Filling Yourself With Light

Welcome to the Summer Solstice Writing the Prayer E-Zine:
Filling Yourself with Light

It’s just past the summer solstice (up here in thenNorthe
Hemisphere!) and, like many of you, I’m baskingnin the long days of gentle light.

In between major thunder and lightning storms that arencracking through the skies, knocking the power out, andnblowing down tree branches.

What is going on???

Is it just summer weather patterns? Even though what I’mnexperiencing in the Northeast isn’t as extreme as in manynparts of the world, it still feels like global warming.
Intense and instable weather patterns. Changes are uponnus.

It’s a little scary, and also very sobering. The earthnis calling for our attention. How will we listen?

I’ve been reading the message of the Kogi, in Thom
Hartmann’s book, The Prophet’s Way. The Kogi are annancient tribe, which had a secret priesthood, with a largenmission. They believe it’s “their responsibility tonkeep the Earth alive.”

In a message that they sent out from a remote, walled citynwhere they had lived in protection for hundreds of years,nthey said,

“The Earth is a living organism, not just a ball of dirtnfloating through space. It has a life and a consciousness.
Therefore, humans upon the Earth must both live in harmonynwith and learn from the Earth, and, most important, feednand nurture the Earth with [humanity’s] spiritualnconsciousness.”

Like many other ancient, indigenous peoples,nnthey arencalling for us moderns, to wake up and change our lives.

It’s my belief that we all must share the responsibilitynto keep the earth alive, and not leave it to a few chosen ones . How do we go about doing that?

I find myself wondering how quickly I can come up with anbio-diesel car, to stop using the oil that is causing sonmuch pain and devastation.

And, I’m thinking about this work I offer, and how itnfits in.

With the retreat in New Mexico coming up in a few months,nand only three spaces left, I feel a certain urgency, aboutnwhat I’m sharing with you.

With all the challenges of this time, it is crucial thatneach of us have a way of finding a deep center insidenourselves. And from that center, have a way of listeningnto the voice of wisdom within.

From a place of deep listening, the messages that you neednto hear to know how to live can be heard.

A retreat is a time of pulling away from the conce
s ofnthe world, to become more aligned with your Source.

It isn’t always possible to go away for a retreat. Youncan take a retreat by writing a poem! Writing is a way ofnchanging your consciousness, turning your attention inward, tonlisten to what really matters.

Retreats can happen a minute at a time, if you choose tonstill your mind and focus on exactly what you are doing,nright now.
A retreat...and a pilgrimage

Going to Ghost Ranch for a week of Writing the Prayer of
Your Life is a pilgrimage, as well as a retreat. You’llnbe leaving home, to dwell in the light of the desert, tondwell in the vast space that you can only find in Norther

New Mexico.

It’s a time to deepen and strengthen your relationshipnwith prayer and with writing. You’ll have plenty of timento do both. And, as you know, taking the time to do whatnyou need to do is often the hardest step in the process!

What happens when you pray?

For me, I think the most important thing, is that I becomenfilled with light.

I don’t know exactly what G-d is. I don’t know exactlynwhat to call this presence that we sometimes call G-d,
Goddess, the Divine…The Source of All…but I know it isnan experience of illumination. When I take the time tontruly pray, to come into closer contact with that which fornme is Sacred, I am filled with light.

One of the gifts of going on retreat is to be able tonimmerse yourself in that kind of light. I think it’snwhy taking time for retreat is seen as necessary for anyonenwho is serious about their spiritual path.

The same is true for taking your creative work seriously;nyou need be able to pull away from the life of the world,nfrom business as usual, and enter a different kind of time.

Sometimes, a retreat of fifteen minutes in the course ofnyour day is how you fill yourself up with light. And itncan work! If you take that time, your prayer time, you
writing time, and really take it as a retreat, meaningnthat you pull back from your activities and enter you
space as a time to connect with the sacred, whether throughnwriting or prayer, or both, it will serve you as a retreatndoes. You will be filled.

And sometimes, you’re able to take the gift of longe
time.

The opportunity to be at Ghost Ranch, at Casa del Sol, innearly September, for a week long retreat of Writing thenPrayer of Your Life is a very special opportunity. Itndoesn’t happen very often. And it is happening now at annincredibly reduced price.

Right now, you can register for $730.00. That includesnyour meals, housing at Casa del Sol, and a workshop from
September 8-14. This workshop at this price does notnhappen very often!

It will be a time to fill yourself with light. It will bena time to touch the light inside you, that may feel coverednover, by all the fears and conce
s of your life and thenworld. It will be a time to be blessed by the land of redncliffs and red sand. A time to watch the sunrise over
Chimney Rock, and watch the sunset over GeorgianO’Keefe’s favorite mountain, Pede
al. A time to walknthe labyrinth, pray at the medicine wheel, and most of all,na time listen deeply to the stories of your soul, and write.

I hope you’ll consider joining us for a very specialnweek! Only three spaces are left, so now is the time tonregister, to make sure you’ll have a place.

And if you can’t travel now, please, do yourself a favor,nand find a way to build some retreat time into your dailynlife. Take fifteen minutes, in the course of your day,nthat’s just for you, to connect to what is most sacred,nand to listen to what you hear, and write.

For information about the retreat at Ghost Ranch, you cannvisit http://www.writingtheprayer.com/retreatnnPlease contact me with any questions or to talk aboutnwhether it’s the right thing for you. Email me atndebora@writingtheprayer.com , or give me a call at
413-256-2620 (East Coast Time.)

You can also register directly by going tonwww.ghostranch.org .

A few other reminders:

An online class is a powerful opportunity to support you
writing, at a time that works for you. Four spots arenavailable for online classes in July. You can sign upnuntil July 14. The cost for the online program will bengoing up in September, so now is the time to take advantagenof the introductory rates that are available.
http://www.writingtheprayer.com/servicesnnBlessings on all the stories of your soul,

Debora

Writing the Prayer of Your Lifenwriting workshops and retreats,ncoaching, mentoring and tutoringnfor adults and children of all agesnwww.writingtheprayer.com
debora@witingtheprayer.com
413-256-2620