In this episode, we're creating our own stories of disruption through a contemplative prayer practice. The Welcoming Prayer helps us recognize what we're feeling and where God is in the midst of our experiences. Take a breath and join us in disrupting the cycles of negativity in our own heads.
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Episode Transcript:
This is the Compass Podcast
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Where we’re sharing the story of daily spiritual disruptions for a broken world.
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My name is Ryan Dunn.
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This episode is a little bit different than normal.
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Over the last several episodes, co-host Pierce Drake and I have been talking with spiritual disruptors--people who are engaged in work that disrupts the broken cycles that exist today.
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It’s been really meaningful to share the stories of Father Greg Boyle about disrupting marginalization and Luke Edwards stories of disrupting trends of loneliness.
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In this episode, we’re going to depart from story sharing and dive into story creation.
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Here, we endeavor to provide a practice of personal disruption.
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Something that interrupts feelings of separation, loneliness, lost-ness (if that’s a word), in our days.
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This is a practice you can put into use daily to interrupt your day with something spiritual.
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The under-riding idea of this podcast is that everything is spiritual--there is nothing that is separated from Divine presence.
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Hopefully, this helps re-orient us to the Divine presence in our midst no matter what else we’re doing.
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Does this sound like a pretty cool endeavor?
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I think so.
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So let’s get into, shall we?
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The practice I’m introducing is called Welcoming Prayer… and I was actually introduced to this practice by a guest on our podcast, the Rev. Tyler Sit.
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Rev. Tyler detailed the practice in his book, Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers.
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Tyler was one of our featured disruptors a couple episodes ago.
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He is not the originator of the Welcoming Prayer practice.
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Mary Mrozowski originally put the practice together in the late 20th Century.
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Mary was one of the founders of Contemplative Outreach--which your can learn more about at contemplativeoutreach.org
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She based the practice on the 17th century French spiritual classic “Abandonment to Divine Providence” by Jean-Pierre de Caussade.
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In essence, the Welcoming Prayer is a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to the stresses of life.
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So when I’m stuck on an anxious feeling, or a feeling of defeat, I find it helpful to retreat into this practice as a way to disrupt the cycles of rumination in my head.
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You know, those thoughts that are triggered when negative things happen…
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The thoughts that like to suggest that I mess everything up.
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That success is for other people but not for me.
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That I’m just an imposter and pretender.
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This practice derails those thoughts before they become my narrative.
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The Welcoming Prayer consists of three parts or movements.
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First, we recognize what we’re feeling.
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Secondly, we welcome these feelings as a means for recognizing God’s presence.
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Thirdly, we let go of a need to control and simply embrace the moment.
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So let’s take this through, one time, together. [Gong]
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Allow yourself to feel this moment… What’s going on in your body? Where are you holding tension? What’s distracting in your mind? … Sit with that for a moment.
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Welcome whatever is that you’re experiencing. Name it to yourself.
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And we’re focusing on emotional states and reactions here.
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So you may be carrying a cold or allergies right now.
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Instead of just recognizing that you have a stuffy nose or sore throat, turn your attention to how those physical challenges inspire you emotionally.
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Are you frustrated by them? Do they have you feeling drained? Are you fed up with having to deal with stuff?
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Tyler Sit actually says “hello” to his sensations: “Hello anxiety, I see you. Hello fatigue, I recognize you, too.”
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Do that now...
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In the same way, welcome God.
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“Hello Dear One, I recognize you are present in this moment, too.”
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It might even help to invite and admit God’s presence in all the sensations you’ve just mentioned…
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“God, you are with me in my anxiety…
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Spirit, you are with me when I’m fatigued…”
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That leads us to the third and final movement: the letting go:
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Perhaps the most economic way to do this is to release your named sensations to God… “God, I give you my fatigue. Spirit, I give you my anxiousness…”
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Mary Mrozowski also provided a prayer for closing of Welcoming Prayer.
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It reads like this:
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“I let go of my desire for security and survival.
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I let go of my desire for esteem and affection.
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I let go of my desire for power and control.
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I let go of my desire to change the situation.”
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With that, we will close this practice.
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Thank you for sharing some time with us on the Compass Podcast. We hope these practices will be positive disruptions for you as needed.
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Help us spread more practices and stories of disruption by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.
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And don’t forget to hit the subscribe button on whatever podcast platform you prefer to listen upon.
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I’m Ryan Dunn, on behalf of Pierce Drake, we look forward to chatting at you again.
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Peace.
