Reflections: Drinking mineral water, books for contemplation and the season of humility, silence, and growth
- Lisa Schaffer
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
My December Reflection...
The December newsletter is interesting. On one hand it reflects things I've discovered or am experimenting with and on the other, it speaks to a beginning anew as we say good-bye to one year and welcome the next. I've never really been a big "new year's resolution" person. If there is something I need to stop, start, or refine, I generally look for ways to do that regardless of the time of year.
Much of what I started to discover late in the year, I'm carrying forward now. Namely, creating space and stillness. Where many gyms will be blasting loud music in group exercise classes, I'm drawing a warm bath, sipping hot tea, and taking deep purposeful breaths.
In December I put much focus on hydration, getting ample amounts of mineral water. There are a few books that gave me pause to think about something much bigger than myself. I felt community while listening to the Advent Pray 25 Challenge on the Hallow app. Lastly, I received the gift of spending Christmas with my family.
I look forward to ringing in the new year with what I have reflected upon in stillness and asking myself, who do I want to become?
Body - Hydration continued...
Drinking water during cold months has moved to the top of my list. In December and what I'm carrying forward in the new year is to drink 64 or more ounces of water. In the morning I fill my stainless steel container with Mountain Valley Mineral water that we get delivered in glass jugs every month. This is very important as the visualization is very clear; I either drank all of the water or I didn't. There were days I didn't reach my goal but came close. Without pre-filling my water bottle I would not have a clear idea of my consumption. I really noticed my skin not feeling as dry and overall I felt really good. Having the goal of finishing all the water in the water bottle helps to ward off drinking something not as helpful or eating extra food.
Challenge for you:
How are you nourishing your body? How will you measure it?
Mind - Books that gave me pause...
This past month I picked up two incredible books...OK...three but more about that one later. Both of these books were mentioned and quoted in the Hallow Advent Pray 25 Challenge. The first one is by John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Great title I think! There are so many spot-on quotes in this book, it's hard to use just one but here it is:
"Because what you give your attention to is the person you become. Put another way: the mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to."
The second book I purchased was published in 1944 by a British author who was not a stranger to poor health. The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander is so beautifully written. From the book's description:...First published in 1944, The Reed of God is a beloved spiritual classic that invites readers to encounter Mary as fully human and intimately relatable. British Catholic writer and artist Caryll Houselander portrays her not as a distant figure but as a reed - a musical instrument, open and ready - through which God's love flowed into the world.
Challenge for you:
Spend some time in awareness of where you are focusing your time. Are we in a hurry rushing to the next thing? Are we acting with courage to allow space and silence or pause in our lives?
Spirit - Stillness
Focusing on being still, I was gently brought into that mindset through the words of the books I mentioned above. It is no coincidence that the sound of Handel's Messiah, the masterful stroke of the paintbrush that has given us the Mona Lisa, nor the magnificent rise of the sun can fill us with so much joy, so much peace, and so much stillness. Every word of Houselander's book enveloped me with such beauty that it suspended me in stillness.
I was reminded of some years ago, early on a cold Sunday morning, I was driving in my car and listening to Pavarotti sing. It was so moving, so beautiful that tears were streaming down my face. You see, whether it is the graceful lowering of the sun below the horizon, the masterful display of the night time sky, or the face of a new born child..., we can find joy, love, and a stillness that will bring us clarity and peace.
Challenge for you:
Take time to go to a museum, listen to classical music, read a book, watch a sunset. It is in this stillness that we can find Him.
Quote I'm meditating on from Houselander's book describing Advent
"It is the season of humility, silence, and growth...absolutely essential to our contemplation..."
To your reflection and health,
Lisa Schaffer
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