Writing, Walking, Silence, Listen, Awaken

I am re-reading the Natalie Goldberg book called, The True Secret Of Writing: Connecting Life With Language. She holds silent meditation retreats where the participants meditate, do walking meditation and writing practice. The only time they speak is when they read what they’ve written to each other, at which time the act of listening is fostered with great awareness.

Natalie Goldberg suggests that we practice in this way during the course of a given day. Meditate, walk, write. Awaken. Anchor awareness with each simple conscious breath.

Practice silence. In reality, no one will notice because we live in a chatty culture. We can practice listening, breathing, smiling instead of talking. We can put pen to paper and write about our reflections as they weave in and out of the focused intention to live as if everything matters, even in the greater scheme of things.

Living life with a three-pronged practice, meditation/prayer, walking, and writing and also practicing the beauty that we are enough in the here and now, helps to reign in the fear of death. The impermanence of life is always with us. Even this breath will end as a new one begins.

And when the breathing ceases to be, we drop the body.

For now, I have gratitude for this act of breathing, the words as they form upon the page, the sounds of a laboring patient in the next room.

It’s been 24 hours since the 26th anniversary of my mothers death. It rose up and it fell away.

I am writing, again, throughout the day. This is the energy I needed to integrate my spiritual practice.

Life plays tricks on us. My lifeline is back.

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Kate’s Prayer Prescription Series, her PRAYER Podcast and radio show has as its mission and foundation, the intent to relieve suffering through the spiritual practice and the remedies brought about through the healing power of Prayer, Love and Compassion.

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