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Reflections on Advent: Music, Mindfulness, and Movement

Reflections on Advent: Music, Mindfulness, and Movement

Last updated on: December 2, 2015 at 8:35 pm by Corbin Tobey-Davis

Reflections on Advent: Music, Mindfulness, and Movement 2015-12-02T20:35:47+00:00 Corbin Tobey-Davis

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“I have found in my journey that music can play a powerful role in allowing me to clear my mind, still my breath, and find the space for new life to emerge. Over the next few weeks I invite you on this journey with me, to not only read and reflect, but to breathe and feel.” — Rev. Corbin Tobey-Davis

Stories never operate in isolation, but rather mingle with other stories, including our own. It seems that our most cherished stories are those that come to life when they coincide with the present moment, the Holy now.

The season of advent holds a special space that invites us deeper into one of the central stories of our own tradition.

The story of advent should not be viewed as a historical accounting for its power lies in its presences as an origin story, a story of meaning making and visioning wrapped into one.

When we let go our need for this story’s truth or meaning to be based on an ideal of historicity and scientific infallibility, we are invited deeper into the sacredness of this story.

At the heart of advent we find an invitation to engage with the Divine on a profoundly personal level, while simultaneously connecting it to the current context in which we find our lives unfolding.

Today, as I write this, I find myself in the midst of a historical context that is ladened with angst, anger, fear, and division. From the Black Lives Matters movement and sometimes violent reaction against it, heart breaking mass shootings, fear inducing terror attacks, a vitriolic presidential campaign, and a growing anti-refugee sentiment. This seems hardly the time to sing our Christmas Carols as we wait for “Love to come down on Christmas.”

Yet, perhaps it is such a time like this that the Advent story, and the coming of the Christ Love is most relevant.

The advent story is one of unexpected players, unexpected locations, unimaginable events, frightened witnesses, and ultimately an appearance of the Divine Love with us in the most unexpected way.

The advent story is worth retelling because it is our story, throughout the ages and into this present moment.

So how might this story emerge for us today?

How might we embody a Hope that transforms even in the midst of all of this?

I believe that if we are to embody this hope we must prepare a way for hope, peace, love, and joy to be planted in our own hearts.

From my own journey I have found intentional contemplation to be such a way for the clutter of this life to be cleared away so that these seeds of might flourish.

I also have found in my journey that music can play a powerful role in allowing me to clear my mind, still my breath, and find the space for new life to emerge.

Over the next few weeks I invite you on this journey with me, to not only read and reflect, but to breathe and feel.

Come, let us prepare the way, for there is no more important time then right now, and no more important place then right here.

Invitation to Musical Meditation

Track: Amp Live “Run Back” feat Saint Timbre (4:01)

Find a space where you can be alone and uninterrupted for the next 4 minutes.

If you prefer, put on ear buds and go outside for a walk.

As the song begins allow the music to wash over you…….breathe deeply and fully, inviting the music into your chest, allowing it to open your heart center, breathe deeply in, and out, and let your mind be still…..

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Rev. Corbin Tobey-Davis was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Corbin holds an undergraduate degree from Doane College (a historic UCC college in Crete, Nebraska), and a Masters of Divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. In August of 2011 Corbin was called as the associate minister of Youth, Young Adults, and Community Ministries at Parkview Congregational Church UCC in Aurora Colorado. Corbin is also a drummer, a hip-hop freestyle cypher Emcee, a community organizer, and considers ministry one expression of his art. He believes in the power of art as means to transcend boundaries, build community, create ritual, and connect with the Divine essence of life.

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