Resistance

As you hold a flowering tea pod in your hand, notice how dry and tightly bound the leaves are. You may want change, be transformed, become your best most authentic self. But we have a tendency to resist change. Even if it is for the good, it’s sometimes hard to let go. This resistance can also happen to caterpillars during metamorphosis. When it’s time to spin a chrysalis, some of them actually resist and cling to their larval life. They put off spinning a cocoon until the following spring the next year. This state of clinging is called ‘diapause’. Out of fear, we hold on to what is at least familiar and comforting.
What is keeping you ‘tight’, bound up, ‘dry’, preventing you from ‘flourishing’?
What worries, fears, doubts, hurts or discouragements are holding you back?

Soaking

What will soften and open your heart and life to the Lord? You may have been soaked in toxic water of shame, fear and not love. If so, you need to find friends, church, neighbors and community that will be a positive soaking environment. Over time, through the leaching process, it will gradually seep into you. Soaking in praise and worship, gratitude and thanksgiving, the Word, the presence of the Lord, the gifts of love, encouragement, kindness – all these may soften your heart for new life. Open up, surrender – to all God has for you.
What would you like to have softened, opened up, unfolded, transformed?
What do you discern are the good things the Spirit wants to open up in you?

Surrender and Open Up

Surrender, let go of what you are tightly holding on to – the familiar, your worries and fear. Allow the Peace of God to soften your heart, open you up and slowly release you from your fears and worries. As you allow God to lead you to still, calm waters, be refreshed and ‘soak’ in His presence, softening the hardened, tight, painful, difficult and longing areas in your life.
As you sit quietly, pray “I open my heart to you”. “I place my trust in you”
Continue this breath prayer until you come to a sense of peace.
Wait… be strong, and let my heart take courage. Ps 27:14

Flowering Tea Soaking Reflection

You may want to reflect on this section while listening to inspirational music and soaking a flowering tea pod. When ready, place the flowering tea pod into hot water in a clear pot or mug. Watch the pod opening up and blossom into a flower. You could also imagine this exercise. Meditate on how you too can soak in the streaming flow of the Spirit, softening your heart, calming your worries and opening your heart up to flourish. As your flowering tea pod softens in the presence of the warm water, likewise, let your heart, soul and spirit ‘soften’ and open up as you soak in the presence of the Spirit of God. Relax. Let go. Surrender, trust and open up.
Imagine your heart softening and opening up to God, a person or a situation.
While taking a soaking bath for your soul, imagine your heart softening, surrendering and opening up to God, a person or a situation.
Consider how you can also chose positive environments, people and things that will continue to seep goodness into you – helping you flourish.