SOLACE: Soul + Grief
This podcast is sponsored by SOULPLUSGRACE serving the San José area, offering grief support and grief journeying with spirituality. We hope to help you travel through grief with God at your side. Candee Lucas, your host, is a Jesuit-trained-and-inspired spiritual companion to the dying and their families, friends and caretakers.
"I am a trained Spiritual Director for those who seek to complete the 19th Annotation of St. Igantius’ spiritual exercises. I have also worked as a hospital/cemetery chaplain and grief doula. I believe all paths lead to God and that all traditions are due respect and honour. I take my sacred inspiration from all of my patients and companions–past, present and future; the Dalai Lama, James Tissot, St. John of the Cross, the Buddha, Saint Teresa of Ávila, and, of course, Íñigo who became known as St. Ignatius. I utilize art, poetry, music, aromatherapy, yoga, lectio divina, prayer and meditation in my self-work and work with others. I believe in creating a sacred space for listening; even in the most incongruous of surroundings."
BACKGROUND
Jesuit Retreat Center, Los Altos, CA -- Pierre Favre Program, 3 year training to give the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius/Centro de Espiritualidad de Loyola, Spain -- The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola -- 30 Day Silent Retreat/Center for Loss & Life Transition – Comprehensive Bereavement Skills Training (30 hrs) Ft. Collins, CO/California State University Institute for Palliative Care--Palliative Care Chaplaincy Specialty Cert. (90 hrs)/Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA -- Clinical Pastoral Education/19th Annotation with Fumiaki Tosu, San Jose, CA, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius/Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA M.A. – Pastoral Ministries
SOLACE: Soul + Grief
Journey to Wholeness with Prayer and Breath
Have you ever considered how freely you distribute your love and compassion? This episode is an intimate journey through breath, prayer, and the sacred connection with the Divine. We confront the universal longing for oneness with God, and while theology offers a bridge, we seek to ground you in the 'now'—where every breath is a shared prayer.
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or follow us on the Facebook pages of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos, California, or Calvary Cemetery in San Jose, California.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE
You can reach us at: ccoutreach@dsj.org
To arrange personal spiritual direction: 408-359-5542
Our theme music is: Gentle Breeze by Yeti Music from the album "Uppbeat".
Additional Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
We we welcome you to Solace: Soul + Grief. I'm Candee Lucas, your host. When we started this ministry, we understood how difficult it was to lose a loved one, and we had hoped to create a space and a ministry that addressed these concerns and served as a source of comfort and wisdom for those who travel with God on their grief journey. This podcast is brought to you by Catholic Cemeteries, Diocese of San Jose. We're glad you're here. You're always welcome in our circle of healing, love and support.
Candee:There is a story of the devoted servant of Buddha wanting to bring tea to the Buddha, but not his visitor. Bringing tea to the Buddha is a metaphor for offering something of value or significance to someone who is already enlightened or complete. It suggests that the act of giving is more important than the actual gift itself and it represents a gesture of respect, appreciation or devotion. In this story, the servant wants to bring tea to the Buddha, but not to his visitor. This reflects the idea that the servant values Buddha more than the visitor and wants to show him special attention.
Candee:We should wonder if we are handing out our love and compassion like we only had a finite amount and not enough to go around. No matter how many times we say it or read it or speak it, or pray it, it seems like there's not enough to go around. Maybe we get this idea from living in a culture that gives high value to things that are scarce or makes scarce things of value. This makes our own mindfulness all the more meaningful. If we stop and worry about running out of love or compassion or energy, we need to remember that we can find all those things in the now. This is easy to say and oftentimes more difficult to do, but we should remember this moment is perfect. We are not in pain, we are loved, we are fed, we are warm, we want for nothing and we do not wonder about or worry about the next moment. And we do not carry the last moment into this one. We are listening to the rain and a tiny bell behind it. It is lovely, it is now. I am breathing, I am centering, I am aware that God is surrounding me. It is now. It makes me wonder about the difference between a memory and a dream. Both are now, but holding the past too dear and too near. W e are learning to tune ourselves into the vibrations, the energy, the breath, the God that is now. This is what God asks of us. We should be glad to be reminded. Breath is prayer. It's what we did first. It's what we will do last.
Candee:In this moment, I will not dwell on my past disunion, dismemberment of good from humans, from other humans. In this moment, they are all me, I am all of them. There is no difference. I am the Buddha, he is me. Jesus is me. I am Jesus. We are God. There is no difference, no boundary. Our breath is our breath. As we breathe in together and breathe out together, it is one breath.
Candee:But this presentness does not address our longing for and yearning for God. Theology tries to fill that gap. Teach us, let us educate ourselves, into a space where we can be in now and also long for oneness with God, true union that cannot be while we walk this earth and with our fellow wanderers, yearners, longers. It's that space we want to learn to hold on to. That concludes another episode. Please support us by subscribing on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or Google. We always welcome your comments and feedback. Remember, spiritual direction is always available through Catholic Cemeteries. I'm Candee Lucas, Chaplain, Aftercare Coordinator and Spiritual Director at Catholic Cemeteries. You can reach us through the email or telephone number in the show notes. Be gentle with yourselves. Travel safely with God. Vaya con Dios.
