A Little Woo-Woo Spirituality
Recently, a person in our diocese describing himself as “Episcopal Adjacent” asked me what I meant when I sign my Bishop’s Note with “you remain in my prayers.” Really? All of us?
The short answer is yes. But it comes from a place of very deep and slightly “woo-woo” spirituality. So, brace yourself.
Many of you know I am a huge science fiction geek. (Not fantasy, necessarily. For that you want Deacon Jess.) I love Star Trek, almost all the spin offs, Babylon 5, Firefly and of course the Star Wars movies and spin offs.
The fourth of May every year, we are inundated with memes and things saying, “The fourth be with you,” and we are supposed to answer “And also with you.” Which, since this is how my mind works, should really be, “And altho with you.”
I know there are people who try to use The Force (the grounding philosophy behind the evil and good forces in the Star Ward universe) as an analogy for the Holy Spirit. This is deeply problematic.
- The Force is “a metaphysical energy field created by all living things that binds the galaxy together.”(I got that from Wookiepedia)
- The Holy Spirit IS God.(I got that from the Nicene Creed)
I hope that is simple enough to be clear.
That said, I do draw on the image of the Force in a manner of speaking, because I do feel that the love of God (which is neither metaphysical nor created by living things) flows in and around and through us at all times. When I do my morning “sit” (a very lazy form of contemplative prayer that requires coffee) I do try to still myself until I am – and here is where it gets a little woo-woo – “resonating at the frequency of the Universe.” This is because I believe that God created the universe from God’s love. And being in touch with God’s love is the motivating energy behind everything I do in a day. And taking a deep subconscious dive into that aquifer, helps me to be more resilient, more compassionate and more hopeful in approaching all the changes and chances of our daily lives.
It is in that space, when I am still, where my pulse is lower and my breathing is slower, that I let my imagination rove over the whole of this diocese. Each of the congregations, each person in them whose face I can imagine. Each concern or issue or celebration of which I have been made aware. And with an understanding that I do not know it all. I let the Spirit guide me a little bit, which is why you might sometimes get a text from me saying you were “specially” in my prayers. And I try to leave a little bit of that energy, a little whisper of care, in each of the people and places for which I pray.
The consequence of this ironically lazer-like practice of intentional disassociation leaves me feeling both deeply aware of and engaged with the Holy, as well as just a little more in touch with you.
So what do I mean by “you remain in my prayers”? Just that.
How do you pray? When and where? What works for you and what does not. Would you be willing to share your practices or experiences with me? Because I would be interested to know. And it likely won’t be as “out there” as how I pray for you.
You remain in my prayers,
+Shay
