Prayer | Bonnie Barnard - Part 5

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Fortifying Body and Mind in the Midst of the Flu

Six days ago I sat on my living room couch making a list of what I intended to accomplish the next day; part of my daily routine. One breath was stable and even followed by a lubricated swallow. The next breath shifted and my throat was dry, raw, and sore; no lead up, a full-on, high speed, fever-induced flu. For just shy of a week I have been living in pajamas moving between my bed and the couch and toggling between television, computer, silence, and a book. I launch into body-vacation (aka flu) mode. 1. When my body isn’t feeling well, I notice how well I AM. Throughout the day I connect with my Inner Spirit that is happy and doing calisthenics. I allow myself to be nurtured by the Inner/Outer Spirit regardless of how my body feels. 2. I treat my body like a child and love it up!!! If it requires rest; I give myself rest. If it desires entertainment, I turn on a movie. I bathe regularly, drink lots...

For Just a Moment

I returned to the Pacific Northwest for a brief moment earlier this month. Driving on roads covered in a blanket of leaves, windshield wipers batting the rain off the glass, pre-mature Christmas music playing louder than my thoughts, I pulled to the side of the road wanting time to stand still. Keenly aware that Life is so much bigger than my wanting; I grabbed my journal and pen and wrote about my desire for time to stand still for a moment. Craving the temporary to change places with the Eternal, knowing that it can’t and won’t. Desperately wanting for the people I love to remain beloved, and forms to not shift. I knew this could not and will not happen, and yet, I was aware of the deep desire within me to own the beautiful familiar … for even just a moment. This Moment Life is now faster than me. I want to possess the land I know will outlive me. Today it’s not enough to stand witness to its beauty and appreciate it. I want...

My Experience of the Darkness: Thinking Today of Robin Williams

Life is not for the faint of heart. To be alive — not survive, but REALLY live — means to be in touch with all aspects of Self. To see life from the perspective of the body or experience it through emotional states is different than seeing life through the eyes of Spirit. To see from the Sight of Spirit, means to have a larger peep hole or aperture from which to view or witness life. The journey of Spirit is filled with internal states of expansion and contraction. To transform, which is the call of the Spiritual, is to enter into deep dark states within oneself and to know that even here; Life is. God is. After all, in order to transform, we are called to die to an old self in order that a new self may emerge. And death it is. No pussy footing around it. The caterpillar leaves its current physical state and turns into goo!!! that may assume a new self. Surrendering at...

Wanting and Mattering: A Story of Prayer

As a child there were things that I REALLY wanted. I really, REALLY wanting a moped one year for Christmas as a young teen. I REALLY wanted this moped so I could experience the freedom of faster movement with lesser effort. I wanted to go to the movies without taking a bus, or go to friend’s homes quickly instead of walking a mile or two. I had a vision as to the WHY of this engine-driven monster. I wanted it bad. I was attached. The Buddhist would say I craved it. My birthday is in November and Christmas is December, so I started my campaign that year in August. I began by dropping hints. Then, I cut out photos and left brochures around the house. I talked about it at the dinner. I REALLY wanted a moped. My birthday came and the first thing I asked my parents was “did I get the moped today?” I don’t remember what I got, but it wasn’t the moped. I told my parents I understood...

Prayer for New Work

Many of my friends and clients are currently undergoing job searches. Last night I was woken up at 12:20 am with the internal knowing I was to write an Affirmative Prayer for all the job seekers out there wanting prayer support. I recommend printing out this prayer and praying it in the morning and at night before bed. I suggest keeping a job search journal along side this prayer where I would capture who I met throughout the day and in my evening prayers I would give thanks for each one and pray for their well being and the well being of their families. I would practice being a blessing everywhere I went. I would also write in my journal the insights I had about myself and allow myself to be inspired by them. I would let this job search change me for the better. Below is a job search prayer. It is written in the Affirmative Prayer style. If this style interests you, you can learn more about...

The Gospel of the Belly

I have had a long term battle with my belly. It is subtle at times, and very blatant at others. I swear it has a life of its own and I have secretly resented it; although until last night, I was not aware of this brewing distain. On Monday I will fit into an outfit, than Tuesday I am too swollen to wear it. I will go to sleep on Wednesday feeling fine to wake up on Thursday with a distended stomach and no understanding as to how it happened. My long battle with the belly became more intense after undergoing a hysterectomy leaving with it scattered scars of different sizes and color hues reminding me of Di Vinci, the name of the robot that conducted the operation. I have visited doctors, medical intuitives, faith healers, and weight loss centers to address this persistent annoyance. Which brings me to all of the ways I’ve set out to take good care of my body which hasn’t resulted in visual...