ABC: Bible Meditation for Me!: M Is for Muse!

ABC:  Bible Meditation for Me!:  M Is for Muse!

ABC:  Bible Meditation for Me!:  Bible Meditation Vs. Eastern Meditation

Introduction:  This lesson is the last lesson in a series of twenty-six ABC lessons for parents, grandparent, kids, and teachers.  Scroll back for the others.

M Is for Muse

When I muse
I choose to
use my mind
to mull over
or think about
things.

I Can Choose

I can choose to meditate or muse on God's word--that's the Bible way.  Or I can choose to lose my words and just let them pass--that's the Eastern way.

I Will Muse!

I will muse,
I will use words,
I will recall,
I will meditate
on all your works!
From Ps.143:5

Reflection Selection Psalm 143:5

Psalm 143:5:  "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the works of thy hands."  David doesn't stop his words, or thoughts.  David doesn't just think about the present moment, but he thinks about the past too.  David chooses to muse!

"I Choose to Muse" Marker

Punch out the cardboard opening strips from two tissue boxes.  Turn design side over and staple together the pieces making an easy marker.  Use bright markers to edge it, and print on it: "I Choose to Muse" on one side, and on other side print: Psalm 143:5.  Use in your Bible.

David's Distress

David wrote Psalm 143.  David was distressed because of his enemies.  David did not have peace.  What did David do?  He prayed.  He cried out to the Lord..  David meditated and mused.  He remembered the old times.  He thought about all of God's works.  He mused or thought a lot about the works of God's hands. He begged God to answer him quickly.  He told God that it is in Him he trusted. He asked God to rescue him from his enemies and to help him out of his troubles.  "For," says David, "I am your servant!"  Do read the whole Psalm story.

Some Muse Synonyms

Some muse synonyms include brood, cogitate, consider, contemplate, deliberate, feel, meditate, moon, percolate, ponder, reflect, roll, ruminate, speculate, think, weigh, chew over, mull over, puzzle over, think over, and turn over.  Pick several synonyms and use them in sentences as you think about the muse reflection selection. Here are two to get you started:  David pondered the past or the days of old, or  David reflected on the works of the Lord.  How many muse synonyms can you use?  Did you try cogitate?

Eastern Meditation

M Is for Muse

To muse is something
Eastern meditators don't
do, choosing instead
to ignore thoughts that
come into their head.

The I Am Yoga! Read Aloud Story 

"Kids Story Time" does a read aloud of I Am Yoga by Susan Verde.  The puppets, Green Bear and Big Bear, introduce the story.  Green Bear. chattering loudly, asks why it is so peaceful and relaxed all around.  Big Bear says its because of yoga. The reader asks Green Bear if he'd like to partake.  He decides yes he will.  The reader then reads the story about a young girl whose world is spinning out of control.  To stop this she tells her wiggling body to be still, her thinking mind to be quiet, and her racing breath to be slow declaring "I am yoga!"  In her imagination via yoga poses, she becomes all calm and peaceful. Green Bear, the puppet, then reenters all mellow and relaxed.  Big Bear can't get over the change.  She asks Green Bear why he's so laid back.  He answers, "Yoga happened to me!"  Big Bear replies, "Wow! This yoga stuff is so powerful!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2i3RK22BsI&t=313s

Emily Arrow's "I Am Yoga" Song

A singer Emily Arrow, the author Susan Verde, and several children sing and move to a "I Am Yoga Song."  So endearing is this song and its participants it might easily capture any undiscerning person into believing yoga provides a cure for every problem, and like salvation, is "life changing."  It is so 
very opposite of the Bible way where David cried out to the Lord for help.  Yes, in the book and in the song as Big Bear said, "Yoga is so powerful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmXL821PklY

The I Am Peace! Read Aloud Book

A second book in Susan Verde's "I Am" series is  I Am Peace!: A Book of Mindfulness. This book 
tells of a young boy whose mind feels like rushing water carrying him away into a place where he's in deep waters. In a boat, he capsizes.  But, the boy assures himself he's alright; soon he's grounded to the earth in the here and now.  He thoughts settle; his mind clears.  He declares, "I am peace."  His worries pop and disappear as he lets them go.  He spreads kindness.  He hugs a tree thanking it for its beauty and strength.  He connects with nature.  He lays under the tree breathing; all is still.  He says he has found his anchor; all is well.  He states, "I am in THIS moment. I am peace."  He sends peace to others.  It ends, "We are peace."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXA3837uv3w

Emily Arrow's: "I Am Peace" Song

Just as Emily did with the yoga song, so she does with the peace song.  It is again compelling, catchy, and seductive.  How very busy yoga and mindfulness evangelists have become all over.  Be aware, and be alert for their message.  Their anchor is their breath and their meditation practices.  But, a Christian's anchor is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Is He your anchor?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqkPdIjjSFI

She Used Mudras!

I shall never forget while working with some special needs little ones an aide had had enough of their chaotic behavior.  What did she do?   Suddenly she stopped, stood still, fixed her fingers in mudras, and breathed a lot.  Nothing was said.  I observed.  I wasn't aware of mudras then, but I now know she used the Eastern way anchored in the breath and finger mudras.

Yoga and Mindfulness Explosion

In her recent book Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular Education or Reestablishing Religion? Candy Gunther Brown wrote: "Yoga and mindfulness are the hottest trends in American education." (p.1) It must be added also that yoga and mindfulness can be found in every aspect of our culture as these lessons show.

Yoga and Mindfulness

Yoga and mindfulness combined,
Mindfulness and yoga intertwined.
All over--deceptive! Sad!

Parental Suggestions:

A look at Susan Verde's background is to uncover her devotion to children, pictures books, yoga, and mindfulness. One can find her visiting with an elementary school group via Skype.  In it, the kids sing for her, and she speaks to them.  She praises them for being into mindfulness at such a young age.  They ask her questions. "What is your anchor they ask?'  "Well," replies she, "my anchor is my breath."
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrC5rK1jlFdsCcAjan7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBncGdyMzQ0BHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEdnRpZAM-;_ylc=X1MDOTY3ODEzMDcEX3IDMgRhY3RuA2NsawRjc3JjcHZpZANCd296UVRFd0xqRmw1dU5VVjVmVFJBSmZOamd1TVFBQUFBQzMwWVQ0BGZyA3lmcC10BGZyMgNzYS1ncARncHJpZANGSzI1NWhuTlMxVzdEYy50T050bFhBBG5fcnNsdAM2MARuX3N1Z2cDMARvcmlnaW4DdmlkZW8uc2VhcmNoLnlhaG9vLmNvbQRwb3MDMARwcXN0cgMEcHFzdHJsAwRxc3RybAM0NQRxdWVyeQNJJTIwQW0lMjBQZWFjZSUyMFN1c2FuJTIwVmVyZGUlMjBSZWFkJTIwQWxvdWQEdF9zdG1wAzE1NjU2MjYxMTA-?p=I+Am+Peace+Susan+Verde+Read+Aloud&ei=UTF-8&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&fr=yfp-t#id=25&vid=ec5a04935669cd24cef4d41789b7b26d&action=view

Now, Verde has another book in the "I Am" series coming out in September 2019 called I Am Love!   This book will include heart-opening yoga poses and a guided meditation.  Besides, there is another "I Am" book I Am Human.  How thankful I am that we can know the very one who is the true "I Am," the Lord Jesus Christ!  The gospel of John is full of his "I Am" verses.  For as he said in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
https://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Love-Book-Compassion/dp/1419737260

In an interview about a non-fiction book, The Water Princess, Verde is asked what she does to help herself with her writing.  Verde confides it is yoga that has been a strong support for her as long as she could remember. Verde added if she gets stuck in her writing: "I take it to my mat."  Rather than run to our yoga mats, may we go the Lord for our strength and help for as Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."
https://www.behindthebook.org/meet-author-susan-verde/