Adoration Moment meditation: broaden, deepen adoration experience
Earlier this year, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration launched Adoration Moment: a comforting experience of peace and all good. Adoration Moment is designed as a meditative practice intended to leave the viewer with a deep sense of calm and presence — a feeling of peace and all good. Adoration and Praise is the first meditation in the series. It features beautiful photos, harp music, scenes from Mary of the Angels Chapel and various psalms.
“Adoration Moment is a movement of the FSPA 2018 General Assembly declaration to broaden and deepen the adoration experience,” says Sister Sarah Hennessey. “We see this meditation as a tool to assist people in their prayer.”
The meditation offering is also designed to complement AdorationTalk, Sister Sarah’s webinar series providing a closer look at adoration. “Both AdorationTalk and Adoration Moment allow people to be a part of the adoration experience, no matter where they are,” says Sister Malinda Gerke, whose harp music and overall design direction guided this first meditation.“We invite viewers to experience the meditation in full, pause to allow for reflection, view visually or just enjoy the audio. Each listener is welcome to customize the experience.”
Research has proven that meditation can restore calm and inner peace. When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. Emotional benefits include new perspective, increased self-awareness and increased creativity and imagination. Meditation experts at Mayo Clinic suggest being as formal or informal as you like, using a meditation style that suits your individual needs and which resonates with you most.
“What sets Adoration Moment apart from the millions of meditations offered is that it is steeped in our sacred tradition of adoration, is offered through a Franciscan lens and offers original music,” explains Sister Malinda. “This first experience offers reflection time on St. Francis’ “The Praises of God:” ‘You are love, charity. You are wisdom; you are humility; you are patience; you are security; you are rest; you are peace … you are enough for us.’”
Although meditation may be perceived as a prayer-like practice, it should not and will not replace one of the primary touchstones of FSPA. “It’s not meant to replace live adoration,” offers Sister Sarah. “It’s meant to deepen prayer lives outside of the chapel.”
Plans for additional meditations in the series are already underway. “Watch for meditations on comfort, creation and goodness coming in 2019 and 2020,” says Sister Malinda. “Our goal is to release annually three Adoration Moment meditative experiences that complement the three AdorationTalk webinars.”
Since the general assembly, FSPA has proclaimed a revolution to broaden and deepen the adoration experience. Now the community as a whole is invited to join the movement. Adoration Moment is available at www.fspa.org/adorationmoment. Watch from your computer or from your mobile device. Find AdorationTalk at www.fspa.org/adorationtalk.
