Writings of a Beholder 🌿 8.11.23

Beginning a small practice of reflection

Aug 11, 2023

Beginning a Small Practice of Reflection

What if the receiving of the most sacred and holy moments in our life is intricately tied to our ability to reflect on them?

To slow down, pause, and pay attention to them?

To remember feeling the weight of them in our chests?

Our hearts?

These were the questions I offered you in last week’s letter as we explored the sacred link between reflection and our own spiritual formation — the slow journey of becoming more and more like Jesus.

A practice of reflection gives us steady ground to stand on as we glance over our shoulders behind us at who we’ve been and where God has been in relation to who we are now and where God is in the midst of our own becoming.

Reflection draws us near to God, nurturing an attentiveness to Him — nurturing our own beholding as we learn to discern His presence within all things.

If you’d like to read last week’s letter about the sacred connection between reflection and spiritual formation, where I dive a bit deeper into my own journey with reflection and why I believe it’s a necessary practice, I’ll link it for you below in the Resources section of this letter.

I ended last week’s letter hinting that I may return this week to give you some tips on how, exactly, to begin cultivating a regular practice of reflection for those who haven’t incorporated this rhythm into their lives but are wanting to give it a try.

So, friend, that’s what we’re going to be exploring today. We’re going to pick up where we left off last Friday as I share with you three simple ways that have personally helped me cultivate a regular rhythm of reflection. These tips are going to be simple and practical; for the beginners who maybe need to start small in order to feel at home with this practice.

One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Saint Benedict on the topic of beginning,

“Always, we begin again.”

So even if you’re not new to the practice of reflection, but perhaps have slipped away from this rhythm and are looking for a way back to it, these three simple things I’m about to share with you are for you, too. They’re also for those who maybe have established a regular rhythm of reflection but want to try engaging with it in a new and different way.

Come one, come all, and let’s begin together.

Three Practical Ways to Begin Cultivating a Practice of Reflection

Capture Moments Through Pictures

This may be one of my favorite ways to cultivate a small practice of reflection. It’s very simple, which I love, and only requires you and your phone camera (or any camera, for that matter). As you move through your day, your week, your month, and your year, document the small moments, the big moments, and every other moment in between that feels worth remembering by capturing it in a picture. What I like to do at the end of each week is look back on the pictures I’ve taken throughout the week and reflect on the beauty I captured, the moments of quiet, the moments that felt sacred yet simple, or perhaps the moments that felt hard and painful.

Naturally, and without any real effort, gratitude tends to rise to the surface of my soul as I sit and gaze at the pictures on my phone with the Holy Spirit. It always awes me that even the most mundane of moments can leak glory and love and light. Oftentimes, I forget what my week even contained, so capturing it in a picture to reflect on later with the Holy Spirit always stirs up prayerful ad intimate conversation with Him. Pictures help us pay attention, lean in, and notice the world around us and how it impacts the world within us.

One Line a Day

There’s a small, adorable little journal called the ‘One Line a Day’ journal where you’re invited to write one or two sentences about your day. At the beginning of the year, I took up this reflective rhythm and it’s a welcome pause at the end of my day where I simply write one or two sentences about certain things that stood out to me in my day. For just a few moments, I relive the events of my day, beginning in the morning, as I sift through the rest of the hours with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to help me remember what the day held.

Oftentimes, I’m surprised by what I’ve already forgotten about my day and I’m grateful for that time of pausing and remembering in order to record it. The One Line a Day journals hold space for five years of reflective moments. It’s super simple and a very easy way to ease into a regular, daily rhythm of reflection.

You can find these journals on Amazon or maybe even at your local bookstore. Here’s a link to the one I use: One Line a Day

Answer These Three, Simple Questions

Where did I notice God’s presence with me today?
How did I hear God speak?
What did I carry with me today and what do I need to release?

Depending on the season of life I’m in, I’ll either reach for my journal at the end of my day, week, or month and answer these questions thoughtfully, taking my time as I ask the Holy Spirit to help me search my mind and heart. It’s a simple but in-depth way for me to take what I like to call a soul inventory, reflecting on how I’ve noticed God with me in my life lately and what’s going on beneath the surface of my own skin.

Once you begin reflectively journaling or praying through these three questions — or even just beginning with one of the questions — I have no doubt that truths about yourself, God, and your life with slowly be revealed.

Let Your Life Speak

So, there you have it, friend — three simple, practical ways to begin cultivating a regular rhythm of reflection.

Parker J. Palmer in his book, Let Your Life Speak, writes,

“Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.”

Reflection is all about slowing down and leaning in to notice what God might be speaking to you through your life. Our days are filled with moments that are full of life and joy and sorrow and longing. When we pause long enough to listen to what our moments are saying, we find the presence and voice of God leaking in through the cracks of these sacred ordinary days.

And I hope you do, friend… find God leaking into your life in light-filled ways you didn’t really notice until now.

Until you paused, leaned in, and listened to your life.

Until you gazed upon the glory of God intricately woven throughout each moment and beheld the strength and sweetness and power of His loving presence with you, always.

With you on the journey,

Celia

Life Lately

A Breath Prayer for Your Weekend

breathe in:

I have seen you in the sanctuary.

breathe out:

And beheld your power and your glory. (From Psalm 63:2)

*if you’d like to learn more about the practice of breath prayer, download this complete digital guide to practicing breath prayer.

Resources & Good Things to Pick Up

Here’s the link to last week’s letter as mentioned above: The Sacred Connection Between Reflection & Spiritual Formation

I shared these resources last week, but I’ll leave them for you here again in case you’re interested. They, too, will help you begin cultivating a regular practice of reflection:

The Next Right Thing Podcast episode 84: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Reflection
The Next Right Thing Guided Journal by Emily P. Freeman (I have one of my own and it’s very helpful for practicing a rhythm of weekly, monthly, and seasonal reflection)
The Next Right Thing Podcast episode 150: A Guide for Personal Reflection
Reflection and Journaling as a Lifelong Practice with Business Strategist Elizabeth McCravy (on the Encouraging One Another Podcast)

Grab some breath prayer cards, a journal, a candle, and other contemplative resources from my Etsy shop: The Beholding Co.

Grab a copy of my Bible study, You Are Beloved: a 21-day study on how to root your identity in the love of God, over on Amazon. And if you’d like a free 3-day sample of the study, reply to this email and I’ll send it right over!

My friend and licensed spiritual director, Kari Bartkus, offers an 8-week journaling program for those who want to process their grief and trauma with God within the safety of blank journal pages. I’ve completed the program myself and can say confidently that it was incredibly impactful and healing: Journal Gently

An Invitation to Pause & Reflect

A regular practice of reflection helps us recognize what’s going on beneath the surface of our souls so we can name it in the Lord’s presence. Because as we learn to name what we feel, what we need, and what we long for, we’re also learning to discern the Spirit’s sweet, gentle voice within our hearts and lives.

Take a few moments today or this weekend to journal or contemplate with the Holy Spirit the following question(s) or prompt(s):

What might a small, simple practice of reflection look like in your life right now? Do any of the three suggestions above speak to you?
As you begin practicing reflection, what are you noticing about yourself? What are you noticing about your relationship with God?
If you already have an established practice of reflection, how do you notice it impacting your relationship with yourself, others, and God?
What do you hear your life speaking to you lately?

Writings of a Beholder 🌿