Spiritual Practice of the Week:  Sunrise

Today I was out for a very early morning walk, even before the sunrise,  in the hills around Naramata, BC.  Suddenly the light changed and the warmth of the sun was upon me.  I turned and faced the sun and in that moment, my thoughts went to all those around the world who have greeted the sun as I was doing.  I thought of those making offerings on the river Ganges, I thought of those camping on a mesa in the New Mexico desert, I thought of women carrying water miles in their village in Africa, I thought of those in the north where the sun hardly leaves this time of year.  I gave thanks for this light, a symbol in it's rising of another day of life, granted by the creator of all of this incredible universe. 

My recommendation:  tomorrow when the sun has not yet come up, get up, out of your familiar world, and go for a walk and notice and at the moment the sun comes up and the light changes, give thanks for whatever mystery unfolded all of this into being, and remember all those around the world who have done the same.
 

© This prayer practice and all of those on the Sunday Morning Blog Post can be found in:  "Go Deep: Spiritual Practices for Youth Ministry" Wood Lake Publishing.  Doris is the Youth Director for the United Church of Canada in BC and the Director of World Pilgrim: Global Education and Awareness Travel.