The Friday Greenhouse
A Personal Liturgy: The Breath of the Ordinary
Find a few ‘quiet’ minutes today, or as calm and quiet as you have. Sit at your table. Don’t clear it. Don’t “fix” the lighting. Just sit with what is.
The Arrival: Place both feet flat on the floor. Rest your hands palms-up on the table surface. Feel the cool wood or the plastic or the tablecloth. Acknowledge: I am here. My body is here. My life is happening here.
The mess is a sign that life is happening.
The Recognition: Look at one “messy” thing on the table, a bill, a stray toy, a crumb. Instead of feeling the urge to fix it, simply say to yourself: “The Divine is present in this, too.”
The Breath (Ruach): Inhale deeply for four counts, imagining the “breath of life” filling your lungs. Hold for two. Exhale slowly for six, releasing the pressure to “perform” your faith today. Repeat, if you like. Feel your body relax as you release your breath and the pressure you feel.
The Offering: Speak a quiet sentence of honesty. “God, I am tired,” or “God, I am curious,” or “God, I am still frustrated by the church.”
The Closing: Slowly turn your palms face-down on the table, feeling the solid surface supporting your weight. Say quietly: "I am grounded in Grace. This space is enough. I am enough." Take one final breath. Remain in the peace or continue on in your day, with the knowledge that God is with you wherever you are.
