Contemplative Practices Workshop by Elizabeth Davis, MA, LPC-S Counselor Rockwall / Heath, Texas www.EmbraceNewLife.com

1. DESERT ROSE
"I WILL OPEN RIVERS ON THE BARE HEIGHTS AND SPRINGS IN THE MIDST OF THE VALLEYS;
I WILL MAKE THE WILDERNESS A POOL OF WATER AND THE DRY LAND FOUNTAINS OF WATER.”
ISAIAH 41::18

2. OUR GOAL:
TO PRACTICE STORING UP
SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT
FOR YEAR-ROUND
SPIRITUAL BLOOMING!

3. GOOD MANNERS ::
:: EVERYONE WILL GET A
CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE
:: EVERYONE’S PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST
WILL BE HONORED
:: WHAT IS SAID AT
WORKSHOP STAYS IN
WORKSHOP
:: OTHERS WE SHOULD ADD?

4. GOD ASKS US THE
EDEN QUESTION:
“WHERE ARE YOU?”
WHAT WE LOST IN THE
GARDEN INCLUDED
ATTUNEMENT TO GOD, OR
“SACRED ATTUNEMENT”
WHEN OUR BRAINS
FELL & SPLIT IN TWO.

5. ATTUNEMENT IS BEING:
• ACCESSIBLE
• RESPONSIVE
• EMPATHIC
GOD ATTUNED TO US … US
ATTUNED TO GOD!
AND US ATTUNED TO
OTHERS!

6. POST-FALL
CONDITION ::
• FELL INTO
BRAINSTEM,
REPTILIAN BRAIN
(SELF-CENTERED,
SURVIVAL, BODY-
BASED)
• TRAPPED IN THE
PAST AND IN THE
FUTURE (AUTOPILOT,
SLEEP WALKING)
“WHERE ARE
YOU?”
WE FELL DOWN
• AFRAID,
INSECURE
• LOST SECURE
ATTACHMENT
(CONNECTION) TO
FATHER
• ENMESHED,
HERD BOUND
• SELF-CENTERED
• DEFENSIVE
STRONGHOLDS
•LOWER REGIONS
RULE AND
SABOTAGE
HIGHER REGIONS
• BODY
SABOTAGES
EMOTIONS,
• EMOTIONS
SABOTAGE
THOUGHTS
• FRONTAL LOBE
MAY OR MAY
NEVER RULE.
THE FALL
REDEMPTION
&
SANCTIFICATION

7. WE SPLIT :
WE SPLIT FROM
GOD,
WE SPLIT FROM
EACH OTHER,
&
WE SPLIT WITHIN
WHEN WE ATE FROM THE TREE OF
KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD & EVIL, OUR
BRAIN DIS-INTEGRATED.

8. THE BRAIN HAS TWO
HEMISPHERES,
NEUROSCIENTISTS
DESCRIBE THE
BRAIN AS ‘A TEAM OF
RIVALS’.
WE SPLIT APART

9. THESE RIVALS
WAR ::
WE CAN ARGUE,
CAJOLE, AND
EVEN CURSE
OURSELVES
(INNER CONFLICT).
WE FELL APART

10. WHICH
DIRECTION IS
THE CAT
SPINNING?
ARE YOU RIGHT
OR LEFT
BIASED?

11. BRAIN IMAGING
SHOWS THAT
PRAYER AND
MEDITATION
STRENGTHEN,
THICKEN THE
CORPUS
CALLOSUM,
THE BRIDGE
BETWEEN THE
TWO
HEMISPHERES.
CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES
INTEGRATE THE BRAIN

12. "ISAAC WENT OUT
TO MEDITATE IN
THE FIELD AT THE
EVENTIDE." —
GENESIS 24:63

13. BRAIN IMAGING
SHOWS THAT
PRAYER AND
MEDITATION
STRENGTHEN,
THICKEN THE
ANTERIOR
CINGULATE,
THE CENTER OF
EMPATHY.
CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES
INCREASES ATTUNEMENT

14. CONTEMPLATIVE
PRACTICES
LOWERS THE
DISTRESS WE
FEEL
(VISCERALLY)
WHEN WE SEE
OTHERS HURT,
ALLOWING US TO
INCREASE OUR
EMPATHY.

15. GOD INVITES US
TO STEP OUT OF
THE SHADOWS
OF THE PAST OR
THE IMAGINED
FUTURE AND SAY
::
“HERE I AM.”
“WHERE ARE YOU?”

16. “HERE I AM.”
READY TO BE
WHOLE AND
CONNECTED TO
GOD, SELF AND
OTHERS.
“WHERE ARE YOU?”

17. LIKE SAMUEL,
“HERE AM I !”
“WHERE ARE YOU?”

18. ATTUNEMENT TO
GOD,
INTEGRATED
MIND,
ATTUNEMENT TO
OTHERS
MAKE A MIGHTY
PRINCESS
WARRIOR!

19. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?