Many times a day I am pausing to feel the Holy Spirit within me as a way of extending love to my tiredness. I am reminded to do this even by my friend Bartholomew:
“Love is not just a thought; love is a physical sensation. It is a motion within the physical body that produces a wondrous warmth and sense of well-being, in the face of anything that might be happening.”——–Planetary Brother, by Bartholomew p. 122
This definition of unconditional love below sounds exactly like what I am hoping to uncover as my daily experience as my epic fears are melted by the love I am extending to them:
This absolute well being as a physical sensation is what I am listening for as the feeling of the Holy Spirit. I have learned to sit still and feel into this as a part of a process but it has been awhile since I have concentrated on the feeling. The more I feel this, the more I recognize it. The more I recognize the feeling of the Holy Spirit, the more I realize it is always with me, actually, physically, with me. The more I actually feel this the more I feel safe, comforted and never alone. The glory of this is that even if a fear or a terrible event or surprise (like the attacks on 9/11/01 we talked about yesterday) comes to me I can quickly feel back into the Presence I now know is Holy Spirit and feel peace and comfort immediately. Even if I am in tears and terror I can still feel it and know I need but ASK for guidance and deepening peace, trust and even joy int he midst of my trouble.
Join me today in taking time to feel the Holy Spirit within you.
Ask Holy Spirit, what do you feel like?
1. Take a few deep breaths and turn off your cell phone and close your computer (they will both be waiting for you in a few minutes).
2. Relax into your chair or bed where you are and close your eyes.
3. Take several more deep slow breaths. Feel the stillness of the moment holding you.
4. First extend love to your thoughts and again wait quietly in the moment. (this softens your thoughts)
5. If you know what Holy Spirit feels like just go ahead and feel into that. If you do not, take a moment and ASK: Holy Spirit, what do you feel like? And then wait quietly.
6. Allow Holy Spirit to communicate in whatever way is most effective for you.
Notice what you feel as a physical sensation (chills, goose bumps, a feeling of calm). Notice if you have an image or a word come into your awareness (peace, spaciousness, a song or color). Notice what you notice. This is the feeling of the Holy Spirit. It can be different for each one. Get to noticing what it is within your own self so that you can return again and again in times of joy or pain, peace or conflict, well-being or terror. This is what my tiredness tries to hide, the truth that I can and DO feel the Holy Spirit because it is always with me and within me. Always.
Notice how you feel after taking this time to feel into the feeling of the Holy Spirit. Please share your experiences.
