ALL WELCOME to Join Kathryn Pile 5pm

Dear Meditators                                                                                                                               01/03/22

Today we continue our series of reflections from Philip Newell’s book, Listening for the Heartbeat of God – a Celtic Spirituality.

 Philip Newell asks why…and what had in particular influenced and shaped the spirituality of the Celtic mission and its passion for finding God at the heart of all life?

Over these next few weeks we’ll reflect on some of these influences in the form of writings of various people, (from the 4th to the 20th century). Last week, the Celtic Christian Pelagius,  (c 360 – 418) and this week, words attributed to St Patrick c, 430.

The aim of our meditation as always is to create a sacred space for God’s Presence…and by maintaining our intention towards that Presence, through breath, image or word, and ultimately through silence…experience a response from God’s Presence at an individual heart felt level. This is the heart of Centering Prayer. (A more detailed introduction to the practice of Centering Prayer can be found on the link below).

 Let’s begin… reflections on ‘Listening within Creation.

  • St Patrick’s hymn invokes an intertwining of the spiritual and the material, heaven and earth, time and eternity…and that God’s healing and restorative powers are to be found in the goodness of the earth…not simply the goodness of what has been created but to a perception that within creation there is something of the presence of the uncreated, that is, God:
  • I bind unto myself today / The virtues of the star-lit heaven, / the glorious sun’s life-giving ray, / The whiteness of the moon at even, / The flashing of the lightning free, / the whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks, / The stable earth, the deep salt sea / Around the old eternal rocks.

Relax now in body and mind, slow your breathing, and enter your meditation, centering your prayer, your will and intention on God’s healing and restorative powers found in the goodness of the earth…aware of the intertwining…the goodness of the created…and the perception of the uncreated…God.

 Love and every blessing, Kathryn

 Philip Newell, Listening for the Heartbeat of God: a Celtic Spirituality. Holy Trinity Church, London, 1997, p 24-26.

Remember to watch an introduction to Centering Prayer Meditation. You can see it here

Let me know how you are finding this time – If you have any suggestions or requests. I always like to hear from you.

Kathryn