Lent: What I’m Doing May Cause Miracles

My mother won’t appreciate it, but I consider myself a proud “Cafeteria Catholic.” I wouldn’t call myself religious, and after getting married in the Catholic Church once, and divorced afterward, the Church and I don’t exactly have a terrific relationship. But like any long-term messy relationship, we’re working on it. One piece of Catholic tradition I love, though, is Lent! Religious or not, it’s really a beautiful concept. It’s 40 days of preparation, 40 days of looking both within and forward, ultimately culminating in a celebration that is both joyful and cleansing. No matter what you believe, that’s a good thing, right?

For years, I’ve made big changes in my life during Lent. I tend to increase the time I spent at church, which is meditative for me. One year, I gave up alcohol, and another made a pact with myself to get to know and donate each week to a new nonprofit organization. For me, these small changes that teach you something in the 40 days of preparation and ultimately continue to teach you throughout your life, are the true meaning of Lent (at least for my generally “non-religious” self). Those, for me, mean more than just “giving up” something. It’s not about sacrifice. It’s about transformation.

This Lenten season, my choice regarding what to do was a no-brainer. I’ve been seeing Gabrielle Bernstein’s May Cause Miracles everywhere lately. It’s like her bright face, blonde hair, and pink book cover have been following me around. There she is on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. Then she’s on my favorite YouTube channels, then she’s on TV again, and again, and again. Something in the universe was telling me to read this puppy.

So What is May Cause Miracles and How Am I Using It In My Lenten Journey?

• It’s a 40 day workbook to create what Gabrielle calls “subtle shifts” for “radical change.”
• Each week includes a theme, and each day includes an exercise.
• Throughout the book, you’ll put in place morning and evening practices to center and discover your subtle shifts in consciousness.
• Gabrielle is one of the new big dogs in spiritual thinking (did you catch the part about how she’s pals with Oprah….yeah!)
• I’m going to start May Cause Miracles on Wednesday of this week (Ash Wednesday, for my fellow Catholics and “Cafeteria Catholics”), and work through it leading up to Easter

If anyone else wants to read May Cause Miracles with me, drop me an email! I’d love to take the journey together.