhaps, sliding out of your finger tips as well. Relax.

 

Feel the top of your head relax - that space right behind your ears - tension easing a way. Replaced with fluidity and ease. The back of your neck - relax. Feel the space between your shoulders and your ears become longer as all tightness flows downward and outward. Continue to breathe deeply. In. And out.

 

Let your hands relax ~ the backs of your arms. The small of your back. Your torso. Let your thighs relax. And your knees. Your ankles. And the bottoms of your feet. Your whole body feels at rest. Deeply relaxed. Safe.

 

There are eight stops on our journey tonight. Each of them a vital part of the Self  - your Self. As we journey along the path, spending time at each of these eight stations you will find that some are fuller and more enlivened than others. This is true for all of us. You may even find that some places along the path are empty ~€“ or close to empty. This too is not unexpected. These places, the ones that are less full and lively are simply those areas where more nurturing is possible and where you have an opportunity to deepen your greater Self.

 

Once again connect to your breathing. Relax into the space around you. Feel your connection to the heartbeat of the earth. And now, let us begin.

 

1. With your inner eye - look around. See that you are standing in a beautifully appointed room. It is large in size and yet full of warmth. It is comfortable and cheery. The furnishings are of your favorite style as are the decorations. The afternoon sun slants through the windows filling the space with a welcoming light. Outside you can see trees waving oh so easily in the slight breeze. It feels good in here. ****

 

As you take in the graciousness of the room your eye comes to the fireplace over which is a large mantel filled with framed photos. Intrigued, you walk over to take a look.  With a small start of pleasant surprise you find that the photos are of the people you love the most. Your closest family members. Children if you have them. Possibly parents. Pets.  A favorite aunt or uncle. Your dearest friends. Let your gaze roam over the collection. Pick them up one by one. Feel the connection, the love you have for each of them. The love you'€™ve shared ~ perhaps only for a brief time and perhaps over many years. Warm, deep, nurturing, love. Hold that feeling. Remember it. ****

 

2. Moving away from the mantel you stroll toward the windows at the far end of the room. As you get a little closer you see that they are more than just windows - €“ they are French doors that open onto a wide terrace. The day is stunningly gorgeous and you step outside.

 

As you cross the threshold you find that you are in a place of nature that you find the most beautiful. It could be a grove of Birch and Maple at the height of autumn'€™s glory. Or perhaps you see the moon glinting across a body of water late at night. Rivers, canyons, mountains, sunrises and sunsets. Falling rain. Starry skies. Full moon or billowing clouds. Find yourself surrounded by nature’s most beautiful display. Breathe into it. Relax. Feel the grandeur and the glory. Feel the strength and the power. And the peace. Bask in it. ****

 

3. As you rest in the beauty of nature you find that you are refreshed and at peace. Looking around you see a path leading from this place and you follow it to see where it goes. After a little while you come to a place that holds some of the most creative and beautiful works made by human hands. For some that might be one of the world's most famous museums. Or perhaps it's a Nascar showroom or manufacturing floor. A musical performance or recording. A book whose words pull you in and hold your attention. What work made by human hands do you find the most beautiful or creative? Hear it. Feel it. See it. Laugh or cry with it. Admire it. Reach out - €“ touch it. Let it touch you. Feel the power of creative force that went into its making. Appreciate it. Stand in awe.  ****

 

4. Uplifted by the joy of creative force it is time to seek out your community. The people whose goals and values you share. Maybe you volunteer somewhere ~€“ enjoying spirited conversations with fellow volunteers. Or, perhaps you belong to a support group – where you lean on each other as needed - “ sharing good times with the bad. A book club. Parent committee. Faith community. Civic organization such as the Lions or Jaycees or Masons. 12 step groups are community. What is your community? How do they support and care for you? How do you support and care for others within the community? Feel the connectedness you have through shared goals and ideals.  Deepen the connection. Let it swirl around you. Breathe into it.  ****

 

5. The people you love. Nature. Community. Creativity. All these things are part of your connection to a higher power. And still ~ there is a greater spiritual connection as well. For some, that may be a particular faith ~ going to church ~ connecting with deity. For others, spirituality, connection to a higher power manifests in other ways. What is your connection to spirituality? Is it your church? Temple? Synogogue? Cirlce?  Perhaps it is appreciating the creative force behind the universe. It could be the energy you create and connect to with friends or community or support group. What is spirituality for you? Where do you find your higher power ~ that sense of something bigger than you. Bigger than the sum of the world you see around you? Feel your connection to spirit. Let it envelope you and hold you. Be at peace with spirit. ****

 

6. Look around you. You now find yourself in a desert. There is a sea of sand for as far as you can see. The air is hot and dry - €“ arid. By some misfortune of fate, you are stranded here. You know the desert well enough to know that it is a five days' walk back to civilization - and to the necessities of survival. You also know that a search team has been organized and that they have a pretty good idea where to find you. But, you have only two days' of water left. It will be close, but you are certain that the rescue team will find you before you run out. As you prepare to make camp you hear a cry from over your left shoulder. At first you think it is an animal but when you hear it again you almost think it could be a child. Walking in the direction of the sound you go to check it out.****

 

Coming to the top of a small hill you look ahead to see a tiny child. A little girl, not more than 3 years old. Perhaps even a bit younger. She turns large frightened eyes to you and it comes to you with a sickening realization that she is all alone. More lost than you in this dry empty place. Coming a little closer it becomes obvious quite quickly that she has nothing with her except the clothes she is wearing. No food. No water. ****

 

You have enough water to survive until the rescue team arrives. But very little more than that. Do you share your water with the little girl? Or do you let her die a horrible death alone in the desert? Do you keep the water for yourself knowing that she will cry piteously - “ that her skin will parch and her eyes bulge - €“ that she will fade slowly and in great pain? ****

 

If you are willing to share your water and to protect the child you now bring her back to where you are making your camp. You'™ve created a little shelter from the heat and you have some protection from the cold you know will come overnight. As you work, the little girl suddenly seems to realize that she is far from home and from those she loves. She becomes very frightened -  as only a toddler can be - €“ and she starts to cry. Big tears pour down her face and she whimpers in fear. ****

 

Setting down you tools and your equipment you comfort her in whatever way you do best. You rock her. Or distract her with a story. Or a song. From within your deepest core of love and caring you find a way to comfort the little girl until at last she falls asleep in your arms. Her head resting in the curve of your shoulder and her tear stained face pressed against your chest. How do you feel knowing that you can bring comfort to the child? ****

 

7. Comforting the lost child. Sharing your last ration of water. Connecting to loved ones, community, spirituality. Appreciating beauty - either in nature or made by human hands. This is the stuff your deepest spirit is made of. Calling all that to mind – feeling it around you -  name the most important thing about you as a person. On a surface level on might name position or possession or power. And yet -  the stuff of spirit is none of those things. It is deeper than that. It is the essence you most want those you love to remember about you when you are no longer here. Not only that you are honest and hardworking ~ these are good traits -  but still deeper than that. The thing about you that draws people to you and gives them safety and nurturance. Feel that part of you. Name it, if you can. ****

 

8. And now, at last, back closer to present time and space, call to mind three compassionate and caring things you have done recently. Things that you did which brought no material gain to yourself but which fed both your spirit and did good for someone else. Name those things. Feel how good it made you feel. Feel the connectedness to your deepest self when you acted from that place. *****

 

 

In this place of calm and peace you are grounded. You are connected to your deepest essence of Self. The Self that makes compassionate and caring choices taking into account the best interests of all involved. Hold onto this feeling. Remember it. ****

 

And now - €“ as I count backwards from 10 to 1 you will come back to this time and place. You will remember all you saw and did and felt while on your journey. Your experience of your Self will be yours to recall as needed and will grow as you feed it with even more connection to your Self.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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