Become aware of a dominant feeling or emotion in your body. If it’s a physical pain such as a tooth ache or anxiety, or sadness, become very present to it, putting your full attention inside it. If you feel anger or another intense emotion, be present how this emotion is manifesting in your body. Is you jay clenched? Stomach in knots? If fear is present , what is the sensation of it? Is your breath short? Is there a sense of vertigo, or feelings of fight or flight?

Do not try and change anything. Just stay present.

Stage 2: Welcome

Now comes the counter-intuitive focus. Remaining intensely connected to the feeling, begin ever so gently, to Welcome the feeling. ‘Welcome pain welcome” or ‘Welcome anger welcome”. What ever it is, welcome it now.

By welcoming it your creating a focus for inner hospitality. By doing so you are disarming it, reducing its power.

Make time to make peace with the feeling, repeating the welcome words as needed. Do not rush this stage, linger with your feelings.

Stage 3: Let Go

This is not a final and forever renunciation of your feeling, but more a gentle waving of farewell as the feeling begins to fade. In this form of prayer, you are invited to actively give what ever it is to God. “ I give my X to God”.

Once you have let go of the feeling, you are invited to reaffirm faith, by giving over the following areas of your life back to God.

• I let go my desire for security and survival.
• I let go my desire for affection and esteem.
• I let go my desire for control and power.
• I let go my desire to change the situation.

Stage 4: Prayer of Blessing

Take this promise from God deep into our heart and being
May my heart be warmed and so recover hope.
The favours of the Lord are not all past.
God’s kindness are not exhausted
God’s mercies are new every morning
Great is God’s faithfulness …
Yahweh is good to those who trust in God
To the soul that searches for God.
Amen.

To return to Evening Prayer on Wednesdays in Ordinary Time click here

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