April 30: Day 120

STONE FIVE
 
Connect: Not only will I try to discern through mental activity, but I will also discern by connecting with The Divine through prayer, meditation, and contemplation.
Instruction: “Use the force.”
The expression, “Use the force,” from the popular movie series, Star Wars, is used here as an illustration to put into practical use the concepts revealed in Stones One through Four. Not only is Luke Skywalker encouraged to use the force, but he is given physical and mental training exercises to apply what he has been taught. In one scene, he is instructed to close his eyes and trust his internal guidance — his instincts — to determine how and when to move his lightsaber to block enemy attacks. His efforts prove less than stellar, but he continues his exercises even though frustrated and convinced he will never learn to master the force.

On our spiritual journey, the safest way to travel is to connect to our spiritual force, which, for the purposes of this work, we have chosen to call The Divine. The weapons of our connection, protection, and direction are three lightsabers we call prayer, meditation, and contemplation. If practiced and put into use, these will allow us to connect with The Divine and allow the Force of Love to flow through us to change the world within us and around us. As Luke was encouraged to close his eyes so that he wouldn’t put his faith in what he could see, so too are we encouraged to close our physical eyes so that the eyes of our souls may be used to help our spiritual vision. Our physical world is interpreted by our core senses and past experiences, but if we could connect to the force of Love that lies within us and is available to us, we would move into a deeper realm of peace, love, acceptance, and understanding that our hearts long to experience and maintain. Use the force of Love. Trust that every decision made from a heart of love, no matter what unfolds before our eyes, will be the right decision.

Today’s Assignment is to practice meditation and contemplation. Most people are familiar with the concept of prayer and most are comfortable with prayer, at least to some degree. If, however, you are not as comfortable with meditation and contemplation, take some time today to consider adding these two exercises, much like the physical exercises Luke Skywalker employed, to your daily spiritual routine.