A helpful way of becoming gathered and quiet and in open receptivity in the presence of God is through listening.
So I invite you to close your eyes and open your sense of listening.
And let this be a simple receptivity to whatever sounds are coming into your ears.
Don't try and go out and look for sounds as much as just allowing them to land gently on your ears.
And whatever sounds you're hearing,
Try not to judge them as good sounds,
Bad sounds.
Just be open and receptive.
Almost picture your sense of hearing as a wide open bowl that's receiving everything that comes.
And now we'll bring that same kind of receptivity to our inner selves and whatever you've been about,
Whatever you're feeling right now,
Bring that same open non-judgmental receptivity to whatever has been happening in your inner life.
Gently letting it all be there.
And now deepening your awareness to the spaciousness with which you are allowing all of this to be there.
And resting back into the spaciousness.
The eternal God is our refuge here now in the silence.
Underneath are the everlasting arms.
And so we rest back into the vastness,
The unending depth and deep tenderness of these everlasting arms.
Beloved our God,
We thank you that you are our refuge.
And this doesn't necessarily mean that you take away difficult situations as much as that your presence is always here for us to rest into,
Be held by.
And so we thank you that we can open our hearts in trust,
Knowing that you are our sanctuary,
That you bring us the gift of peace and deep well-being as we learn to rest more and more deeply in the beauty and stillness of your embrace.
Amen.
