How are you being poured out?

My word for January:  Vessel

Although my promise to allow the word "vessel" to become my guide for the month of January has been forgotten on occasion, for the most part I have tried to be aware of myself as a vessel.  It isn't easy to live in radical awareness.  It is a practice.  In moments of living AWAKE, however, I am aware that I am a vessel to be poured out, a vessel that is both fragile and strong.

I am a vessel of abundant life

a vessel of compassionate presence

a vessel of vibrant hope and affirmation.

I am a vessel of creativity

a vessel of poetry and song

a vessel of stories and dreams.

I am a vessel of joy 

a vessel of laughter

a vessel of sorrow

and of tears.

I am a vessel of silence

a vessel of quiet

a vessel of solitude

and deep stillness.

I am a vessel of radical awareness.

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And you?  

Whoever you are...  

How are you being poured out?

Sit with the vessel of your life. 

Envision gifts flowing into you each day.  

Recall the gifts you have gathered from others.

Name them.   Treasure them.   

What do you hold that you cherish?  

How do your pour yourself out as gift to the other?

Write the story of your own vessel of life. 

Vessel

Since I have been away from this blog for quite a spell, a new year is a good time to return.  It has been my custom on the first day of the new year to choose a word or phrase that serves as a guide for me throughout the year.  As I was listening for my word last night I felt drawn to choose a word just for January.  This year I will choose a different word each month.  I like this idea as it may help me be more faithful to my word.  Each month's word will be saved and  will eventually become part of my collage of guides for 2013.

As I was praying out the old year, clear as a bell, my word came to me

  Vessel 

 I am to be a vessel this year, a container.

I am to be a vessel of delight, a vessel of joy

a vessel of  sorrow, compassion and beauty

a vessel of God.

A vessel: that can receive and hold gifts!

A vessel: out of which one can pour forth gifts!

To be filled and poured out

To receive and to give and be given!

I think I can live with that!

So last night as the bells rang out the old,

rang in the new

I was preparing my very simple altar in my room.

,

What you see below is my altar.

I am trying to keep it simple

A reminder to receive the gifts given each day

and then, to the best of my ability

allow myself to be poured out as gift for others. 

O Giver of all Good gifts,

Thank you for the fragile vessel that I am

In the earthenware jar of my being

I will gather the gifts of each day

holding them carefully, faithfully

until that moment arrives 

when I am called to give them back again.