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Paying Attention with Patti Smith--inspired by Bread of Angels #amreading #meditation #PattiSmith

I was so pleased to be asked to participate in a Unitarian Universalist service focusing on the work of Patti Smith, in particular her latest memoir, Bread of Angels. Below is a brief reflection and meditation that I wrote for the Unitarian Universalists of Mt. Airy.





When I heard Patti Smith say, on a talk show, that she lives in her imagination, I immediately related. As a writer, I have spent a good deal of my life in my imagination, and now I find myself focusing more and more on my work. When Shaie mentioned she wanted to focus this service on Patti Smith, I was thrilled. Synchronicity rides again. We had both just read Patti’s recent memoir, Bread of Angels.

As a writer and as a human being, but mostly as a writer, I pay attention. I pay attention to the voices in my head. I pay attention to how I feel in my body. I pay attention to what I am working on—which most recently involves consciousness and Earth's relationship to the Universe. Like Patti Smith says in her song, “People Have the Power,” we do have the power to create our own reality. We have the power to change ourselves and the world we live in. And now it is more important than ever.

Seven years ago, when I went to a healthy plant-based, vegan diet on the advice of my acupuncturist, a talking dairy cow came into my head and narrated a story. I paid attention, wrote it down, and it became my novel CINNAMON, a dairy cow’s (and her farmer’s) path to freedom (published by Adelaide Books in New York and Lisbon).

Lately, as a way of tuning into my own power, I’ve been meditating more. This has had a favorable influence on my writing and on my life in general.

Meditating more makes me feel better, gives me a fair amount of detachment, and at the same time, puts me more in touch with my emotions, makes me more courageous, and allows me to go through life as myself. The end result is that I feel better and I can better pay attention.

Meditation is something that we can all benefit from. And it is more readily available than some of us may think.

A basic practice of meditation is to simply breathe in and out and pay attention to the breath. I’ve found that it helps to make short statements to your body, and it is my belief that the body understands and responds to what you say.

For example, you could say to yourself—

I am part of the quantum field that is everything.

I am the song that the universe is singing.

I am an important part of the moral arc that is bending toward goodness—

and it would all be true. We are all different and are changing the world in different ways.

Please join me and let’s try a brief meditation together:

We’ll take three deep breaths and exhale.

If you feel comfortable thinking these thoughts, you might want to put your hands on your heart as you say them to yourself silently:

I am part of the quantum field that is everything.

I am the song that the universe is singing.

I am an important part of the moral arc that is bending toward goodness.

We’ll start now.


I am part of the quantum field that is everything.


I am the song that the universe is singing.


I am an important part of the moral arc that is bending toward goodness.

So might it be.

Thank you.

Namaste


May we all pay attention.



CINNAMON is also available through your local bookstore and library

(just ask them to order it if they don’t have it).


For more information on my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders published by Adelaide Books click here.


To learn more about The Unicorn, The Mystery, click here:


For more information on my novel Loving Artemis, an endearing tale of revolution, love, and marriage, click here.


To order my book Tea Leaves, a memoir of mothers and daughters, click here.




 
 
 

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