Pockets of Prayer

"The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."  Brother Lawrence

Even when successful in eliminating the negative mind chatter, it is often replaced by nonsensical thoughts. Quieting the mind can be a monumental task.  Through meditation one learns the ability to be still and with mindfulness, this experience can be stretched into the chaos of the day.  When we become aware of surrounding drama, we can bring our meditative experience into the moment.  If we tune out of our environment, and tune in to stillness, we will remain calm.  Of course we do not want to completely extract our selves from the human experience, but there are times when we can afford to distance our minds from the surrounding noise.

This can be thought of as pockets of prayer.  Rather than becoming judgmental about the chatter of others, we can slip into prayer or conversation with the Divine.  We can remain aligned and be purposeful at the same moment.  With our mind's eye, we can be extending light and love out into the world or to those specifically who are in need, rather than engaging in gossip or criticism of others.