On a retreat a few years ago, someone was selling prayer bowls. They were made by the relative of some famous person. That didn’t impress me. I just thought they were lovely, so I bought one.
I like the idea of adding a physical component to my meditation and prayer time.
Sometimes it is a candle and the image of the light is inspiring. I meditate on light in the world and the light of the world.
The idea of a prayer bowl is to write the names of people or a brief description of a concern on a piece of paper and fold it into the bowl. When you pray or meditate, you hold the bowl in your hands. This particular bowl is beautiful and a joy to hold. The wood is lovely and warm. Physically holding the bowl while I pray is an offering, a relinquishment.
One year later
So what has happened since then?
In some instances, a lot.
In others, nothing.
But that’s life. We don’t always get what we want, or what we think we need.
People don’t respond in ways we want them to.
Circumstances don’t change just because we will them to.
But some things DO change. And therein lies hope.
It’s about peace
Age has mellowed me.
I no longer rage against the injustice of life.
It can be cruel. People can disappoint us.
Sometimes circumstances don’t change because we still have things we need to learn from them.
The question for me, my prayer, if you will, is that I will be at peace.
It’s not passive
I am far from passive in how I approach life.
I have learned to know what I own, and what I don’t.
Life is complex. Few things are truly under our control.
We can live with anger and disappointment.
Or we can live in peace and with gratitude.
And what I own, I own.
What I can change, I change.
Everything else, I live at peace with.
And I accept it all as a blessing and a privilege.
It all is about peace and contentment isn’t it Christine? I tried last year having a gratitude jar. Each time I experienced something for which I was grateful I wrote it down and popped it in the jar to be opened on New Year’s Eve. It was so lovely to read through and remember those moments throughout the year. Thank you for sharing with us at #MLSTL and have a beautiful week. xx
I LOVE the idea of a gratitude jar! Will you write an article about this?
Visiting from #MLSTL. I’m not familiar with prayer bowls, but I love the insights. I’m trying to learn to be calm in the face of stress, to accept what is especially when I have no control of it, and to own what I can do. Having a prayer bowl is an interesting physical element to consider. Thanks for sharing the concept.
Fabulous post! Thank you. #MLSTL
What you’ve written reminds me of the serenity prayer Christine – not just the first little bit, but the full prayer where we acknowledge that we can’t change the world, but we can be at peace with it one moment at a time.
#MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM 🙂
I love the idea of a prayer bowl. It adds a physical component to the spiritual aspect of prayer. Thank you for sharing this! #MLSTL
What a great post I love what you have learned. There are so many things we have not control over and letting go of them is not always easy.
Thank you for these beautiful words Christine. I have been meditating regular for over a year now and like the idea of adding a prayer bowl. #MLSTL