SOLACE: Soul + Grief
This podcast is sponsored by SOULPLUSGRACE serving the San José area, offering grief support and grief journeying with spirituality. I hope to help you travel through grief with God at your side.
"I am a trained Spiritual Director for those who seek to complete the 19th Annotation of St. Igantius’ spiritual exercises OR seek spiritual direction while grieving. 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
CONTACT ME: candeelucas@soulplusgrace.com with questions to be answered in future episodes.
SOLACE: Soul + Grief
Finding Peace in Stillness
Finding peace through mindfulness is essential for grief healing. By grounding ourselves in the present moment rather than constantly doing, we can navigate even the most challenging situations with greater clarity.
• Welcome this space of healing, love and support for those experiencing grief
• Buddha teaches us to question our perceptions, as most are false
• Peace becomes possible when we return to ourselves in the present moment
• The quality of being determines the quality of doing - stillness has value
• Looking deeply reveals we contain everything needed for healing
• Nurture positive seeds of compassion, tolerance and love daily
• Practice being peaceful and solid as the foundation for all actions
Remember I'm always available for spiritual direction by Zoom to those who are grieving. Listen every Friday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music for spiritual direction, art, and workshops shared through Santa Clara University, https://events.scu.edu/markey-center/event/344943-spiritual-accompaniment
You can reach us at: candeelucas@soulplusgrace.com.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WHILE GRIEVING IS AVAILABLE
Art: https://www.etsy.com/shop/vasonaArts?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
and https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/candee-lucas
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2SFH4Z6
Music and sound effects today by: via Pixabay
I welcome you to Solace: Soul + Grief. My name's Candee Lucas and I'm a grief chaplain. I accompany those who are grieving any kind of loss and I ask that you let me accompany you today. You're always welcome in this circle of healing, love and support. Remember, we are all on this journey together. If, in our daily life, we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work. Because you are here now, you have arrived, you are home.
Candee:We can practice peace at any moment in any day. We do this simply by stopping whatever else we are doing, returning to our in-breath and out-breath and bringing our awareness to the present moment. That way, the condition for happiness is in us and around us. For happiness is in us and around us. We do so much, we run so quickly. The situation is difficult and many people say don't just sit there, do something. But doing more things may make the situation worse. So you should just say don't just do something, sit there, sit there, stop, be yourself first and begin from there. What follows are a series of thoughts, breath moments and breath prayers. I am going to say it twice and consider using Lectio Divina or writing one of the thoughts down that speaks to you. May you find peace in your daily life, in your families and with your loved ones and in the world. When we can come back to ourselves and ground ourselves in the present moment, we can handle even the most difficult and challenging of situations and peace becomes possible.
Candee:All of us are only human and we have wrong perceptions every day. Our loved ones and our peers, our workmates, are also subject to wrong perceptions. So we must help each other to see more clearly and more deeply. We should not just trust our perceptions too much. That is something the Buddha taught. Are you sure of your perceptions, he asked us. Are you sure? There is a river of perceptions in you. You should sit down on the bank of this river and contemplate your perceptions. Most of our perceptions, the Buddha said, are false. This question is addressed to you. It is a bell of mindfulness. All of us are only human and we have wrong perceptions every day. Our loved ones and our peers, our workmates, are also subject to wrong perceptions. So we must help each other to see more clearly and more deeply. We should not just trust our perceptions too much. That is something the Buddha taught. Are you sure of your perceptions? He asked us. Are you sure there is a river of perceptions in you? You should sit down on the bank of this river and contemplate your perceptions. Most of our perceptions, the Buddha said, are false. This question is addressed to you. It is a bell of mindfulness.
Candee:May you find peace in your daily life, in your families, with your loved ones and in the world. When we can come back to ourselves and ground ourselves in the present moment, we can handle even the most difficult and challenging of situations, even on our grief journeys, peace becomes possible. May you find peace in your daily life, in your families, with your loved ones and in the world. When we can come back to ourselves and ground ourselves in the present moment, we can handle even the most difficult and challenging of situations. Even on our grief journeys, peace becomes possible.
Candee:We tend to think in terms of doing rather than being. Many of us are used to running around from this to that. We can't refrain from always doing things. It has become a habit. We think that when we're not doing something, we're wasting time, but that isn't true. Our time is first of all for us to be alive, to be at peace, to be in joy and to be in loving. That is what the world needs most. We tend to think in terms of doing rather than being. Many of us are used to running around from this to that. We can't refrain from always doing things. It has become a habit. We think that when we're not doing something we're wasting time. But that isn't true. Our time is first of all for us to be alive, to be at peace, to be in joy and to be in loving. That is what the world needs most.
Candee:If we know the art of being peaceful, of being solid, then we have the ground for every action, because the ground for action is to be. The quality of being determines the quality of doing. The value of our action depends on the value of our non-action. So doing nothing is already doing something. It is bringing about the dimension of being. It's not easy just to be. It's not easy just to be, especially when we are grieving. But if you cannot be happy and relaxed and smiling when you're not doing something, you're quite strong. Doing nothing brings about the quality of being, which is very important. So doing nothing is actually something.
Candee:If we know the art of being peaceful, of being solid, then we have the ground for every action, because the ground for action is to be. The quality of being determines the quality of doing. The value of our action depends on the value of our non-action. So doing nothing is already doing something. It is bringing about the dimension of being. It's not easy just to be, especially when we are grieving. But if you cannot be happy and relaxed and smiling when you're not doing something, you're quite strong. Doing nothing brings about the quality of being, which is very important. So doing nothing is actually something.
Candee:Every one of us is a miraculous flower in the garden of humanity. If you look deeply into yourself, you will see that you possess everything. As the poet Walt Whitman said --I am large, I contain multitudes--. If you practice deep looking, you will discover this truth the mystery of interbeing. The one contains all.
Candee:Every one of us is a miraculous flower in the garden of humanity. If you look deeply into yourself, you will see that you possess everything. As the poet Walt Whitman said-- I am large, I contain multitudes--. If you practice deep looking, you will discover this truth the mystery of interbeing, the one contains all.
Candee:As we grieve, the seeds of negativity are always there, but very positive seeds also exist, such as the seeds of compassion, tolerance and love. These seeds are all there is in the soil, but without rain they cannot manifest. Our practice is to recognize and water the positive seeds. If you recognize the seed of compassion in yourself and for yourself and for others, you should make sure that it is watered several times a day.
Candee:As we grieve, the seeds of negativity are always there, but very positive seeds also exist, such as the seeds of compassion, tolerance and love
Candee:..
Candee:These seeds are all there is in the soil, but without rain they cannot manifest. Our practice is to recognize and water the positive seeds. If you recognize the seed of compassion in yourself and for yourself and for others, you should make sure that it is watered, and for yourself and for others you should make sure that it is watered several times a day.
Candee:That concludes this week's episode. You can find us on Apple, spotify or Amazon. Feel free to send any questions you might have about grieving to my email. In the show notes I'll try to answer any questions you have in the future. Remember I'm always available for spiritual direction by Zoom to those who are grieving. Please reach out to me if you have this need. Be safe Travel with God always at your side. Vaya con Dios.
