What if today is the day you’ve been hoping for?

 How would you choose to live it out?  You opened your eyes to a new sunrise, a new display of nature’s magnificence. You’re included in God’s master plan for humanity.  How will you choose to spend it?  I first thought seriously about this concept as a 17 year old high school senior.  I was chosen to play the lead character, Emily, in the play “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder.  Little did I know that role would change my life forever.  Even now, I could cry as I recall the moment.  Emily was a young woman who died giving birth to her first child.  There was a scene after her death in which she pleaded with the Narrator, who was the God character, to live once again.  After some deliberation on his part, her desire was granted; to come back to earth for just one more day.  “Make it an insignificant day”, said the Narrator, “for it will be significant enough”.  Emily was thrilled and spontaneously blurted out, “My twelfth birthday!”.  She began to relive this ‘insignificant day’ with her family in the scene, just as it had happened.  Suddenly her eyes were opened as she tried without success to get her mother to stop and truly listen to her.  From her new vantage point, she could now see the beautiful gift of life in the simplest moments.  “Mamma, look at me, really, really look at me.”, she said, as her mother busily scurried about trying to prepare the meal.  As the scene unfolded Emily could not contain her feelings any longer.  Turning to the Narrator, she burst into tears crying out with deep sadness, “Doesn’t anyone realize life while they’re living it, every, every minute?”  He wisely replied, “Some poets do, I suppose”. Thornton Wilder, in his great wisdom, unveiled the meaning of the play and life in that one sentence,  “Doesn’t anyone realize life while they’re living ?”.  

Will you realize life while you’re living it?  I ask myself once again, that same question; will I realize life while I’m living it?  While I still have breath?  As you’re reading this, turn inward and notice that yearning you feel right now as it emanates from the deepest recesses of your being.  It is the desire to live fully, authentically, deeply connected and engaged.  To know God and be known by God.  To love and be loved.  The spiritual journey is the foundation for all of life, for it is life and life is the container for relationship, first with God, then with self, others and the world.  How will you choose to honor this day, to receive the gift of this day?  Don’t let another moment go by, another breath leave your body without your awareness of the magnificence that is your life.  Don’t wait until your moments are numbered before you wake up on the inside and cherish each one, for even the most insignificant of days is significant enough.  

Freedom Comes From Within

God is Relentless. Love will never stop pursuing you. What you desire and have longed for your whole life…what makes you cry quietly in your pillow…what would cause you to move a mountain…is already available to you.  It is the Presence of Love, the Living God in the core of your being and Love will not let go. The culmination of your deepest desire dwells so profoundly within you, is so intimate and immanent you can not be separated from It; not in sleep or wakefulness, in life or death.  Yet, to deeply connect with It comes with a great price.  A price that not many are willing to pay. The price of letting go of the ‘you’ you’ve come to know.  The price of turning off and identifying with the loud voices of the world regardless of where they come from and who is speaking. The price of shutting down your need to be right.  The price of being willing to turn from the direction you’ve been traveling for a lifetime. The price of turning from the feelings, emotions, thoughts, behaviors and ideas that you think will make you happy. (Which never seem to work anyway.) The price of making the Sacred Turn that will save your life from ebbing away into unfulfilled dreams, hidden sorrows and private suffering. So I ask, are you willing to pay the price to receive the Love you seek? To connect authentically and deeply with the God you desire?  Are you willing to awaken to the Presence that is sustaining your life?  That is keeping your heart beating and lungs breathing?  Are you willing to be stirred from your slumber, awakened by the Most High Spirit?  Are you willing to receive and believe that your God has already made a way for you in the desert of this world, to be happy and to live in peace and freedom?  Then it is time to receive and believe.  For true freedom comes from within.  True peace is given by God regardless of external circumstances.  I invite us all to let go of our personal agendas, to embrace the intention of our hearts and celebrate Freedom in the Silence of our souls. 

I’ve Fallen Into Negative Thinking and I Can’t Get Up!

What is that one nagging, critical thought that keeps you stuck and has you believing you aren’t meant for an abundant whole life, inner peace, freedom and purpose?  
 
I’ll share my big one today with you and then you get to share me yours. To think I’m not even halfway through my day yet! Here it is…drumroll please…”You’re so lazy”. Yes, that’s a big one for me. Probably because I heard it as a child. As an adult I can look back and realize it wasn’t true, I wasn’t lazy at all.  (Listen to me defend myself.) I was just a young contemplative!! I always did what I was supposed to do, told to do, expected to do. However, my mom didn’t understand all those hours spent alone in my room, praying, thinking, reflecting or reading.  I’ve always had a contemplative nature. Yet, after all these years you would think that thought wouldn’t even be on my radar screen.  Well, it is.  Especially on a day when I’m not up dressed and out of the house early.  It is a thought that can hook me. It can sidetrack my attention and worse yet my intention.
 
Sometimes I notice the false thoughts and am able to do my Prayer of Turning. However, there are those times that I fall for the lie, usually because I’m tired or feeling a bit overwhelmed by responsibilities or both.
 
When UNABLE to turn away from the critical story line what do we do?  Here are FIVE important things that really work.
1.  Don’t be afraid of the thought.  Notice it and recognize it is not of God.  There’s nothing holy or humbling about self-critical thinking because God never accuses or condemns.  To merely engage the thought with more thinking isn’t effective.  Movement is necessary.
 
2.  Sit in Centering Prayer either more times during the day or longer periods of time. In this case more is more and more is best!  Yes, Centering Prayer is movement.
 
3.  Talk to someone.  I call my bestie soul friend who knows and loves me.  Her compassionate listening and loving input always puts me in a place of acceptance.  I confess to her my negative self introspection.  Just hearing the words come out of my mouth I start to feel the shift within me and the thoughts dissipate.
4.  If there’s a recurring thought, remember to bring it to your next Spiritual Direction appointment.  Unpacking it as your Spiritual Director holds you in the Light of this sacred space, is transforming.
5.  Remember God is in the movement.  I’m not talking about frenetic busyness or pressured action but movement.  Sometimes just putting your attention on making a good meal can be enough.
 
So right now, breathe deeply.  These self critical thoughts can sneak in on anyone, like dust floating in the air.   The next time one of ‘those’ thoughts floats across your mind, remember to be gentle with yourself.  Remember thoughts are not reality they just are and remember transformation, inner peace, freedom and purpose is possible through The Deeper Connection. 

Forgiveness

It rained on the last day of retreat
As if freedom could be more free.
God poured down grace on me.
Beautiful rays of golden light.
Through the canopy of trees.
From heaven into my soul.
Engulfed in prayer, the moment came unannounced.
Like the gentle summer breeze, that brushed across my face.
From the page of scripture, leapt the words “forgive them.”
And like the water cascading through the fountain
Came the names and faces I had hidden away.
I was ready.
Invited by the Silence.
Held secure by the Stillness.
Ready, to look deep into my heart,
Now with clarity and understanding.
The resentments once hidden by reason and rightness,
Reflected back at me.
“It is time.” He said.
And I knew what was mine to do.
No grand gestures of humility expected.
Just acceptance for a lifetime of wounds.
As I wrote down each name and saw each face,
These words came.
I release you from my resentment__I forgive you, God bless you.
I continued my litany of forgiveness, seeing each person.
Realizing how even the slightest resentment,
Hid secretly, deep in my heart.
“It is time.” He said.
“There is no one left.”, I replied.
The glancing down I saw my reflection in the water.
And I knew.
It was time and I was ready.
Readied by the beautiful work of prayer
Readied by the sacred space carved by Silence.
Readied by the presence of My Beloved.
Ready to receive the grace to forgive myself.
And the mercy offered.
As if freedom could be more free.
God poured down grace on me.


Who is Maria?


Maria Gullo is the founder of The Deeper Connection, a ministry dedicated to bringing individuals to inner peace. She is an ordained minister and has spent the past twenty-plus years delivering the message of contemplative Christian spirituality through centering prayer, retreats, workshops, and lectures. Maria’s guided prayer and meditation tools include audio downloads and CDs, available here online as well as on the Insight Timer mobile meditation app. Learn more about Maria.

Maria offers virtual online and private one-on-one Spiritual Direction sessions to help individuals develop a deeper connection, clearer understanding and authentic relationship with God, self and others.

Follow The Deeper Connection @deeperconnects on Twitter, and @thedeeperconnection on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube


Maria wants to hear from you! Tell your story or where you are in your journey.

The Silent Retreat

On the edge of Silent Stillness I embark
To an adventure unforeseen
The Silence pierces a world of noise.
The Stillness moves like the ocean’s depths.
I do not know what lies ahead.
I simply say ‘yes’.
My willingness now opens a path beneath me and above me.
Transported by prayer to heights and depths beyond my imaginings.
“Come”, the voiceless Voice speaks.
I move into the Silence now with trepidation.
Led into a dense forest of fear
On a path strewn with doubt.
Come—
Anxieties rolling in like ominous storm clouds.
Threatening thoughts entangle me.
Come—
Through waist high weeds of faded dreams.
Through stagnating memories of failure and regret.
Come—
The Silence persists.
Prayer draws me deeper.
Come—
Then without warning a gentle cool breeze rushes in.
Flowing over me and through me.
Come—
Lifting my head.
I breathe in deeply
Turning from the thoughts.
Releasing the illusion that gripped my soul.
Come—
I raise my eyes inward to see lush fields
Green pastures bathed in warm Light.
I am not alone.
Now I see.
I never was alone.
Come—
The path opens up.
The birds are singing.
The clouds have given way to crystal blue skies.
Prayer guided by Silence has led me home.
Home to my Self.
Home to God.
Home to my Beloved and I am free.


Who is Maria?


Maria Gullo is the founder of The Deeper Connection, a ministry dedicated to bringing individuals to inner peace. She is an ordained minister and has spent the past twenty-plus years delivering the message of contemplative Christian spirituality through centering prayer, retreats, workshops, and lectures. Maria’s guided prayer and meditation tools include audio downloads and CDs, available here online as well as on the Insight Timer mobile meditation app. Learn more about Maria.

Maria offers virtual online and private one-on-one Spiritual Direction sessions to help individuals develop a deeper connection, clearer understanding and authentic relationship with God, self and others.

Follow The Deeper Connection @deeperconnects on Twitter, and @thedeeperconnection on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube


Maria wants to hear from you! Tell your story or where you are in your journey.

Here In Retreat

Here in retreat:
The Trees speak,
the Water dances,
the Light is blinding bright,
the Silence is deafeningly quiet,
the Spirit is restoring, renewing, rebirthing,
The Moment is potently real,
the Word is profoundly revealing,
the Prayer is deep and compelling,
the Seeing is true and vital
the Listening is easy and patient
the Color is iridescent and clear
the Vision is becoming
and I Am is with me.


Who is Maria?


Maria Gullo is the founder of The Deeper Connection, a ministry dedicated to bringing individuals to inner peace. She is an ordained minister and has spent the past twenty-plus years delivering the message of contemplative Christian spirituality through centering prayer, retreats, workshops, and lectures. Maria’s guided prayer and meditation tools include audio downloads and CDs, available here online as well as on the Insight Timer mobile meditation app. Learn more about Maria.

Maria offers virtual online and private one-on-one Spiritual Direction sessions to help individuals develop a deeper connection, clearer understanding and authentic relationship with God, self and others.

Follow The Deeper Connection @deeperconnects on Twitter, and @thedeeperconnection on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube


Maria wants to hear from you! Tell your story or where you are in your journey.

3 Easy Peace-y Simple Spiritual Practices You Can Do Before Getting Out of Bed in the Morning

Spirituality has gained much popularity these days. There are almost as many yoga studios as there are churches… nearly one on every corner in suburban America.  More books on spirituality are sold every year and spiritual teachers are highly sought after.  While I certainly believe studying and listening to wise teaching is an important pursuit, true spiritual development and authentic transformation might be a lot simpler than one might realize. Hours spent in meditation, prayer, doing yoga, listening to podcasts, or reading books or blogs on spirituality are time well spent; and yet, what you do during those precious moments before your feet hit the floor and you begin your day are perhaps the most crucial moments of your spiritual journey.  Yes, those moments even before you open your eyes.  Those moments before your mind starts hijacking your thoughts.

Now it might take a small measure of discipline because simple isn’t always easy, but these spiritual practices can go a long way toward changing the course your day. for the better, maybe even your life.

  1.  “I AM GRATEFUL”

Let the first words you think and say be, ‘I am grateful’.  Let the words ride on your breath: ’I am’ as you inhale, ‘grateful’ as you exhale.  Let them rest in your mind and reside in your heart.  You need not list what you’re grateful for… the details for this practice are irrelevant.  Let the words sink in until the mantra, ‘I am grateful’ is begins to settle into your being.  Whether you feel grateful or not as you begin this practice, is unimportant.  Like iIn the words of Nike ‘Just do it’ will eventually allow you to ‘Just be it’.

  1.  WELCOME THE SILENCE

“What?  Didn’t I just spend hours being silent by sleeping?”  I’m talking about a different kind of silence… a deeper Silence, with a capital S. Go inward and with a warm, gentle glance at your soul say “Welcome… I welcome you into this place where you already are.”  Listen to the sounds around you – outside your window, in the next room – and let them fade as you continue to welcome in the Silence even deeper.  Let your welcome be like a pebble you throw into a lake and watch as it slowly drops to the bottom.  Keep the Silence and hold it tenderly.  Even as you get out of bed, move with the Silence as you start your morning routine.  Take time before speaking out loud.  If you live alone this is a no brainer, but if you live with others this could be challenging. The biggest challenge is not the children calling or the dog needing to go out. The most difficult thing is to turn nothing on. No TV. No computer. No phone. No artificial noise.  Go about your morning with a backdrop of Silence.  For some, that might be easy. For others, whose brains are conditioned to being greeted by the Today Show, not so much.  I’m not saying to never turn anything on. ‘Never’ is ‘never allowed’.  I’m simply saying that when we ‘Welcome in the Silence’ upon waking, we are already giving our brains a break, our bodies time to ease into the day and our soul preferential treatment as it creates space for the Presence of God.

  1.  SMILE

“Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking.  When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by.  If you smile through your fear and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow, you’ll see the sun come shining through for you.”

Charlie Chaplin, when he wrote that song, had it right. Have you ever recognized how spiritual a smile can be? Just try it. Smile. Right now as you’re reading this. Come on. You can do it.  Not that fake little curl your lips, smile. I mean a true, life is real and beautiful and I’m alive to feel it smile. Now you’re getting the idea. Smile at yourself in the mirror, at everyone you see. Smile as you notice your breath and hear your mind say ‘I am grateful’. Smiling literally gives the brain a message to be happy regardless of the circumstances. If you want to be happier today. If you want to live out your spirituality in a real way, then smile. Regardless of your circumstances, again, the details are unimportant, simply smile.  Remember, you’re just waking up and you can choose the way your journey goes. “Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking.  When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by.  If you smile through your fear and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow, you’ll see the sun come shining through for you.”

Intention is like developing spiritual muscle, the more you consciously use it the stronger it gets.  These three simple spiritual practices take no effort or muscle, just intention.  They can be done simultaneously and you can do them throughout the day.  The goal is not to add one more thing to your already overflowing ‘to do’ list.  The goal is to help simplify your ‘to be’ list.

Let it be!


Who is Maria?


Maria Gullo is the founder of The Deeper Connection, a ministry dedicated to bringing individuals to inner peace. She is an ordained minister and has spent the past twenty-plus years delivering the message of contemplative Christian spirituality through centering prayer, retreats, workshops, and lectures. Maria’s guided prayer and meditation tools include audio downloads and CDs, available here online as well as on the Insight Timer mobile meditation app. Learn more about Maria.

Maria offers virtual online and private one-on-one Spiritual Direction sessions to help individuals develop a deeper connection, clearer understanding and authentic relationship with God, self and others.

Follow The Deeper Connection @deeperconnects on Twitter, and @thedeeperconnection on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube


Maria wants to hear from you! Tell your story or where you are in your journey.