As a way to come to stillness we’re going to leave our head space where thoughts run continually, where we have to-do lists, where we question and ruminate.

In these quiet moments, as you bring attention to breath allow your focus to drift downwards away from the head.

Let your focus travel inward, to the core of yourself, to the still quiet place of the truest part of you.

Be in that still, rested, settled space and come to peace.

In that place as stillness comes, we welcome the love, kindness and compassion of God. We welcome Jesus, Spirit and Father to be with us there. We welcome presence. We welcome grace.

In the stillness, I’m now going to read a beautiful poem by Mary Oliver. We’re approaching this poem as a Lectio Divine which is a contemplative way to read the Bible and other texts/ poems.

I will read it once slowly. In this reading allow the words to wash through you.

I will then read it a second time. This time be aware of words or phrases that stand out to you and receive them as a gift.

A final reading allows you to go even deeper with the words and allow them space to settle and bring change to your heart, body, soul and mind.

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver