Moment of Oneness, September 11, 2024 - Prepared by Margaret Dilgen

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81507551772
Meeting ID: 815 0755 1772
To connect by phone dial: +1 646 558 8656

Welcome: We will be taking a journey called, “Pleasures of Presence”.  This is taken from NCR's Earth Beat.   We will bring awareness to the joy of connecting with our present moment experience through our senses and the four elements and give thanks.  The invitation is to begin bringing more attention to our physical bodies through our senses.  There are three basic steps for this invitation:1} bringing attention to our physical senses;2} savoring when you experience pleasure; and 3}giving thanks. I am inviting us to specifically meditate with the elements, as part of our ecological journey.

Prayer: All living creatures are sparks from the radiation of God's brilliance, emerging from God like the rays of the sun The truly holy person welcomes all that is earthly. (Inspired words of Hildegard of Bingen)

Let's begin.  Take a moment just to connect with your breath.

A. Earth: Notice the ground beneath your feet. What does it feel like to feel supported by the earth? What are the ways that Sister Mother Earth has and continues to support you? Give thanks if you feel called. For fun, if you imagined roots coming out of your feet and sinking down into this earth, what might they encounter?  Say hello to all those creatures.

B. Air: What sensations do you feel on your skin? Hold your hands out and feel the air running through your fingers.  Sense how it feels. If you are outside, perhaps bring your attention to what smells are present.  Tilt your head back, can you catch any scent of the breeze?  What would our lives be like without Sister Air?  Can we give thanks for how God intimately sustains us with our breath, in every moment?

C. Fire: Wonder, where you can notice how the element of fire is sustaining you right now. Perhaps the energy fueling your computer. Or the sunshine powering the process of photosynthesis of all the plants. As you cook or heat food, notice the fire needed to make your meal. Notice any smells present. As you do this, offer thanks for the element of fire.

D. Water: Imagine the number of times today you interacted with water. If you drink a glass of water, notice the feeling as it goes down your throat. Where did it come from? When your was your hands tonight, take a moment to actually feel the sensation of the water on your skin. Offer thanks to Sister Water for this experience.

Pause for a reflection.

If you have any prayer request, please share.

Ending Prayer from NCR:

As we enter this beautiful Season of Creation, spend a few minutes each day with creation. See if you can shift your attention, even for a moment, to experience how creation is holding you, inviting you to rest and give thanks.

Closing song: “Let Me Be An Instrument of Your Peace.” by Sarah McLachlan

https://youtu.be/agPnMxp5Occ?si=d7J6FlSPQvp_iPXm