Tuesday, August 19
- Scripture: Psalm 16:11 – “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
- Reflection: The Buddhist spiritual teacher Thich Nhat Hanh regularly advised, “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” Walking, as the scripture above shares,is part of being grounded and open to connection. It is another aspect of a mindfulness practice.
Let your body be present to the world. Let your senses give you messages and bring to you connection with the current moment. Allow yourself to be rooted in the place you choose to walk or move in whatever way movement is possible for you, even if that is limited to some parts of your body, even your eyes.
The journey with God is filled with pleasures and joy. And the journey with God is often one of migration and movement. Though Christ routinely included retreat and quiet prayer and reflection, he also spent much of his time walking and moving among people, from household to household and community to community.
How do you move through the world? Do you notice it? Do you pause and let it amaze and surprise you? Do you notice where you are and who you are with or around? Does your awareness extend to signs of God’s presence?
Savor the path on which you step (literally and metaphorically). How does it bring you positive input and balance? - Spiritual Practice Prompt: Take a contemplative walk today, even a brief one, reflecting on the joyful moments you’ve encountered on your life’s journey. If you cannot move comfortably, let other parts of your body, such as your fingers or your eyes, do the moving and the messaging for you.
Song:
- “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves: https://youtu.be/qK5KhQG06xU?si=xrV-hRYbYI1qLNY2
All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused. ― Martha Graham
Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. ― Joseph Campbell
August 19 Daily Devotional