More on the trip

Lest you think the trip was actually perfect, let's see.....

1. During the banquet dinner Saturday night, in a room of mostly alcoholics and a table full of alcoholics, at a 12 step conference, a woman at my table decided that she MUST have a glass of red wine. So she went to the bar in the hotel and brought it back to have with dinner. The wine didn't bother me at all, really. But her total lack of consideration and compassion did. She then proceeded to caress her husband throughout the dinner. As my therapist said, it probably wasn't her first glass of wine that day. And as my friend said to add insult to injury she would probably leave the glass half full on the table. She did linger just a bit too much but thankfully she did not leave it or I would have had to coldcock her. Only kidding.

2. Then on Sunday night when we descended Sandia Peak, it was a little after nine pm. The gift shop was open and I had seen some things i wanted so we went in and began to shop. The young girl then closed the gate to the store about half way. I asked her if she was closing, prepared to leave, and she said oh no, I just don't want anyone else to come in. So I proceeded to shop. My hands got full, oh yes, I had a lot of junk, so I placed them on the counter and told her I ran out of room and would leave them here. I proceed to shop the store. I was in the back, contemplating whether to by my husband some fajita spices, when I heard the register running, like cashing out. So I went up front and now both gates were closed. I asked her, did you lock me in? She said she didn't know I was still in the store but how could that be true when I hadn't checked out yet and there was all my stuff laid out in front of her. Then I asked her if I could still purchase my items. And she said, no she was very sorry. I was incredulous. I said, you're not serious. And she said, I'm sorry. We went back and forth like this. Not in an angry way, just incredulous. She said she didn't do it on purpose and I said I didn't believe her and left. Found my friend and said a lot of swear words.

3. While the Hotel Albuquerque where the conference was held was absolutely beautiful ,we didn't stay there as they were booked by the time we made our reservation. 800 people. So we stayed at the beautiful Econolodge. WE called it "the Lodge" just to make us feel better. They were supposed to charge us $48 conference rate and believe me it was worth no more than $25. Scummy pool we didn't dare use, watered down OJ & stale donuts for breakfast and no service whatsoever. Well, not true, the rooms were passably clean. Anyway, we were charged $62.99 and when we went to the desk to ask about it, the grandmother (an Indian family ran it and not Native American) who barely spoke English couldn't help us, "she's gone till 2" then, she's on vacation for 2 weeks. Whatever. The owner wasn't even going to let us check into our rooms upon arrival. We had just traveled by bus across the city from the airport, with our luggage and she said our room wouldn't be ready for 45 minutes. Check in was at 12 and this was about 12:30. When she realized we had nowhere to go and were going to park ourselves right in front of her on the fake green leather sofa she managed to find a room for us because she "felt bad."

Anyway, one of the things we learned at the conference was a prayer to do as a supplement to Centering Prayer called the Welcoming Prayer. Father Sheehan who taught it to us. He was the priest who facilitated the first CP retreat I attended back in March. His fllight had been delayed then cancelled and he was a day late to the conference. He said he had plenty or time to practice this prayer in the Philadelphia airport. I'm still learning to incorporate it into my daily life but when I do it helps. So here you go shadow...as promised.....

The Welcoming Prayer
The Welcoming Prayer is a tool of redemption, during which we acknowledge our intention to consent to God’s action and presence in our lives, our desire to live more fully into Truth. Mary Dwyer, Chairwoman of the faculty of Contemplative Outreach says, “Welcoming prayer is like a dance, an invitation to dance with and even welcome your demons.” Here’s how to pray it. Remember, you can be anywhere to pray this prayer, but for starters you might want to practice sitting still and quietly in a favorite prayer space. Once you get used to the rhythm of it you can take it anywhere.

First Movement: FOCUS: Take your attention to a place in your body where you are holding energy, tension, pain. Keep your focus on that place. Don’t judge, analyze, or try to control the feelings or sensations. Just focus on them, be with them. Example: I had a pain on the bottom of my foot. I focused on the pain. Noticed it.

Second Movement: WELCOME: When you have placed your attention on that part of your body where there is energy, pain, any sensation however it manifests, stay with it like a friend, no matter how aggravating. Welcome it! Does it shift, move, increase, decrease? Just notice. Stay with it in love, like greeting an old friend, even if the feelings are uncomfortable. Example: As I focused the pain in my foot seemed to intensify. I stayed with it, saying, “Welcome pain in my foot.” The pain moved up my leg into my thigh. I stayed with it, welcoming it, loving it. The pain eventually just dissipated.

Third Movement: PRAYING: Here’s where you simply recite your “letting go’s.”

A. I let go of my desire /attachment for Control/Power.

B. I let go of my desire/attachment for Affection/Esteem.

C. I let go of my desire/attachment for Security.

D. I let go of my desire to Change (this situation, feeling, sensation, commentary or event).

The body sensation may persist, it may disappear, it may move around, AND the words can still be repeated. Your body sensation may be associated with a problem, issue, immediate situation. Simply “welcome” and see where the prayer takes you. Remember, you are dancing with these “demons,” not trying to cast them out. At any moment in your day you can Focus, Welcome, and call to yourself these four “let go’s.” In time they will become a part of your unconscious tapes. The outcomes and results are up to God.

This is merely another way to consent to God’s presence and action in your life. Practice, Practice, Practice Welcoming Prayer. It becomes you, even if you don’t see it, feel it, realize it. God is changing obstacles into spiritual growth. Keating says we are called to live ordinary lives with extraordinary love. The purpose of all contemplative prayer is to transform us for God’s sake so the God in me can serve more effectively, and with greater charity and love, the God in others.

If you are interested in learning more about Contemplative practices and ways to join a network of like-minded people, go to http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/. Also for a more in depth article on Welcoming Prayer see Welcoming Prayer by Cherry Haisten