Are you feeling scattered, anxious, or overwhelmed in this season? It's understandable. In the Nashville community this week, the unthinkable happened at The Covenant School. While I do not have a direct connection to the victims, Nashville is indeed a tight community, and my heart has been overwhelmed with sadness. It takes practice at times like this to find peace amidst the overwhelm. One way I do this is through breathwork and meditation. Centering ourselves matters, especially when we're feeling anxious.

You likely know breathwork is a simple yet powerful technique that involves focusing on your breath and controlling it intentionally. This practice helps you calm your mind and body, reduce stress, and increase your overall well-being. Combining breathwork with meditation creates a potent tool for finding inner peace, connecting with your Creator, and simply slowing down that racing mind.

Meditation is a practice that has been used for centuries to connect with the divine and find inner peace. By quieting your mind and focusing on the present moment, you can tap into a sense of calm that goes beyond your immediate circumstances.

When you practice breathwork and meditation together, you can experience a deeper sense of connection to God and find peace in even the most difficult times. 

Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Find a quiet place: Choose a quiet place where you won't be interrupted. You can sit on the floor, in a chair, or even lie down.
• Set an intention: Before you begin, set an intention for your practice. Your focus can be anything you choose - from finding peace to soaking in God's love. Just claim something!
• Start with breathwork: Begin by taking a few deep breaths. Focus on your breath and how it feels as it moves in and out of your body. Then, control your breath by inhaling for a count of four, holding for a count of four, and exhaling for a count of four. Repeat this pattern for a few minutes.
• Move into meditation: Once you feel centered and more focused, move into quiet centering or meditation. You can use a guided meditation or focus on your breath. WHEN (not if) your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your breath.
• End with gratitude: When you're finished, take a moment to express gratitude for the peace you've found. Thank God for this moment of stillness and connection.

​By incorporating breathwork and meditation into your daily routine, you can find a sense of peace that transcends the world's chaos. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, stress, or simply seeking a deeper connection to God, this practice can indeed help you find the peace you seek.

Still feel overwhelmed with these suggestions? Need companionship with breathwork and meditation? If you'd like to take a Christ-centered approach to this practice, see below for one of my Exploring Peace Meditation podcast recordings to practice presence with God through breathwork and meditation. 

How is it already October? What has become of this year's vision board and goal plan? For me, not much. It is the year of PIVOT! And while it's been tough, I'm finding many silver linings in this invitation and focus shift. Amidst that shifting, I do know I'm hearing this quote from Augustine and a very familiar verse, loud and clear.

Listen....

"Thou has made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee." - Augustine of Hippo

“Be still, and know that I am God” – Psalm 46:10

Do you have any stillness or rest in your day?  Or, does stillness only find you when you crash in the chair at the end of the day after being all things to all people?

Or, does rest evade your mind because although your body is still, you rarely choose to stop scrolling or turn off the news? Do you collapse at the end of a day feeling tired, alone, or even unworthy of being still in God's presence? Are you restless?

This restless pondering and verse aren't simply about being still, are they? Nope. There is so much more than stillness in this invitation. 

We might want to take note of something pretty important in the verse.  The word "and" in the sentence.  The scripture doesn't just ask us to be still, it asks us to be still AND know.  What do we need to know?

If you keep reading, verse 11 tells us that “The Lord Almighty is with us.”  We aren’t simply told to be still (I was told that in church as a little girl plenty, that's not the same as this).  We’re told to be still and know that God is with us. Augustine reminds us God wants us to not only rest but to rest IN GOD. Amidst stress, overwhelm, injustice, worry, changed plans, and pivoting dreams, rest in God.

God gives us the ability to do more than just stop worrying or running. God gives us the ability to rest in God and be reminded how much God cares for each of us, especially amidst restless times like these.

Today, I invite you to find stillness somewhere in your day AND in that stillness of knowing God is with you.
​
Know that God is your comfort.  
Know that God is your peace.
Know that your Creator longs for you to rest in thee.
​
Reflect:  How am I reminded that God is with me?   What is causing me restlessness (get specific, consider journaling or praying through these specifics)? When was the last time I experienced stillness and rest WITH God?  Where and when can I rest today AND  be reminded of God's presence in my life?

​Action: Let's not choose to be restless in this season, let's choose to rest in God. Need a little help? Press play below and drift off to sleep in God's presence tonight.

Group Spiritual Direction was my introduction to the ministry of soul care. After my stroke, I experienced extreme anxiety. The anxiety was emotionally and spiritually paralyzing. I could barely go to the grocery amidst strangers, let alone be surrounded by people wanting to hug and communicate (at church). The church wasn't causing my anxiety. My anxiety simply didn't allow me to be present at church, which felt conflicting and overwhelming.


It was an isolating and lonely season. A friend knew I was in this searching season, trying to discover God in new ways. So when she heard that her church was offering a group spiritual direction series, she asked me to join the group. I had never heard of the ministry of spiritual direction. I was hesitant and also curious. You would think something brand new would have been harder to embrace than what I knew but what I needed in that season was simply a small group of people to hold space for me and my struggles on my spiritual journey. 

This little group of listeners soon helped me hear God in brand new ways. They listened fully, completely, and without judgement. They didn't try to "fix" my challenges or change me. They helped me notice God's activity in my life and I'm forever grateful.

According to Rose Mary Dougherty, three conditions are essential to the life of a spiritual direction group:

• commit themselves to an honest relationship with God
• participate wholeheartedly in the group process through prayerful listening and response
• open their spiritual journeys for consideration by others

Are you willing to be open and honest about your relationship with God (struggles and all)? Are you in a season of change, discernment, or longing? Do you simply want to learn to be a better listener? You're invited to join us for our first online small group inside our new Peace Seekers Community.

Attendance is important since our group will be intimate. Our time will be an introduction to spiritual direction so you don't need to know a thing about this ministry to begin. We'll meet for 4 Sessions on Zoom, Wednesdays from 10:30 AM - 12 PM Central beginning October 28, 2020. We'll offer safe space to share and ask questions about your spiritual journey among peers and with me (a trained spiritual director). You'll participate in weekly guided scripture meditations for listening to God's activity in this intimate group (limited to 6 participants). Your investment in this 4 sessions is the cost of 2 private spiritual direction sessions. You can find full details and register at this link.

BONUS: You'll become a member of our new online community during the time of our group. This community offers you support from other Peace Seekers, weekly scripture passages and ponderings, as well as connection.

Will you join us?