During a recent silent retreat, I experienced deep moments of restful contemplative prayer by a lake, communing with God. The gentle waves reassured me, reflecting the steady co-regulation of God's heartbeat, grounding me in presence, love, and peace.
Captivated by the sun's shimmering reflection on the water, I lingered in contemplation with God. Glistening diamonds danced with wild abandon, drawing me into a transcendent experience of deepening communion with the Holy. This left me feeling loved, held, connected, energized, and free. I jotted about the experience of awe in my journal to revisit it later.
The Ignatian practice of savoring involves lingering with consolations -- positive experiences, moments, and feelings -- as a way to connect with God. Savoring these experiences helps us grow in awareness of God’s presence in everyday life. Intentionally slowing down to unwrap the gift of these moments creates space for a deepening relationship with God.
In her book Anchored, Deb Dana speaks of small moments of safety and connection that help our nervous system move toward a state of calm, safety, and social connection. She calls these moments "glimmers," and suggests that by recognizing and savoring them, we can gradually train nervous system to notice and respond to positive stimuli, fostering a greater sense of peace and connection.
After my prayer time by the lake, I felt drawn to explore my experience through simple art. I gathered various shimmery materials and attempted to arrange them on a small board. Soon, I realized that crowding the canvas left no room for the sparkles to shimmer and expand -- just like my life. Whether they are glimmers, consolations, beauty, or moments of awe, they need space to grow, to be lingered with, experienced, and savored.
It's the space between the shimmers that allows the light to dance and resonate. When my life is cluttered with busyness, overconsumption of information, judgment, fear, control, narrow thinking, or perfectionism, there's no room for the savoring and expansion of these energetic sparkles. There’s no room for the Light to be reflected. By saying no to the clutter in my heart and soul, I make space for the Divine shimmers and glimmers to reflect, sparkle, expand, and dance freely with wild abandon. Less is more.
Light and love don't discriminate. I can choose to be present to God’s regulating presence, energy, love and light. I can make space for the shimmering light and the dancing energy of the Holy to flow freely within and through me into the world.
Questions for pondering as you feel drawn:
How might you be invited to slow down and savor glimmers in your life?
What might be preventing the expansion of glimmers, light, and awe in your life?
How might less be more?
How do you desire to be present to yourself, God, others, and the world?
Learn more about befriending your nervous system, polyvagal theory, and "glimmers," by reading Anchored by Deb Dana.
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