Breast Plate of St. Patrick

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Mindfulness isn't an accident. 


St. Patrick knew this well. 

He wrote a beautiful prayer tooled with an invitation to be still and surrounded by Christ.  (Keep reading to find this precious prayer, and note that it is only the last stanza of a much longer prayer--Google it for more detail)

He leads me beside still waters...Psalm 23:1-3

Concentration, contemplative, receptive prayer is an art to be practiced, for sure not mastered.

In my life spun out to the edges by default, it takes such intent to find that "undivided heart" David talks about in Psalm 86:

11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.

If you know me very well, you know I do a lot of yoga.  One of the Yoga Sutras describes yoga as “the progressive quieting of the fluctuations of the mind"  and ultimately, this "quieting of the mind creates a soul abiding in its truest state".  

I notice first that I think I officially suffer from fluctuations of my mind. 

I  notice second that I like the thought of quieting my mind being continuous and ongoing (progressive) because it sure seems like I continuously need it quieted.

And last (but absolutely not least!) I also notice that a soul can abide in different places...not the first time I have heard this.  The 15th chapter in John is knit through with this miraculous thought: that our soul can abide in Christ.  And I think when I do, I feel like I am in my truest state.  

Finding God's quiet voice takes practice and technique.  I came upon this prayer I really connect with and I want to share it with you.  Take this challenge:  sit down still for a minute.  Prayer breath in one line and out the next line. 
Do it 3 or 4 times. I will only take a couple of minutes.  When you are finished, take the temperature of your "Chatterbox" and see if it is a bit more quite and you feel a smidge more abided in Christ...and email me and let me know how it goes!


Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

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