Service as Spiritual Practice

Happy Saturday. From my prayer chair to yours, I see you as Whole, Perfect, Complete, and a Divine Light in this world. I realize it doesn’t always feel this way, yet feelings can’t change what is True. I can sit in my prayer chair feeling broken and yet the Spiritual Truth is I am Whole. I can sit in my prayer chair and feel flawed beyond belief. And yet the Spiritual Truth is the flaws and all that I am is Perfect. And, I can sit in my prayer chair and feel as though I am not enough; something is missing and the Spiritual Truth is I am Complete. I sit in my chair to remember, to connect, and to allow the Presence to presence me.

I designate a chair in my home as my prayer chair. The truth is all chairs are prayer chairs, yet I have designated one a sacred perch. The girth of the chair is wide enough for me to sit with my legs crossed, meditation style. I sink in and remind myself that the chair “has me” as God does. A Divine Field I live in and out of. Then I begin my prayers.

I wrote about the five spiritual practices that exist across all major world religions in the last two blogs. Today I realize I forgot one. And, it is a good one. SERVICE. All major world religions practice: prayer, meditation, sacred community, giving, study

                            Teabag wisdom

AND service.

Service takes many forms. Today my service will be to bring others into my prayer practice. As I speak this Sunday at Unity of Spokane, I will bring into prayer any person who has ever walked through the doors of the Center or met with the community on-line. I will pray for people who I have never met. People who are deceased. People who are in the midst of a deep struggle. People who walked away from the community. And, people who are giddy with Joy. They may never know a prayer is spoken for the into the Prayer Field. The end user knowing is not the point. My being of service is.

Why do people serve? Service humbles. Service sharpens ones eyes to see The Presence of God everywhere. Service develops skill. Service connects with that which is alive. Service is expansive. Service trains our being to be attuned to The Divine Presence, dialed in. Service promotes vitality.

Martin Luther King, Jr said that everyone can be great because anyone has the capacity to serve. During the pandemic I became very interested in vitality; in aliveness. I watched how our service industry became heroes. When most of us were hunkered indoors, the essential workers showed up for service during a time that for many was scary. Grocery store employees masked up and showed up often allowing their eyes to sparkle when their smiles couldn’t be seen. Part of living in The Field is making a contribution to The Field. We do this unconsciously AND can participate consciously. Today my conscious participation will be prayer.

Let me know how you serve and what service means to you. Somehow these spiritual practice basics resonate differently with me now then when I first learned them thirty years ago.

Much Love,

Reverend Bonnie will speak this Sunday at Unity of Spokane. Join her at 2900 S Bernard St, or watch live at 10 am www.unityspokane.org