Part 2: When No One Wants to Hang Out with Me
Lisa Ash Drackert of Kansas City, MO, USA
You who fear the LORD, praise him ….
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the LORD.
May your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him. -Psalm 22:23, 26-27
I like the idea that spaciousness can be appreciated in three ways: Time, Form, and Soul.
Space in Time is a gap between activities, agendas, and to-do list items. It’s a vacation from the incessant need to be efficient and put together and to follow all the rules. Time space is priceless because it doesn’t happen all that often in my life. I often yearn for space to rest but instead fill my hours with appointments and classes and clients and laundry and emails. Time space for me is permission to sit still and withdraw from my addiction to efficiency.
Space in Form is that unbelievable feeling of sprinting into a spacious field, flinging my arms wide open, and breathing big into the uncluttered world that holds me. It’s why I yearn to be in the mountains every summer and why I will endure 10 hours of hiking to get to the top of a 14er (4,267 meters) in Colorado. It’s why I must, for my own sanity, get out of town and into trees and on the trails weekly. Space in Form is necessary for my survival.
Space in Soul is, literally, my mental salvation. It is freedom from. It’s learning to listen to my inner voice that says: Um, maybe don’t be so stressed about this, Lis; it’s probably not a big deal. At all. (It is, usually, never a big deal.) Soul Space for me is freedom from having to react with defensiveness or insecurity when someone criticizes me. Soul Space is freedom from judging and disapproval when I look in mirrors and instead just being glad that I even remembered to take a shower and put on my shirt right-side-out. Soul Space is learning to celebrate others instead of feeling jealous or inadequate. It is freedom from having to react from fear because that’s what I’ve been conditioned to do and instead be free to respond from a place of worthiness and love. Oh, that is a sweet, sweet space.
How do these qualities of space show up in your life? How can you make more spaciousness, more sweet space in your day today?
Used with permission and adapted from http://lisaashyoga.com, xc2xa9Elizabeth Marie Ash Drackert
Prayer Phrase
I surrender into your love.
Spiritual Practice
Centering Prayer
Set a timer for 20 minutes. (If that feels like too much at first, choose a time that will be comfortable for you as a starting place, committing to expand that time in future prayer.) Allow the rhythm of your breath to draw you deeper and deeper into silence. As you breathe, claim one sacred word (Christ, peace, grace, trust, etc.) emerging in you as an anchor to return you to the intention of your prayer when your thoughts begin to wander. Gently release the thoughts and images that come, making space for presence to the One who is with you here and now. Release, return, “be vulnerable to divine grace” (Doctrine and Covenants 163:10b).
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
