Hello.
Jesus was a beacon of love,
Courage,
And forgiveness.
He loved all the people who everyone in society shunned.
He spoke up for all the right things,
Speaking truth to the Pharisees and forgiving Judas and the people who strung him up to die on the cross.
On a side note,
It's a bit weird that the image we use of him is now him on the cross,
Right?
I mean,
I get it,
The sacrifice,
But kind of weird.
Anyway,
This man and or God was very certainly an image of what we all could spend a lifetime aspiring to be like,
And it would be a life well spent.
Much better than a life spent worshipping,
In my humble opinion.
With that in mind,
Let's practice.
Come to your senses.
Notice any sights in front of you.
Shades,
Colors,
Textures.
And then notice when you close your eyes that you're still seeing.
Notice any sounds far away.
Closer sounds.
Notice any smells.
Lingering tastes.
Notice any obvious sensations in your body.
Notice that thinking is happening.
And now start to notice your breath.
What's it like to be breathing right now?
Could you perhaps pretend that you've never felt sensations of the breath and see if you become a little more interested?
Now bring to mind the image of Jesus,
And maybe give him a break and let him off the cross,
If you like.
Bring to mind his perfect love and sacrifice.
His shining example.
And now,
As you breathe,
Connect his name to your breath.
G on the inhale,
Sus on the exhale.
You can just say this internally.
And just draw it out as you inhale and exhale.
Keeping his perfect example in your heart and mind as you breathe.
Let him be the inspiration for your practice today and your North Star.
When you become distracted,
Brighten your mind with his image and return to his name on your breath.
Jesus.
Allow yourself to feel the goodness,
The love,
The freedom he gave.
Consider that the same air you're breathing now is the same air that he breathed 2,
000 years ago.
Consider that the same air you're breathing now is the same air that he breathed 2,
000 years ago.
Recirculated through the ages.
Your breath is his breath.
If you're lost in thought,
Just lovingly notice that and come back to the breath.
Every moment of mindfulness is a gift.
Maybe you can allow that spirit in,
That spirit of compassion.
Certainly he would have compassion for you,
Wouldn't he?
Perhaps by now your heart is so opened from focusing on his love that you're ready to go and work with the levers.
Perhaps your mind is wandering and you're lost in thought again.
Either way,
Just come on back to the breath.
Just one breath at a time.
The breath of life with his name connected to it.
Breathe life into his name.
As he breathed his life into you.
And now as we come to a close,
Notice how you're feeling.
Are you inspired to be more Christ-like in your day now?
Perhaps you're more willing to turn the other cheek.
Perhaps you're even willing to turn the other cheek again with those people that are habitually crossing lines.
And maybe you felt just a little more peace and calm attaching him to your breath.
Whatever the case is,
It's okay.
You showed up and that's enough.
Thanks for your practice.
