Inner Writing
Advent Meditation 1
Sleeper Awake
You will need
some privacy, a small bowl of cold water, enough time not to worry about time.
A Reading
Therefore, keep awake – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.
Mark 13: 35-37
Anointing
Take a bowl of water or maybe a damp tissue. Dab your eyes as if to remove sleep and tiredness.
Feel the freshness on your face, you are waking up. Take your time – don’t rush – stay with it as long as you wish. As you do whisper………….
“Sleeper awake ………and Christ will shine on you”
(Eph 5:14)
Pondering
A strong Advent theme is the coming of Christ at the end time. This gospel reading warns that we do not know when He will come. It could be anytime, in fact right now. So we are to be awake, to be conscious and present in this very moment because this present moment is that time Christ comes to us.
We can be awake and present by ‘living in’ our bodies, mind and heart in a balanced way. In the West our default setting is to live mainly in our head. So we do a lot of thinking, deciding, ‘weighing up’ and judging in our mind. Only when our bodies are in pain or doesn’t work properly do we become more conscious of our bodies. Our heart, our inner being comes a very poor third.
When we are able to integrate and balance the body, mind and heart then we are awake not just to Christ’s coming but to others around us. But then maybe Christ also comes to us through others.
Posture
Before adopting the posture try tapping your body with your right and left hand. Tap gently your arms legs, belly, chest and head. It is a great way to become aware of your body.
Stand with the feet slightly apart. Extend the arms out to the side with palms up. Head slightly back, eyes closed. Breathe deeply. As you do so whisper…….
Whisper “Awake my soul, I will sing” (Psalm 57:9)
Poem or Prayer
Rouse and shake me awake my Beloved,
steady and balance me for you come with gentle majesty.
So will I tune my mind to know your wisdom,
and I will prepare my body to embrace your presence.
My heart is open to welcome your grace.
Come delayed Lover, come soon,
keep me alert, for you come to judge with mercy.
So I will still my mind to the matrix of your mystery
and I will open the eye of my heart to see you this moment.
My whole body will dance with you my Beloved,
your music of love overwhelms me.
