Lo-Fi & Hushed / John of the Cross
2024 Summer Solstice
“Waters that flow forever and a day
through a lost country—oh I know the way
in dark of night. ”
— John of the Cross
Lo-Fi & Hushed Contemplative Practice Session for Wed, June 19, 2024 at 6am MT (GMT - 6)
Good people, summer is rallying a blistering heat in my neck of the northern hemisphere. We welcome the summer solstice regardless the conditions. Contemplify offers a public Lo-Fi & Hushed contemplative practice session on each solstice and equinox for both free and supporting1 subscribers of the Non-Required Reading List. All are welcome. Go tell it on the mountain…
Yesterday the Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals, tonight the Stanley Cup continues, tomorrow is Juneteenth, and a presidential debate looms over the U.S. next week. Violence rages on Ukraine and Gaza, Haiti seeks stability with a new government, Thailand passes landmark same-sex marriage bill, and a hundred comics met with Pope Francis. The world expands and contracts, groaning in birth pangs (sometimes it smirks too). Each day is veiled from wholly understanding. A foggy perception covers nightblind eyes. Bowing to not-knowing lifts the fog to reveal the dark of night enveloping creation’s stage. Yet the groaning persists. The pining for reciprocity persists. And wading through the heartache waters of what is until we can loosen up to fully submerge. This is giving up control while not giving up, this is surrendering to the night to not get lost in the fog.
These are all the preliminary thoughts that prodded me into choosing this week’s poem. “Song of the Soul” by John of the Cross will be our vessel for the Summer Solstice Lo-Fi & Hushed Practice Session tomorrow. You can follow the link to peek at the entire poem or wait to be surprised in the practice on Wednesday morning.
Walking in the dark of night, the brushes with Mystery turn us towards one another.
To View Lo-Fi & Hushed Live: https://riverside.fm/studio/lo-fi--hushed
Recording of June 19, 2024 Lo-Fi & Hushed will posted right here on the Substack post when available.
Participate live in Lo-Fi & Hushed at 6am MT (GMT -6) on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 by going to https://riverside.fm/studio/lo-fi--hushed
(if this is your first time, check out the instructions and helpful links below and check out the world buddy clock to match the start time to your time zone)
And if you are a regular attender, remember the solstice Lo-Fi & Hushed practices are public and use an unique link. Use the one listed above. A deep bow to all of you supporting subscribers who have joined this circle of practice. It is a subtle gift to be in regular practice with you. Gratitude abounds for your support and our weekly practice together.
In hushed prayers,
Paul
Helpful links for Lo-Fi & Hushed…
Lo-Fi: Tech details
Hushed: Contemplative details
Question: FAQs
Instructional Flow for Lo-Fi & Hushed (June 19, 2024)
Go to Lo-Fi & Hushed link at 6am MT (GMT - 6): https://riverside.fm/studio/lo-fi--hushed
Light a candle (as possible): To physically acknowledge and welcome the fire of the Spirit’s presence
Hum: The research shows that humming (like singing and laughing) calms our nerves and enhances our sympathy. I begin with 3 long hums (feel free to join in). Humming settles my body and spirit while slowing the chug of my train of thoughts.
Bow: I bow to symbolize my head dropping into my heart as well as to literally bow before Mystery.
A thought before Lectio: A grounding to prepare us before practice
I will mark the transition of each movement in the practice with a brief introduction to guide you through the practice.
Lectio / Reading: (~ 5 - 10 minutes)
Poem will be read 2-3 times.
Notice any words, phrases, thrusts, or themes that draw your attention.
Meditatio / Discursive Meditation (~5 minutes):
Paul will ask a question to consider. What is this poem saying to me? What word/phrase/thrust/or theme hovered? What surprised me? What am I being asked to notice? How did my body respond? My mind and heart? My spirit and soul? Who does this remind me of and why? How might God/Mystery/Higher Power be speaking to me through it? These are some example questions of inquiry to startle bring attention into active engagement with the poem.There is a level of effortful engagement in this movement of the practice. This can be done interiorly (that is what I do), in a journal (sometimes I do this), or talking aloud (rarely for me).
Oratio / Prayer (~5 minutes):
Paul will ask a question to consider in prayer, to prompt intimate exchange with God/Mystery/Higher. What is this poem calling out of me? How does this change my rutted ways of viewing reality? How is this poem asking me to show up in the world? What conversation does this start with the Beloved? You can see how this movement is prayerfully active out of the text and into conversation with God/Mystery/Higher Power. These are some example questions of prayerful longing in active relationship with God through the poem. I often find meditatio and oratio swing back and forth towards one another like a porch swing in a prairie wind. Once that wind settles to stillness, the invitation to the fourth movement opens.Contemplatio / Contemplation (~ 10 - 15 minutes):
This movement is being open to the passive reception of undisciplined grace.
Reflection:
After the Lo-Fi & Hushed session (and throughout the week), practitioners can return to this post and share any reflections or insights on the practice in the comment section below. The purpose is to 1) meaningfully integrate the practice through reflection 2) bear witness to the practice of others through reading their experiences 3) connect across the common bonds of a shared practice.
Sharing Reflections after Lo-Fi & Hushed
Communal reflection can be powerful, restorative, and encouraging. That is what the comment space after a Lo-fi & Hushed session is for. To help orchestrate that, here are the snappy guidelines.
Share from the heart what you experienced in the practice. Let that guide what you post. Some insights are given in contemplative practice to be shared. Paradoxically, more is not always more. Contemplative teacher James Finley says that “brevity forces clarity.” Let that guide the length of your post.
Be good to yourself. Allow the Divine to hold what arises as you can. And be patient with yourself.
This is not a therapeutic space. Best to take therapy to the professionals.
Above all, be kind. If you post unkind things here your comments will be deleted and you will be booted from Contemplify. This is a place of written reflection to edify the journey. Do not self-promote or market (no urls to your website, books, sales, etc).
Enjoy the gift of sharing and learning from one another. Your contribution means a lot. Thank you!
Shared a reflection on the practice by clicking the “Leave a comment” button below.
That is the coy way of saying “paid supporter”. But you there is a backdoor propped open if your circumstances don’t allow you (or you just plain don’t want) to become a supporting subscriber but still want to join the practice on the regular. Either way, I’d rather have you be there for the practice. Read the FAQs or drop me an email hello+practice@contemplify.com to follow-up.
"Nowhere a bottom, measure as you will / in dark of night. "
Dropping like a penny in the ocean, I kept waiting to land on the ocean floor of this poem. But the poem feels forever unfinished, rhythmic movements, without stuttering--dropping beneath the pitch black dark of night. It is the movements of God breaking waves, springing, submerging. I am to let go, relinquish direction, Love is measureless. And yet, I have to take the kids to swimming lessons, get the windshield replaced, make pizza dough, and watch a friend's kid. The bottomless drop and the "and yets" are the Kingdom of God as I understand it right here, right now.
I am especially moved by your preamble Paul. Such a beautiful word painting to set the stage for our practice. Happy Solstice!