Spiritual Practice of the Week: A Gift

Guided Meditation

This practice leads people through reflections on visual imagery using spoken word in a deeply meditative practice. This can calm, center, and relax people. We hear God with greater clarity.

The practice of relaxation in a group setting can be a tough one for youth to embrace since they are so used to movement and noise. The practice begins with settling, then continues with reading the meditation slowly, clearly, and deliberately, leaving plenty of space for people to go through their own meditation process. When the meditation is complete, have people slowly come back into the space by moving their hands and feet. People may fall asleep during the guided mediation and that is a fine response. Gently encourage them to wake up and come back to the group.

Once the whole group is back, ask people to share an image (if they saw one), or the insight that came to them. Allow people to share or keep their insights to themselves. 

Guided Meditation: A Gift

Invite people to find a comfortable space (chair, floor) to settle into for this time of stillness and imagination. Once all are settled, begin. Read the following meditation clearly and slowly, leaving pauses at appropriate times during the reading.

Welcome to this space and this time of reflection and relaxation. 

Take some deep breaths in and out.

Feel the air come deeply into your body. Let it go. Notice your belly rise and fall. 

Imagine that God is as close as your breath.

Feel your body start to relax as you focus on your breath. 

Let go of all tension in your body. Let yourself sink into the floor or the chair.

Keep breathing deeply and let yourself sink.

Imagine that you are walking in a place outside and there is no one else around. 

Perhaps you are on a beach, or in a forest, or at home in your yard. 

It’s a good and safe place. See yourself walking through that place on your own. What do you notice about the place? How’s the weather? How do you feel being in that place? 

Find a spot to sit and rest, and look around. 

Take in this space, the space that is there for you alone.

You notice that someone is coming toward you. 

They are off in the distance but they are walking toward you. 

You begin to see who it is. How do you feel as you see this person approaching?

You notice that they are getting closer and that they are holding something in their hand. They smile as they come closer with hand outstretched. They want to give you the thing in their hand. 

They are now standing before you and you reach out and take the thing they want to give you.

You look at it and look back at them. 

What have they given you? 

You pay attention to the gift, touching it, holding it.

You look up, taking in one more time where it is you are. You know that it’s time to get back to your life. You get up to leave with the gift in your hand. You walk away, thinking about the gift you have been given.

Now is the time to come back to this room and this space. Slowly move your body around, rubbing your hands together, stretching your body out long, taking some deep breaths in and out. When you are ready, open your eyes, and come back to the room.

Have a five minute break. Then invite youth to sit in a circle and share what their gift was if they wish and who the person was who came to them in their practice of meditation.. Close the reflection with a prayer.

© 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.