Retreat - Closet: March 9 - 15

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Jesus said to his followers, "But when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you." Jesus would have used the word Tawanaah when speaking of this private room. Tawanaah is Aramaic for closet: a room where valuables and supplies are restored, a room without windows. This word is also used as a metaphor for the heart.

When I meditate and journey inward, I go to this private room, where my God already dwells and waits for me. Meditation is itself a type of retreat, an invitation to encounter the Divine within. Many days I pray without words, I simply allow the silence to echo in the closet of my heart.

Practice

Chuck, one of my favorite yoga teachers, leads a meditation on the evenings of the new and full moon. This week's practice is inspired by his guided meditation.

Be still and pay attention to the breath.

Settling in, dropping from your head, inching toward the heart.

Imagine the heart to be a destination, a hidden chamber,

a sacred place, accessible to you alone.

Picture yourself walking on a starlit night along a mountain path or a favorite trail.

Feel the ground beneath your feet as you journey downward,

deeper and deeper into the serenity of the night.

Each breath, each step brings you closer to this special place.

Eventually you come to an ancient door and enter within.

Look around.

See the glow of candle light. Feel the smoothness of the stone floor.

Smell the sweet fragrance of flowers. Hear the sound of wind chimes or a flowing fountain.

What else do you experience? Take it all in.

This is a place of prayer and peace.

No need to utter words to be understood.

Set an intention. Leave an offering.

Whisper a prayer. Share a burden.

Listen deeply and receive.

Be held by Love, filled with Light, and a channel of Grace.

Linger until it is time to leave.

Retrace your steps back to from where you started.

The meditation ends but stay present to both realms,

the ever fleeting and the eternal.

Remain in the private room of your heart, connected to the whole world.

This ability to hold both realities simultaneously is a gift given to humans.

Know we can survive life's difficulties by staying connected to our deepest selves.