In the Wholeness of Christ Integration
“The Holy Family” – from St Joseph’s Chapel of Westminster Cathedral – by Christopher Hobbs (photo by Fr Lawrence Lew)
Each week of Advent and into Epiphany, we’re offering practices and invitations of becoming.
The last two years, we’ve had written reflections throughout advent with the themes of Adventing Christ Consciousness and the Divine Feminine. We’ll be drawing upon those writings (and sharing the links) to be the source material for our Becoming invitations.
you are invited, if you like, to read the articles informing these practices for the twelve days of Christmas & the Feast of the Holy Family:
Joseph: Man of Wisdom (Sophos)
We invite you to consciously and intentionally engage in the following processes for your personal lives, WeSpace groups or other spiritual communities, and global participation.
And Now Our Christ-mas Becoming Begins Anew
From the womb of the divine mother, we emerge into the participatory birth of Christ in us, in the world, here and now.
Though culturally, Christmas is often marked on December 25th alone, the traditional spiritual celebration of the nativity is twelve days.
Though birth comes in a momentary crossing of the threshold, the act of being born into a new becoming is very much an ongoing process.
And for some of us, we may not even feel the birth has come. The turn of a day on the calendar does not always mark an experiential change. For some, we may be still in the womb, gestating, waiting, becoming within.
For others, we may find a desire to remain in the warmth and safety of the womb. There is a certain comfort in being in the dark of the mystery. Yet, there is no stopping the process of birth when the time comes for labor. The womb will not hold us longer than is needed.
When birth arrives, the invitation beyond the womb is here. When the time has come, as it does in the eternal present, our arrival in this emergence is revealed.
On Sunday, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. As Robert Powell reflected last year, we can participate in this in an integral way, stepping into the integration of the sacred masculine and feminine together, in wholeness.
As Robert put it,
“The Sacred Feminine embodied in Christ Sophia must be acknowledged, honored, and allowed her rightful place within each of us. Likewise, the Sacred Masculine embodied in Christ Sophos must be freed from the power dynamics of earlier stages of evolution so that his role may be recognized and empowered within us as well.
“The attributes of Joseph the just man and of Mary the woman full of grace join together to produce Jesus the child who is a light unto the world. That is our destiny achieved only when we know ourselves well enough to honor the God-within and allow ourselves to transform.”
In our divine becoming, we approach the work of transformation holistically, in its many forms—masculine, feminine, and beyond—and with acknowledgment of the different seasons in our lives, personally and collectively.
In this time of transition into a new birth and toward a new year, we offer practices of becoming to aid us in our conscious participation into transformation and loving evolution.
For such a time as this.
We have been born anew for these times.
Who will we become now?
Scriptio Divina
—
A Whole-Body Mystical Practice of Writing
We are each wired in different ways. Some of us respond best to the written word, some to the spoken word, some to music, some to art, some to dance. We can connect to God through each of these ways. Though we may have a preferred sense through which to pray, the richest prayer life will come through experiencing God through all your senses and forms of expression.
Scriptio divina is translated as “divine writing.” While there are many forms and practices of journaling, morning pages, and creative expression through the written word, here we are seeking to enter into a mystically embodied way of holistic writing through opening to spirit in us.
Most importantly, scriptio divina is an invitation to writing as a practice of receptive prayer, expressing our divine knowing from within. This differs from our more common forms of reflective writing, which are more about thought-expression. It is not an act of creative writing, seeking to express a product, such as a poem or other crafted form. Rather, our invitation here is to express and write from our embodied, holistic knowing, with our mind in service to the deeper currents and subtle breezes, rather than gripping the helm too tightly. As such, it is a revelatory practice, engaged slowly and from a posture of holy listening and felt-sensing.
As we write and listen, we “till the earth of the heart.” We feel into the seedbed and loose soil, inviting the sprouts from the rich ground of our being. We tap the source of the inner wellspring of our deep womb space to bring forth new streams of intuitive writing and divine expression—which we discover arising from God-Being-Us.
In her version of this practice, Dr. Michele DeMarco recommends these preparatory notes:
Writing ought to be seen as a gift to be received, not a job to perform or a problem to be dissected and solved.
To receive that gift, you must be fully present to the process and write slowly, rhythmically, and with intention.
Life has already “written on your heart”; therefore, it is helpful to consider those “scribblings.” In other words, take a few moments to ponder the fragments of experience you are holding, particularly those that bring you pain or make you feel disjointed or disconnected, as well as any fears that may be preventing you from putting pen to paper.
You should allow the act of writing to evolve from individual words on a page into a type of meditation, and then finally, into a devotion or prayer.
When the writing concludes, it is good to keep in mind a phrase you wrote that is particularly meaningful and curative, and then repeat it throughout the day. In this way, your sacred writing becomes a type of sacred living.
“Rigor, Dedication, Discipline” – image by Dalmo Mendonça
Here are steps you can take to enter into a practice of Scriptio divina:
In preparation for this practice, gather your materials. It is recommended that you use a physical pen and paper, rather than typing. Research has shown that our brain patterns behave different when we are physically writing, which will support the nature of the practice as well. Have plenty of paper and a reliable writing device. Find a comfortable and quiet place where you will be free of distractions.
1. Close your eyes, breathe, clear your mind, and ask God/the Divine to enter into this time of contemplation with you and to speak to you through your writing. As you prepare, perhaps take a little meditative time to ground through your feet, anchor in your womb, and kindle your heart.
2. As you’re ready, slowly begin to write. Let words come in whatever form they may. Perhaps just a single word. Perhaps a sentence. As you write, welcome the flow of expression from deeper within. It may pour forth as a deluge or come like a gentle trickle. Notice what arises, without getting caught in analyzing or evaluating what is happening. Just go with the flow as you attune and express from the inner stirrings. Write for as long as you feel is fitting—or use a meditation timer for a set amount of time. 10 minutes is a good start.
You may have a memory come up, which invites a story-telling. Let your spirit discern if you need or want to express that now, or let it go (perhaps with a note to yourself to come back to it later). Similarly, an idea or concept may come to you. Make the same discernment—being true to the intention of the practice and staying grounded in your whole body. Remember, you’re not trying to create a written “work of art” in this time.
Also, avoid philosophical musings, abstract ideas, and platitudes (which often come in the tone and tenor of someone other than your own authentic voice). If you find yourself writing “advice,” judgments, or any kind of planning, stop the writing right away and move to the next line. Open again to receive words that flow from a deeper place of expression.
As needed, you can pause in your writing, allowing for spacious receiving more than searching thoughts. Don’t try to find the “right” thing to write. You don’t have to force the flow, so if you find your mind grasping for more than a few moments, ground again through your feet, rooting deeper withing, listening to your womb and heart.
3. Through the words you are expressing, you are receiving the emergence of a deep word from spirit. In your receptivity, be attuned to a word, phrase, or paragraph that suddenly sparkles or glimmers for you.
If this happens while you’re writing, let yourself stop and stay with this gift. Welcome what arises in you from it, especially from your inner felt-sense, somatic response, or deep feeling. Stay with that receptivity for as long as you want—perhaps even as a completion of the practice for today.
4. If you feel drawn, you can continue to write in response to what has come forth.
Slowly and intentionally write about what has emerged, what this gift is saying to you or asking of you. Perhaps a deep question arises in response. Or an intention. It may also be a simple response of gratitude or welcoming. You might want to write a single sentence that holds the gift and your response as a final expression.
If you did not have a word or phrase stand out to you while writing, you can reread what you have written with an attuned sensitivity, asking to receive and notice a “divine word” to shimmer in your awareness. If nothing in particular catches you, respond in gratitude for the totality of the practice and all that you have written as a spiritual act of sacred expression and practice.
Consider sharing what you have written with another person or small group, in which case the divine echo may resonate through relationality, only becoming clear after sharing and seeing it reflected back to you. Note: If you feel drawn to share what you have written with anyone, ask them to be a “loving witness,” reading without assessment or commentary, without praise or critique. Rather, invite them to share in the practice as a way of reflecting if something sparkles and resonates for their own spiritual process.
5. To close your practice, let yourself rest in all that has been expressed and received. Simply absorb the whole experience deeply and gently in your soul. Remain in silent contemplation with what has emerged for as long as you like.
After, you can reflect on the process, what you received, and the response to it for today and into the future.
You can always return later to all you have written to play around and free-write with it, following trails of thought or developing ideas you left in the moment. You could also develop a more artistic crafting from your writing, if something budded in that way.
You can also end the practice by opening to any action or intention arising in you from this practice.
Scriptio Divina, like many practices, is one that deepens the more you do it. Consider trying it every day this week to see what comes forth through continual practice.
A Poem on The Work of Christmas
The following poem was written by the philosopher, theologian, and Christian mystic Howard Thurman. We invite you to read and receive it as an invitation and prayer for the days ahead. If you like, you can even use it as a starting point for your Scriptio Divina practice.
The Work of Christmas
by Howard Thurman
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
For Such a Time as This
–
An Invitation to Being Present in our Spheres of Influence
So then how do we live?
The phrase “Spheres of Influence” refers to the areas of our life we may not have control over but nonetheless are able to make a difference and impact through our presence and actions.
As we seek for our spiritual practices and learnings to impact our lives and make a difference in the world, we can intentionally and consciously consider how we might integrate these lessons, practices, and ways of being in our everyday lives.
In this season of Advent, we’ll invite you to consider how you want to live out these practices of becoming in your daily lives, impacting others in your spheres of influence, whether they be in person locally, unbound by geographical space online, or throughout the mystical cosmos!
One of our themes for advent has been the phrases, “For such a time as this” and “We were made for these times.”
These refrains speak to a calling and responsibility we may sense in our lives to show up with heart and courage through our actions.
For our Spheres of Influence practice this week, we share a reflection from Clarissa Pinkola Estes. We invite you to read (or listen) and use the reflection questions at the bottom to inform your intentions.
Join Us in Practice and Communion During Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany!
This Sunday at 11am Eastern, come partake in a time of shared engagement with these themes and practices:
All Images are open-source, used with permission, or created by ICN