Please find a comfortable position for meditation.
Take any movements you may need to settle in.
Become aware of your breathing,
Feeling the air flow in and out of your body.
Gently close your eyes or simply soften your gaze downward.
Take a moment to really settle into your body.
Feel the weight of it being supported by the surface beneath you.
There is nowhere you need to go and nothing you need to do right now except be here.
For today's practice,
We will be reflecting and contemplating on the third step prayer.
I will start with the entire prayer,
And then we will go through it line by line with periods of silence for contemplation afterwards.
If you know the prayer,
You can say it silently with me.
God,
I offer myself to Thee,
To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt.
Relieve me of the bondage of self,
That I may better do thy will.
Take away my difficulties,
That victory over them may bear witness to those I would help,
Of thy power,
Thy love,
And thy way of life.
May I do thy will always.
Set an intention for your practice today.
Be open to any thoughts or feelings that may arise,
Especially during periods of silence.
We are moving from the place of I must control to a place of I am willing to trust.
The prayer starts with God.
Invite your higher power to be with you during your meditation today,
Whatever that means to you,
However you understand God and whatever you call God.
Just invite your higher power to join you as if you were inviting a friend.
You are not alone.
I offer myself to Thee.
Visualize your life as a collection of things.
Your talents,
Your fears,
Your history,
Your worries.
Imagine gathering all of these into your hands.
Now imagine placing them gently into a space of light or safety.
Ask yourself,
What does it feel like to stop holding the steering wheel?
To give up control?
To have faith in a higher power?
To build with me,
And to do with me as thou wilt.
Focus on the word build.
You are not a finished product.
You are a construction site.
Imagine a master architect working alongside you,
Not to demolish you,
But to create something stronger.
See if you have any sense of what your higher power wants to do with you right now relieve me of the bondage of self.
Bring your attention to the bondage of self.
Is it the need to be right?
The need to control others?
The fear of failure?
Visualize these as chains around your wrists or ankles.
As you exhale,
Imagine those chains loosening.
What would it feel like if you had no bondage of self,
No opinion,
No old ideas,
Just an open,
Quiet mind?
That I may better do thy will.
This is the purpose of our freedom.
We are not seeking relief just for ourselves,
But to become clearer channels for something greater.
How does following God's will make you a more compassionate,
Patient,
And loving person to those around you?
Take away my difficulties.
Bring to mind any difficulty you are facing.
You do not need to name it aloud.
Just hold it in your awareness.
Instead of asking for the problem to vanish instantly,
Ask for the burden of the problem to be lifted.
Imagine carrying less weight,
Even if the situation remains.
What things could you let go of today that have gotten in the way of being the person that your higher power would want you to be?
That victory over them may bear witness to those I would help.
Shift your perspective from me to them.
Your growth is not just for you.
It is a beacon for others.
Who in your life needs to see that recovery is possible?
How does your struggle become a story of hope for someone else?
Of thy power,
Thy love,
And thy way of life.
Consider each of these three attributes.
Power.
The strength that moves mountains.
Love,
The compassion that heals wounds.
Way of life,
The natural order of peace and harmony.
Which of these three do you need most right now?
Maybe you need all three today.
Invite those specific qualities to fill the space where your difficulty used to be.
How might you affect others if you were truly an example of God's power,
God's love,
And God's way of life?
May I do thy will always.
This is the commitment,
Not just for today,
But always.
Make a small,
Silent promise to yourself to return to this mindset whenever you feel the bondage of self returning.
Take a moment to smile and picture yourself doing God's will right here,
Right now.
Having reflected on the prayer,
I am going to say it again,
And I would like you to notice how each line makes you feel emotionally,
Physically,
And spiritually.
God,
I offer myself to Thee,
To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt.
Relieve me of the bondage of self,
That I may better do thy will.
Take away my difficulties,
That victory over them may bear witness to those I would help,
Of thy power,
Thy love,
And thy way of life.
May I do thy will always.
Continue to hold the feeling of the offering,
The building,
The relief,
And the service in your heart.
Bring a sense of gratitude to this moment.
Thank yourself for the willingness to surrender.
To be open-minded and to practice meditation with me today.
Take one final deep breath.
Inhale,
Building together,
And exhale any remaining tension.
Slowly begin to bring your awareness back to the room.
Feel the air on your skin.
Notice the sounds around you.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Take a stretch if you would like to.
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Carry this sense of peace and partnership with you as you move into the rest of your day.
Wishing you love,
Light,
And peace.
Namaste.
