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Hello and welcome to Exploring

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Peace Meditations

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. This is Whitney

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and I'm so glad

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you're here today . As

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we enter a new year

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, one of my favorite

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traditions is

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to choose a word , or

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allow a word to choose

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me , whether or

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not you've practiced this before today

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, we'll set an intention to

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breathe in this new year

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together as

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we begin . Find a seated

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posture in which you

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can have a tall spine

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, soften

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your shoulders , lengthen

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through the crown of your head , allow

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your eyes to softly close

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. Begin

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to notice the rhythm of your breath . Inhale

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through your nose , exhale

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through your mouth . Repeat

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this at your pace full

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breath in through the nose , long

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exhale out through the

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mouth . Allow

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your next few breath cycles to

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be at your pace as

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you settle your body , settle

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your mind and

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settle your spirit With

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intention . Today we pray

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, so we begin

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by calling upon a name

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of God that feels right for you

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. Maybe

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it's Lord , spirit

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, jesus

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, creator

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, holy

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One . Your

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name for God comes

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upon your heart and mind . Begin

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to inhale that name of God

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, breathing it in

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silently

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, holding

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onto it for just a moment at the top

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of the breath and

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then exhaling fully In

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the next few moments of quiet . Simply

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breathe in your

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name for God with intention

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and purpose .

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In the next few moments of quiet , simply breathe in your name

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for God , with intention and purpose .

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What are your hopes ? What

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is your intention ? What

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is your longing for

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this season of life ? What

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is God inviting you ? To Take

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just a moment and listen

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. If

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a word has already come to you for this

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year , just

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hold space

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for that now . If

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you have no idea

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, that's okay too . Maybe

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your word is purpose , hope

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, happy

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, love

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, peace

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, clarity

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. Could

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you pause now and ask God to

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give you a word for just this prayer

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, just this moment , whether

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it's one you've already heard today or

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a new one that comes upon your heart . Open

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your hands , your heart and

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your mind and

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allow God to offer you a

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word . I

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invite you now to come back to the beginning

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of our meditation , where

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we inhaled our name of God

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. Inhale

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that name now and

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then exhale a single word

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, a word

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that's come to you that you want

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to offer to God . During

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this time of prayer , with intention

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, inhale

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your name of God , exhale

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your word . In

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these next few moments , your

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word or words may shift

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. Let them Now

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, with intention , join

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me by inhaling

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a name of God , exhale

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your word , repeat

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this in the quiet .

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Now , with

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intention

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, join me by inhaling a name of God . In

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these next few moments

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, your word or words may

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shift .

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God , thank you for the chance to pause

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with intention at the start of a

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new year , this

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new year with you . Help

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us breathe in your presence

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. Find

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us what you have for us , whether

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the word that rose up today is one

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that sticks or is

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one for this prayer time only

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, we give thanks , for

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it is with intention that we

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journey with you . It

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is our intention to

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journey close to you , and

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there's our intention to

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know you and all we do

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in our lives . Thank

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you , god , for giving us breath and

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life , and

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each new day and

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this new year In

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your holy name , we pray Amen

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. Thank

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you for exploring the gift of God's peace

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with me . If you'd like

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to connect beyond this

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podcast meditation , I'd

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love to have you join our community

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. You can find out more at

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exploringpeacecom

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slash community . I'm

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really excited to be hosting some

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online yoga and prayer there this year

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and I'd love

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to have you with us . You

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can find me at Whitney

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are Simpsoncom

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. Until next

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time , may God's peace

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be with you .