An Advent Practice for Manifesting the Trinity: Prayer & Power

In this series, Amy shares her thoughts on simple practices for the season of Advent. If you missed the first post, you can find it here.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, this practice is a little tricky. It’s not as tangible as lighting a candle, or feeling your feet, at least not in the beginning.  This one takes a lot of intention setting, and I really can’t give you specifics here because you are your own unique child of God.  But I’ll share with you how I think about it and what works for me.

Manifesting the Trinity requires us to be open to God’s plan and purpose for our lives, and sometimes that’s really hard to figure out.  The season of Advent gives us an opportunity to work on this, to prepare for the Incarnation of God, to act as little Christs in our own unique way. In preparing our heart to welcome Jesus, or in acknowledging that Christ is already present within us, waiting for us to notice Him, we can pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, strength and power to be Christ to one another. When we pause in our busyness to help someone in need, we are powerfully manifesting the Trinity. When we allow ourselves to be helped, we are allowing someone else to manifest the Trinity and assisting in bringing about the Kingdom of God. This is rarely easy, but with practice, it becomes less arduous, more like a good habit, and finally starts to look like the virtue of charity.

In my experience, prayer and power go together. When I’m at a loss, I pray for help, and I pray for signs, and I pray for power. I call on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Then, I pay attention. (I stay awake.)  Inevitably, my life opens in a way that allows me to ask for and accept help, or, my life closes in a way that takes one or more paths obviously out of the running, which can make the way forward more clear.  I also pray to be caught up in God’s will, what I call Divine Flow. I want to be the hands and feet of Christ, and I want to bring about the Kingdom in the here and now, on earth, as it is in heaven.  It’s scary to abandon myself to this unknown, but, I pray for the strength to be able to do it, and I receive what I need. Opportunities arise for me to support others with my time and talent. Or, opportunities arise for me to leave my comfort zone and start addressing my weaknesses. 

So, what would happen if you prayed for the ability to wake up and light your own way?  How would God surprise you with comfort? How might you be nurtured simply because you took time and effort to do something a little different than your normal routine?  Ask God to inspire you and fill you with strength and the power to be open to newness and possibility, and then go for it. With discernment, say yes, to something; say no to something. Be on the lookout for ways to use your strengths and feel that sense of confidence and purpose, and notice opportunities where you can be supported in your weaknesses or tip-toe out of your comfort zone.  Find ways to bring the Christ Child to others, not with your words, but with your actions.

Start with practice: get on your yoga mat for a short time each day to nourish your body through breath and movement, tend to your nervous system, and offer yourself rest. Bring to your mat whatever reminds you of your wholeness. Reconnecting with yourself and caring for yourself is necessary before going out into the world to care for others. Begin and end your practice with prayers for Divine Guidance, Divine Providence, and Divine Flow, and the Trinity will meet you where you are.