Sorrow & Joy
A Sanctified Art for Advent this year asks, "How does a weary world rejoice?”
"From the opening chapters of Luke’s Gospel, we have found a few answers: we acknowledge our weariness, we find joy in connection, we allow ourselves to be amazed, we sing stories of hope, we make room, we root ourselves in ritual, and most importantly, we trust our belovedness."
As Advent approaches, consider ways we can recognize personal and global fear and fatigue and take refuge in ritual and community, staying awake to wonder and amazement, again and again boldly loving and practicing alert patience.
How do you simultaneously breathe through the tsunami of sadness and stay present to stunning beauty?
We can borrow a breath practice from Tibet called tonglen. In tonglen, we breathe in sorrow intentionally, fearlessly and let it suffuse our being--and then--we exhale love and light and healing. In this way, breath by breath, we can embody the both/and truth of being human.
To link this practice with the Advent reflection, consider silently saying to yourself "weariness" on the inhale and silently saying to yourself "belovedness" on the exhale.