Mindfulness or faith
Over the past few years, this word, mindfulness, has crept into the everyday vocabulary and there are experts aplenty to expound on the benefits and the barriers to achieving true mindfulness. How to practice mindfulness through various means including meditation, yoga etc is one of the basics. Of course, where there are experts, there are qualifications at all levels including online and college based.
I'm fascinated because if you look at religion, mindfulness is very much part of its practice. I have no doubt that many of the expertise in mindfulness has been 'borrowed' from various religious practices around the world.
I'm a Church Warden in St. Fachtna's Cathedral, Rosscarbery. Essentially that's a fancy title for a person who ensures that everything is ready before people arrive for a service and tidies up afterwards. There's no special qualification or qualities apart from a willingness to be of service in one's church. However that's not why I mention it. One of the benefits I have found since I was elected church warden is taking advantage of the cathedral space to simply sit. I don't have to pray or do anything much, but the luxury of the oftentimes relative silence; the peacefulness; the refuge that it is from the world and all its cares simply takes my breath away. Knowing that untold generations and names that have been lost in the mist of time have sat or knelt on this hallowed ground is amazing. Keeping faith with faith. Knowing that our time on this earth is limited, it is important to be mindful of our relationships with each other and with nature - it all comes into perspective in that time and space. I'm grounded by my 10 minutes before or after the service but who's putting a limit on the time I sit - only me! Who lets the world intrude into my mind so that I am distracted by the cares and stresses- only me!
The Cathedral is a regular tourist attraction although there is no cost to visit. Often, I meet people on a Sunday morning, who have been drawn into the church by the bells ringing or whatever. They and anyone else is always welcome, but when I ask if they would like to stay for the service, I'm told, 'we do not go to church'! My response is always, 'that's fine. If you would like to sit for a few minutes or stay for the full service, you're more than welcome.' Some people refuse; others stay. I hope that however long they stay, they are mindful of the atmosphere and allow it to relieve them of some of their cares and troubles so they leave with a measure of peace and inner strength.
I wonder at times, why people, even if they don't believe, don't take advantage of their church spaces in Ireland to practice mindfulness. I watch people come into church and am sometimes aware that there's something wrong - it could be in the way they don't want to chat & that's ok; the set of the shoulders or something in the eyes. Coming to church is not a forced march nor does one have to be all jolly and in good form. For me, it's a time to reflect; to perhaps get my thoughts and decisions in order; to lose the stuff I either can't control or is wearing me down. I hand it all over to God. Those practicing mindfulness might simply offload it in the cathedral space and walk away.
The success or otherwise of a church service is very much down to the participants, individually and collectively. When I'm doing a reading, I'm conscious that my voice is entirely irrelevant but something during the reading or the rest of the service should resonate with someone if they are open and willing to listen and ponder - and be mindful.
Mindfulness, faith? God, a Higher Power? Who am I to dictate? All I know is the benefits of a space apart that is my local church.
I'm fascinated because if you look at religion, mindfulness is very much part of its practice. I have no doubt that many of the expertise in mindfulness has been 'borrowed' from various religious practices around the world.
I'm a Church Warden in St. Fachtna's Cathedral, Rosscarbery. Essentially that's a fancy title for a person who ensures that everything is ready before people arrive for a service and tidies up afterwards. There's no special qualification or qualities apart from a willingness to be of service in one's church. However that's not why I mention it. One of the benefits I have found since I was elected church warden is taking advantage of the cathedral space to simply sit. I don't have to pray or do anything much, but the luxury of the oftentimes relative silence; the peacefulness; the refuge that it is from the world and all its cares simply takes my breath away. Knowing that untold generations and names that have been lost in the mist of time have sat or knelt on this hallowed ground is amazing. Keeping faith with faith. Knowing that our time on this earth is limited, it is important to be mindful of our relationships with each other and with nature - it all comes into perspective in that time and space. I'm grounded by my 10 minutes before or after the service but who's putting a limit on the time I sit - only me! Who lets the world intrude into my mind so that I am distracted by the cares and stresses- only me!
The Cathedral is a regular tourist attraction although there is no cost to visit. Often, I meet people on a Sunday morning, who have been drawn into the church by the bells ringing or whatever. They and anyone else is always welcome, but when I ask if they would like to stay for the service, I'm told, 'we do not go to church'! My response is always, 'that's fine. If you would like to sit for a few minutes or stay for the full service, you're more than welcome.' Some people refuse; others stay. I hope that however long they stay, they are mindful of the atmosphere and allow it to relieve them of some of their cares and troubles so they leave with a measure of peace and inner strength.
I wonder at times, why people, even if they don't believe, don't take advantage of their church spaces in Ireland to practice mindfulness. I watch people come into church and am sometimes aware that there's something wrong - it could be in the way they don't want to chat & that's ok; the set of the shoulders or something in the eyes. Coming to church is not a forced march nor does one have to be all jolly and in good form. For me, it's a time to reflect; to perhaps get my thoughts and decisions in order; to lose the stuff I either can't control or is wearing me down. I hand it all over to God. Those practicing mindfulness might simply offload it in the cathedral space and walk away.
The success or otherwise of a church service is very much down to the participants, individually and collectively. When I'm doing a reading, I'm conscious that my voice is entirely irrelevant but something during the reading or the rest of the service should resonate with someone if they are open and willing to listen and ponder - and be mindful.
Mindfulness, faith? God, a Higher Power? Who am I to dictate? All I know is the benefits of a space apart that is my local church.
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