Awake Offers Guided Meditation on Light and Love

Last week, Awake Milwaukee hosted a winter-themed guided meditation led by our chaplain, Cathy Melesky Dante. Titled “Know that You Are Loved,” the meditation was designed to give participants an opportunity to reflect quietly on light and love. A recording of the meditation, which is about 20 minutes long, is available below.

While some Awake prayer opportunities, such as our Advent prayer service, reflect the Catholic identity of our organization, this meditation did not include any overtly religious language or images. “Awake is committed to creating safe places for survivors,” Dante explained. “While some survivors are comfortable with religious language, others can find it challenging or triggering. This event was meant to address those survivors.”

The meditation involved gentle breathing, the opportunity to imagine a winter scene, and short periods of silence. Dante invited listeners to “imagine this light of love wrapping you up like a warm blanket on a cold day,” while music played in the background. “Let it flow all around you … leaving you feeling warm and safe, peaceful and loved,” she said. Dante is a doctoral student at Marquette University who studies the relationship between theology and psychology.

At least two participants who joined the event live reported relaxing to the point of falling asleep, Dante said with a chuckle.

The Awake Prayer Team is planning another virtual prayer opportunity in April, “Walking The Way of The Cross With Survivors.” This experience will combine traditional Lenten stations of the cross with reflections written by abuse survivors. Watch the Awake newsletter and social media for further details in coming weeks.