It has been a difficult time in the last year or so, navigating the noise of the world all while feeling alone and disconnected from each other. This is the opposite of our nature as human beings, to be connected, social and together which has driven us into feelings of despair, maybe losing hope and for many the feeling of languishing – the feeling of stagnation or emptiness.
Some of the questions that may be arising are,
“How do we overcome this?”
“How do we find hope to continue?”
“What do we do now?”
These are all things that are coming up from the part of you that is resistant to change, the part of you that doesn’t feel a real connection to God and so is trying hard with their Human brain to “figure it out”.
If you believe that God speaks to your heart, then surely it must follow that we have an opportunity to really understand, not only how to listen but also how to truly connect with our hearts so that we may receive the many insights He brings through us.
So, I present to you an opportunity to really connect with yourself first. This is the way to give ourselves a chance at true freedom. The liberating feeling that we are not tied down to our circumstances but instead, are free to create an experience of life with God in our corner.
Still, the question may be arising,
“How do I do this?”
It’s important to note that “doing” can sometimes be the disguise we use to hide our fear of not knowing how to cope. How about just “being”? Be scared, be unsure, be lost. It’s allowed.
I invite you to sit with yourself for a moment and try this, make sure you have 10-15 minutes and no distractions.
- Close your eyes and follow the movement of your breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Keep this going for the whole exercise.
- As you sit in silence, things will start to come up for you. Maybe some things you’re holding onto or things you’re scared of, for example. Allow your feelings to surface and maybe all the questions that are coming with them. Take notice how you are talking to yourself and how you are reacting to the emotion in the moment.
- Notice where this is happening in your body and how it feels. Maybe it’s a cold feeling, maybe it’s heavy in your heart or shoulders. Take notice of this and really feel how it feels.
- After some time, place your focus on your heart and ask God to meet you there. You see, he wants you to take notice of the troubles you’re holding onto and with your surrender he will give you some insights that you can learn from.
- When you feel like you’ve received something, say thank you and continue to listen to your heart. Remember what it felt like to receive and to be connected to this space. This is where you can meet Him anytime.
It is this enquiry and connection with your own heart, that brings us closer to experiencing the power of God in our lives every day. This mindful practice is a way for us to familiarise ourselves with the things God wants to take from us (or give us), and so facilitates the release (or receiving) of all those things we feel are holding us back (or will push us forward). This release can sometimes manifest as tears, sometimes as pure excitement, and other times a calm knowing. We thank God for all of these.
If you felt this during the exercise, just know that it’s always there for you to access at any time and this is the relationship with God you get to nurture and grow. This is not only going to help us “get out” of this period of isolation with joy but with hope knowing that we can co-create our experience of life with God as long as we are willing to sit, listen, trust and surrender.
