Here in Maine, the thick wet fog rolls slowly in from the Atlantic Ocean. The fog gathers density from the white surf breaking on the hard black rocks, first at the outermost islands: towering Monhegan, then low and long Damarisicove Island, safe haven for the men and women of the coast’s first fishing community. Then the fog moves on south down to the hulk of Sequin Island, then to tiny Halfway Rock with its tall stone lighthouse. After touching stately Jewell Island and the rest of the Calendar Islands, the fog lumbers onto the mainland at Portland, touching and enveloping all of us. Just as the fog is all around us, we are surrounded and touched and loved by the spirits of all who have ever walked this earth. Allow yourself now, as you hear these words in the present moment, to know and to feel this spiritual blanket surrounding you like fog. Now, as you breathe, you take in the thick texture of love and goodwill. So it is at this very moment, here and now. See how you welcome that which is already here, already yours. Use your five senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste and the sixth, intuition. Now, here you arrive, where you can live your life today. Now, finally you have arrived in your life and can be a part of it all. Now you can know and feel and enjoy and celebrate your being, leaving behind loneliness, embracing the fog as it embraces you. Be yourself without being alone, but with your self being surrounded by all the love you will ever need, ever.
Jacob Watson2019-10-29T12:52:59-04:00
About the Author: Jacob Watson
Jacob Watson grew up in a New England family, attended traditional schools, then took a hard turn left. He was a grief counselor until his client’s broken hearts and wounded spirits – and a fire that damaged his counseling office – propelled him into ministry. He received a Doctor of Ministry degree from the University of Creation Spirituality, and after further study at the Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministries, was ordained an Interfaith Minister. He is the founding Abbot of the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine, and devotes his life to teaching, writing and prayer. “Sometimes we are quite naturally shy about our emerging spiritual lives. We may have spiritual wounds from the past when our natural instincts toward the spirit or religious world were not supported by family or friends. We often need privacy and confidentiality to heal spiritual wounds, and begin to create new relationships with the divine. The intimacy and depth of individual meetings can be affirming and helpful.” “As an Interfaith Minister and spiritual teacher I have had experience teaching, mentoring, and providing individual spiritual companionship, support and guidance to our diverse community. Serving as a Hospice Chaplain and Chaplain Supervisor I have counselled individuals and families through their grief and helped them on their path. At the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine, which I founded in 2002, I teach classes and workshops on interfaith spiritual practices.”