Prayer methods such as the Examen or spiritual journaling can offer us space to name what the old bars were. We can reflect on what we are being invited to let go of, such as:
- An old set of beliefs
- A change in relationship status
- A job
- A city.
As we name what we are being asked to release, we can invite God into our grief, our joy, and our other emotions stirred from letting go of the old bar.
Prayer also supports us in reaching out and holding onto the new bar. If it’s a new beginning that we discerned was right for us, we can check the fruits of our discernment in prayer by noticing if we feel an increase of faith, of hope, and of love as we let go of the old bar and lean into the new bar.
I find the new bars that appear suddenly out of nowhere are the ones that are hardest to grab onto. It is then that prayer, thankfully, acts like the safety net of a trapeze artist, providing us a safe space to talk freely and honestly to God and voice our frustrations, our sadness, or our grief.
As my spiritual director reminded me all those years ago, the new beginning will eventually become more familiar to us. And we may find ourselves moving more freely through the new season like a trapeze artist swinging gracefully through the air.