Day 1 of 21 Days of Prayer Outside the Box

The idea for the 21 Days of Prayer Outside the Box came to me in a recent meditation.  Prayer is an important part of my spiritual journey even though there was a time that I really struggled with the whole concept. As a coach with a body, mind, spirit approach, I am sensitive to individual philosophies, beliefs and approaches and want to respect each one.  The thought is to share 21 prayers that are diverse in origin and create a space where those who choose to can join together as "two or more gathered" each day (on our own and in our own time) even though we are not physically together.

The First Prayer

As I was looking for prayers to include in the 21 Days of Prayer Outside the Box I did a little googling and decided to start with The Serenity Prayer.  This seems a little funny since it is really pretty "inside the box" (made popular by 12 step groups, one site calls it the most popular prayer in the world), but sometimes the best way out of the box is to start somewhere familiar.  Just stick your big toe out before you jump out with both feet.

So, if this prayer is new to you, I am grateful to have the opportunity to be the one to introduce you.  If it is one you already know I invite you to approach it as though you are experiencing it for the first time. Take it a little slower.  Stop with each word and really soak it up. This is a powerful prayer with a powerful message.  I know how easy it is to get going with these prayers without really being present to the prayer.  I invite you to become very present with this prayer at least once today and just be the observer from there.

God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
The Courage to change the things I can;
and the Wisdom to know the difference.

Note:

If you are interested, there is more to this prayer.  You can Google the full version.

Inside Outside

Today while emailing with a friend, I was re-minded of a little piece of Wisdom that has been so helpful to me over the years....

Don't compare your insides with someone elses outsides.

I have heard this over and over, yet I catch myself doing it all of the time. Almost every one I have ever talked to about this can relate. Today as I ponder this I am also re-minding myself not to compare the "inside" of today to the "outside" of tomorrow.

Any thoughts you might want to share on this?

Two in One

Today I had an awareness while processing my thoughts and feelings out loud with a friend. When I feel off kilter and I hear myself saying, "I don't know. I just don't know," what is really going on for me is I'm not in control. Being in control gives me the illusion of feeling like "I do know."

What I have also noticed is that the times I had serenity is not when I was "in control," but rather when I was "in faith." Faith that it is all unfolding in the highest and best way, even when I don't see it, don't understand it or (believe it or not) don't like it.

So, how is this a two in one re-minder? It's two in one because, once again, I remembered that processing things out loud is often all I need to come back to a bit of wisdom I already have. Try it, I bet it will work for you, too.

Let It Be

Early this morning I received a re-minder from the lyrics of a song..."Let it be. There will be an answer. Let it be," by The Beatles.

So often when I experience stress in my life I forget this Wisdom. There will be an answer. "Stress is a fear reaction to life." Louise Hay re-minds me. When I am feeling fear it is because I am not practicing faith. Somewhere I have unconsiously chosen fear over faith. And then I am re-minded (by a song, friend, affirmation, reading) and I can consiously choose faith.

This morning when I heard the lines to that song I felt a wave of immediate re-lief....quickly followed by another wave of fear. So, I gently re-mind myself with the words of the song as a mantra/affirmation. "There will be an anwer." There IS an answer. I may not be consiously aware of it, but I KNOW there IS an answer.

At the center of my being, in the Truth of my being lies Divine Wisdom. In that place the answer exists, and in Divine Timing it will be re-vealed in my life. I know from past experience that although I think I want to know now, when the knowing comes it will be perfect (Divine) timing. I will understand. So for now. I rest in the faith that all is perfect in my world.

Namaste