[Ash Wednesday] joy sadhana
8 of us at morning prayer by the end of the service.
FCS-Ian had printed out the February+March daily lectionary \o/ Ash Wednesday has a multiplicity of options, so I flipped through The Inclusive Bible while we sat quietly before service and decided on:
Isaiah 58:1-12
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
I saw a Tweet yesterday (which I failed to save and was unsuccessful in finding today) asking about wiping the ashes off one's forehead after the service -- is it the wearing or the imposing that's important? I was inclined to agree with what I felt was the implicit "preferred" answer -- that it was about the imposing (esp. given the readings about not showing off one's religiosity). But today I was very conscious that I was wearing ashes on my forehead, and there was something powerful about that -- a reminder to myself ... idk of what exactly, but it was a wall between me and certain sinnings.
My beautiful ash cross lasted all day, so I asked for a blessing from Jeff M. at service tonight. He called me "sister" (hi, marketsquare :) ) and said, "May you go deep... may you find yourself... may you live" (I forget the exact order).
At the SCBC labyrinth, various people said it was good to see me and they missed me -- which was sweet. (Since Sunday morning Adult Ed dissolved, I don't have occasion to see any of them.) I was in the mood for a meditative experience (I walked the labyrinth twice and did some art -- and then soon after Adrienne put music on I headed out to walk around outside some before FCS' evening service) so I didn't engage people in conversation much, which I sort of felt like I should feel bad about, but...
***
"Joy Sadhana is a daily practice in the observation of joy."
-mylittleredgirl [ more info] "Sin is necessary, but all will be well, and all will be well, and every kind of thing will be well."
-Julian of Norwich, Showings
Good things about today:
["anything that you're looking forward to, that means you're facing tomorrow with joy, not trepidation," as Ari says]
FCS-Ian had printed out the February+March daily lectionary \o/ Ash Wednesday has a multiplicity of options, so I flipped through The Inclusive Bible while we sat quietly before service and decided on:
Isaiah 58:1-12
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
I saw a Tweet yesterday (which I failed to save and was unsuccessful in finding today) asking about wiping the ashes off one's forehead after the service -- is it the wearing or the imposing that's important? I was inclined to agree with what I felt was the implicit "preferred" answer -- that it was about the imposing (esp. given the readings about not showing off one's religiosity). But today I was very conscious that I was wearing ashes on my forehead, and there was something powerful about that -- a reminder to myself ... idk of what exactly, but it was a wall between me and certain sinnings.
My beautiful ash cross lasted all day, so I asked for a blessing from Jeff M. at service tonight. He called me "sister" (hi, marketsquare :) ) and said, "May you go deep... may you find yourself... may you live" (I forget the exact order).
At the SCBC labyrinth, various people said it was good to see me and they missed me -- which was sweet. (Since Sunday morning Adult Ed dissolved, I don't have occasion to see any of them.) I was in the mood for a meditative experience (I walked the labyrinth twice and did some art -- and then soon after Adrienne put music on I headed out to walk around outside some before FCS' evening service) so I didn't engage people in conversation much, which I sort of felt like I should feel bad about, but...
***
"Joy Sadhana is a daily practice in the observation of joy."
-mylittleredgirl [ more info] "Sin is necessary, but all will be well, and all will be well, and every kind of thing will be well."
-Julian of Norwich, Showings
Good things about today:
- [redacted, v.2]
- upped my strength training workout like I'd intended to
- I think I stayed on top of all my work stuff reasonably well (it was a quiet day, which can be dangerous in that way).
- made appropriate notes to myself for stuff that needs doing tomorrow
- fulfilled my roles in all 3 Lenten services
["anything that you're looking forward to, that means you're facing tomorrow with joy, not trepidation," as Ari says]