Hello, I'm John. Thank you for joining me on this week's episode of The Prayer path. Mission of the prayer path is to create a pathway upon which you can experience some time in a personal intimate and loving encounter. With the Divine as you have come to understand that in your life. We use a blend of Sacred Scriptures or their spiritual and secular writings music practices and silence to inspire your prayer. But you may be rooted in a particular tradition. The prayer path has less to do with religious form and more to do with inviting you to connect with the Divine. That is a universal truth. at the heart of all religions It is indeed my blessing and privilege to be your prayer guide on the path today. We don't record the prayer path in a special studio. So please excuse the sounds of ordinary life. You might hear from time to time in the background. I'd invite you now to find a place where you can sit comfortably attentive. What distraction is minimized? and settle yourself spend a moment now bringing to mind and setting any special intention for this prayer time if you wish. And now for the next 25 to 30 minutes leave out of your hands. heart and mind anything you don't need right now. The book of Isaiah gives us these words. Now I am revealing new things to you. Things hidden and unknown to you. Created just now this very moment. Of these things you have heard nothing until now. So that you cannot say oh, yes, I knew all this. Open yourself up now to what might be revealed to you in this short Journey on the proper path. The text that I'm using for this week's prayer is the poem wild geese by Mary Oliver. Mary Oliver was a poet who won the US national book award and the Pulitzer Prize. She passed away earlier in 2019 aged 83. the times called her America's best selling port and a well-known poetry critic said of her that she was an indefatigable Guide to the natural world. And particularly its lesser-known aspects. Some would consider her a modern-day Mystic. She herself wrote a short poem where she beautifully describes the act of praying. It's called praying. It doesn't have to be the blue iris. It could be weeds in a vacant loss or a few small stones. Just pay attention then patch a few words together. And don't try to make them elaborate. This isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks and silence in which another voice may speak. in wild geese we have a sense of being guided about two different ways to approach this one true precious gift of life that we have been given. Before we move into today's prayer. I'd like to invite you to spend a few moments and preparation. I invite you now to take up a seated position. Where you'll be comfortable but can remain attentive. Gently close your eyes if you wish. Become aware of your shoulders and your back. Is there any tension? Tell your shoulders and back to relax. One or two slow deep breaths in and out through your nose might help to bring about this relaxation. Become aware of your body as it rests on the seat beneath you. Become aware of your feet. As they make contact with the ground. Become aware of your hands as they rest gently in your lap. perhaps in a gesture of receiving allow yourself to become aware now of your breathing. Where in your body can you feel this gift of breath that gives you life? your inhale and your exhale Find it now. I invite you now to become aware of the presence with you of the Divine as you understand it. God love the universe spirit Jesus peace Truth the ground of all being many other words to are used to describe the essence which we seek. The Divine doesn't mind which you use. It only cares to be present to you now. This presence that is within you. above you below you. beside you all around you. Surrender your presents now into the divine presence Just As You Are. That is how it sees you. accepts you and infinitely and unconditionally loves you. Come As You Are rest in this loving tender kind and compassionate presence feel it bear the weight of you. willingly and lovingly surrender As I read wild geese. I invite you to have the ears of your heart and mind open. Be present to each phrase and be alert any word or phrase that particularly stands out to you. After a short period of Silence I reread the poem. And guide you with some reflective questions. wild geese by Mary Oliver you do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about your despair yours and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile, the world goes on. meanwhile the sun and the clear Pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes. Over the Prairies in the Deep trees the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile, the wild geese High and the clean blue are or heading home again. Wherever you are, no matter how lonely the world offers itself to your imagination. Calls to you like the wild geese harsh and exciting. Over and over and lensing your place the family of things. You don't have to be good. You don't have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles in the desert repenting. How much do you relate to this as a way of being in the world? being your own worst critic beating up on yourself to the smallest of things. Feeling you should always be doing better. being better living better Never quite good enough. Do you think the Divine who infinitely and unconditionally loves you? Really expects this of you. You only have two less the soft animal of you love whatever loves. Do you experience this as a way of being here and now in the world? Do you long to experience the freedom that living in this way might bring? to just allow to just be to just feel to just love with yourself and others To be at peace and he's just as you are. Tell me your despair yours. And I will tell you mine. Do you sometimes feel despair? Do you feel alone in that despair? We all experience despair at different times and in different ways in our lives. Can you express yours freely? Can you allow yourself to be with us and felis? Can you say to your despair? Yes and Can you feel your connectedness to others through it? and heal Meanwhile, the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear Pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes. over the Prairies the Deep trees the mountains and the rivers Meanwhile, the wild geese high in the clean blue Air. Are heading home again? Do you at times feel so distracted by the life you've created with its many reaching tentacles that must be managed? Did you miss the created life? The life created for you. Do you sometimes feel disconnected from the beautiful magical? Ordinary World of the real when feeling everyone else is in the midst of us. Whoever you are. No matter how lonely. the world offers itself to your imagination calls to you like the wild geese harsh and exciting over and over announcing your place in the family of things. Any mold in every moment? The world of the real is there. You're homeless. your place in this assured simply through your being we're allowing. You're accepting. Can you hear and heed the call to allow? Can you hear and heed the call to just be? Can you hear a need the cold to just feel? Can you hear and heed the call to love? both yourself and all others your home your place in the family of things was is always there for you. You just have to hear and heed the call. It's the Divine spark within you as Whispering anything into your heart that you'd like to share with the Divine outside of you. I'd invite you to take a few moments to do that now. As you come to the end of your journey on the prayer path today. I invite you to recall again. Now the intention you may have set at the start. Acknowledging your connectedness to all beings. I invite you to add your intention to the intentions of all Seekers on the prayer path and in the universe. And wish for yourself and for them fulfillment happiness. and peace acknowledging that what you send into the world. affects the world I invite you to send peace to all people of the world. And pray that all creation may live and well-being. Peace. and harmony I'd like to thank you again for joining me today on the prayer path. I invite you to remain in prayer or just silence for as long as you wish after we conclude. But when you do need to move back into your day, I would really appreciate it. If you could take a moment to maybe use the voice message function to leave any comments or Reflections on your experience on the prayer path today. If you like the prayer path, please do hit the like button. Share it with others who might benefit And subscribe to receive all future prayers. The prayer path is now available on multiple platforms including iTunes Spotify and Google podcasts. May the peace and love of the Divine the always with you and your loved ones and the whole of creation. Can you join me next time on the prayer path? Goodbye.
Hello, Thank you for joining me on this weeks episode of The Prayer Path. The main text that for this week’s prayer is the poem ‘Wild Geese’ from 'Wild Geese' Mary Oliver. Mary Oliver was a poet who won the US National Book award and the Pulitzer Prize. She passed away in 2019 aged 83. The Times called her ‘Americas best-selling poet’ and a well-known poetry critic said of her that she was an 'indefatigable guide to the natural world and particularly its lesser known aspects'. Some would consider her a modern day mystic. In 'Wild Geese' we sense being guided about two different ways to approach this one true precious gift of life that we have been given. In this episode you also hear another of Mary Oliver's poems called 'Praying' from 'Thirst, Poems by Mary Oliver The beautiful music in today's Prayer is called 'Hardwood Lullaby' and is used courtesy of 'Piano Mover' and Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blue/  The Episode Art 'Background with Reeds and Wild Geese' is used courtesy of Vlado and Free Digital Photos  http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ After concIuding your journey on The Prayer Path today I would really appreciate it if you could take a moment to use the voice message function to leave any comments or reflections on your experience on The Prayer Path today. If you like The Prayer Path please do hit the like button, share it with others who might benefit and subscribe to receive all future Prayers. The Prayer Path is now available on multiple platforms including iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. May the peace and love of The Divine be always with you and your loved ones and the whole of creation. Till you join me next time on The Prayer Path. Good Bye. 