Here’s a spiritual exercise for your Saturday:

An idea that was drilled into my head in the church was based on Isaiah 26:3…

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.”

In other words, I was taught that I had to be thinking about God all of the time.

After I left the ministry and the church in the spring of 2010, one of the things my counselor/spiritual director encouraged me to do was to be present in my body. Just to be here now. To get out of my head. I must tell you, this has been the most difficult part of my journey.

So now I do things that help me get out of my head and to trust what is. I am learning to just enjoy being, getting in touch with my senses and feelings. I run without earbuds. I listen to music at home and in the car. I smell flowers. I eat delicious food and drink fine red wine. I stop thinking and reasoning. I practice being present without thought. I am here now and I just feel it.

Like when I’m with Lisa, I enjoy her. I hear her soft words, her breath. I feel her smooth skin. I smell her favorite perfume. I behold her beauty. I taste her mouth. When I’m with her, I just enjoy her. There is no need for thought. In fact, thought interferes.

The same with nature. The same with the Mystery. There is no difference. It all percolates down to trust. Trusting what is. Loving what is.