Second Sunday of Advent

Today starts the second week of advent. Advent is a time of vigilant waiting; I wait for something mysterious and unscheduled, with quiet excitement, and expectation. If I fall asleep to this awareness I risk missing the moment of joy, courage, or insight; the gift of grace that has the potential to feed me in ways I need.

Agenda Today:

1. Love Meditation

2. Read "It's a Meaningful Life"

3. Grace notes

4. Plan activities for unity and peace

5. Advent wreath ceremony

1. Love meditation:

Every month after the full moon, in the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon, I practice a love meditation that progresses from receptivity, to gratitude, to generosity:

Day 2: Practice a love meditation, and end by feeling and expressing gratitude - send a prayer to the universe of thanksgiving for all I have in my life. 

When I remember to feel grateful for my blessings, my days take on a different tone: I have more vigor, optimism, compassion, and peace. By noticing how I am blessed, my impatience decreases and I realize how satisfied and fulfilled I really am.

2. Read "It's a Meaningful Life":

Earlier this year I had been re-reading "It's a Meaningful Life; It Just Takes Practice," by Bo Lozoff (2000), but I got stuck on chapter 17: One or All, All for One.

"True freedom exists firmly within the bounds of natural laws and the shifting needs of our lives. ... Freedom is a good thing. Unchecked personal choice is not. ... Human beings exist in relation to each other. Real freedom cannot be separated from responsiveness to others. To be free means to be able to respond to the needs of the moment within the basic rules of a good life. ... Even the sincerest motivation is only one part of freedom. Freedom requires skills and capability; it requires availability and goodwill and common sense."

Bo's tenet is that we've been sold a bill of goods: Freedom is not about doing anything we want. We can't ignore the best interests of society. Being dutiful and modest, having reverence and discipline, and giving to your community rather than pursuing personal agendas - these might be a better way toward freedom than our "cult of individualism".

"Obligations and responsibilities are an important component of a good life; they are not merely burdens. ... Even though they may sometimes be demanding, our duties help us to feel a part of the people around us rather than apart from them."    

3. Grace notes:

This week my theme is "Striving to find unity and peace with all the people of the world". Last week I refined that to add "accepting that we are part of nature and deserving of care and love". What I mean by that is not exactly that we are all "good at heart", which I think is a stretch, but that we are indeed all a part of the natural order and have that of God within us, or that of Creation.

When I think of People as creatures that deserve to live, just like the rats do, then I can move towards a generosity of spirit that unites me. 

4. Plan activities for unity and peace:

"Striving to find unity and peace with all the people of the world" is still a huge goal! Rather than get overwhelmed, though, I plan to do a little something positive each day.

At the birth of Jesus, Luke wrote that the angels proclaimed peace on earth and goodwill for all (the non-violent peace of justice, not Caesar's peace by conquest).

How can I work now to create the conditions of peace in my community and world?
How can I become better at feeling and exhibiting goodwill for all?

Things I might do this week to create unity and peace:

• be peaceful within myself;
• be in harmony with people I interact with;
• work to learn about and appreciate traditions and beliefs of people throughout the world;
• study an issue that is relevant to human rights in the world at this time;
• challenge myself to work to create the conditions of peace (justice, equality, and freedom) in my family and community.

My life might seem insignificant in the vastness of the universe, but each life is essential to the wellbeing of the whole. I demonstrate my compassion with small acts of kindness and generosity. When I renew this intention each day, the opportunities to show goodwill appear with regularity.

4. Advent wreath ceremony:

Tonight (and every night this week) we will light two advent candles, and recite two prayers:

"We light the first candle for the earth, which sustains us. May we cherish and care for it."

"We light the second candle for all the people of the world. May we find unity and peace."