Pen To Paper By Wellness Cleveland

I have always had people in my life with special dedications to the Rosary.  Most of them don't talk about it, preferring to pray in private and let their devotion be known to the Lord.  I am so fortunate to have a lot of examples of prayerful devotion in my life, and this Lent I'll be following along with the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries with the help of a Rosary tract from my church.  You can use the following audio to pray alongside me with any of the mysteries, or your own intention.  You're also welcome to sit back and listen along as I speak the words.

For more information on Mysteries of the Rosary, instructions regarding which to reflect upon which days, written translations of Rosary prayers in many languages and more, go to https://rosarycenter.org

This exercise leads you through a progressive muscle relaxation exercise.  It is meant to be listened to whenever you need a reset!

Thought stopping practice with 3 led examples.

Recommended Journal Prompts:

Creating a Stop sign in bold colors

Thought stopping practice variations (be creative! List as many as you can think of for 10 minutes)

“I think I can, I think I can” positive affirmations to challenge unproductive self-talk

Ecclesiastes 3:17 “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the  wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Journaling can be done free form, reflecting on what you would like to remember from this session, or it could be a sketch, poem, or petition of your own.  Examples from the show are here!

“Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow  love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union;  where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there  is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.” - St. Francis of Asisi

“For peace that rests on forgiveness, justice and compassion; for  victims of war, civil unrest, natural disasters, the weather, and the  economy; for victims of child abuse, especially where clergy are  involved, for leaders of nations that they move from battlefields to  conference tables, We Pray to the Lord. Loving God, hear our prayer.” - Father Mark Dinardo

This guided meditation can be done with eyes open or closed, imagining a stroll around a busy city center, and noticing invigorating details along the way. 

Journaling can be done free form, noting what stuck out as relevant to you.  

If you are stuck, some additional journal topics could include: 

+Leading by example, a friend's actions that demonstrate their values. 

+The hidden treasures of daily moments 

+Spring awakening in the garden of the heart 

+Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world.  A city built upon a hill-top cannot be hidden." 

Transcription

Hello, and welcome. This is Pen to Paper, a podcast written and operated by me, Patti Napolitano.  I have worked in human services for over 20 years, as a shelter advocate, case manager, Social Worker, and therapist.  Some of the therapy formats I use include helpful tools like meditation, mindfulness work, prayer, journaling, creative arts, or simple relaxation methods.  People request recordings of our exercises pretty regularly. Once I warmed up to the process of recording, I realized it might be  easier to have a central location for these to share with all of my  clients, students, learning partners, friends, and, well...new friends, like you.

These sessions are designed to be undertaken with 10 minutes of listening, followed by 10 minutes of quiet reflection, prayer, meditation, or, as the title Pen to Paper suggests, 10 minutes of journaling.  This might take the form of writing, drawing, sketching, or painting.

Thank you for joining Pen to Paper today.

May you be at peace, May your heart remain open. May you awaken to the light of your own true nature. May you be healed. May you be a source of healing for all beings.