Dear Friends,

I find myself amongst the walking wounded during the pandemic.  As a response (and honestly out of some degree of desperation), I have recently begun a mindfulness cognitive behavioral course, to assist in being present right now, right here, rather than in some imagined pre-Covid past or post-Covid future. 

There is an emphasis on meditation practices to root oneself in the present, cultivating particularly body and breath awareness.  Having had some initiatory experience with centering prayer there was a familiarity.  However, I found myself asking:  “Where is God?”.   “Is this OK?” 

Someone helpfully pointed out that the language may differ between Christian meditation and psychology, but the goal is the same:  to be a person, fully alive, present, integrated in mind, emotions, body, soul and spirit in the mystery of life.  In Christian language, to be united with God through the incarnate Jesus, our friend. 

And what does this have to do with Pentecost?  Although the Holy Spirit descended as flames of fire after a mighty wind in Acts, often, in scripture, the Holy Spirit is referred to as breath. 

I am attracted to that more than the drama of the first Pentecost, important as that was.  The steady in and out of gentle breathing that is essential to life, working behind the scenes quietly, gently.

In many meditation traditions, one returns to the breath again and again.  A reminder of God at work through the Spirit.  I, for one, would like an heightened awareness of that reality.