I live in a neighborhood that is surrounded (Literally) by a Cove. My house is perched on a hill and also is a corner lot. Down the front of my house...about 3 blocks, you get actual sandy beach access where we swim, fish and boat. From the opposite side of my house, on my patio, I get a lovely view of the marina. Not only is there water everywhere but also there are enormous trees. So I get a bit of nature on a beautiful day like today. I mention the scenary because these are the details that play a vital role in our overall health and well-being. Now ..perhaps everyone is not so lucky to walk out their back door and be able to see the Ocean view or walk a short distance to a private beach, but everyone knows a place they can go to see and feel those things and that is the key. If you are a city-dweller and you need to walk a few blocks or pop in a meditation cd on the laptop with headphones, so be it. But the point is to become tranquil. Once tranquil, your meditation practices will become smooth.
Going from Prayer to meditation
I learned to pray at a young age. Even before anyone taught me about God, I was taught (or learned) to pray. Meditation is similar to prayer. Those of us who meditate instead of pray have accepted that WE are actually one with God...as in we ARE our God or we are part of the Universal and collective energy source that the majority of humans call God. I have plenty of friends who are not going to like what I just said but in order to educate people about the process I have gone through to learn how to achieve inner peace and ultimately happiness...and how to become the creator of my own life, I have to be this specific. I traded prayer for meditation. So on a perfect morning such as this, when I catch a break in every possible way, it allows me to finally document what a wonderful morning meditation session feels like.
The children were asleep...so I grabbed a warm coffee and sat out in the back facing the Cove. The sunlight streaming everywhere made it easy to allow my mind to drift calmly to thoughtlessness. I chose a comfy seat and assumed my relaxed position. Usually this will be on a flat surface with legs crossed in front and palms resting on knees but facing to the sky. Looking out across the water I closed my eyes and focus on colors across a clear sky. This is when the sounds of everything around you become louder and your awareness of them is heightened. The birds and the breeze and a passing train all sounded to me as if I was engulfed in them. They had seemed subtle at first but once the mind becomes quiet, these sounds emerge intensely. I had to push the sounds away and let them leave my awareness. Then I felt the sensations and noticed the smells of the plants and flowers and nearby sea water. I sway slightly as I meditate. For me, movement is connecting with my surroundings and I often use my hands to draw each breath into my lungs and purify it before sending it out. I picture my breath carrying wisdom, love and positive energy and so I then use my arms to push it out toward my neighbors...then family and friends...then the world.
After several minutes, thoughts and ideas poke their way through. My "to do list" emerges. I remember there is laundry to be brought upstairs from the dryer. I think about my warm coffee sitting nearby calling my name. I think about that errand to the bank that keeps plaguing me because I never have the car during the daytime. Awareness allows me the opportunity to dismiss and refocus and so I do. Now I hear the trees...their conversations with each other. I almost feel I am intruding but I still turn my ears and my eyes to them to see if I can be welcomed to participate. I choose to listen. I am reminded of several recurring themes in my dreams over the last few days. In my dreams I am in an office job that is menial and no one seems to notice me. I spend all day making personal phone calls and receiving no input from a supervisor. No one talks to me or invites me to lunch. I am clearly bored and unhappy there. So why do I keep going to this job? I have had this dream more than once. Again I turn to the trees for wisdom. They show me that they are old and strong and that life is built on more than these small worries. The right job will come.
For now, it is time to start the day. Once I finish this blog entry I can finally go drink that coffee and get to the children and their activities. I love starting my day in meditation. I have this great chat with myself and I let my subconscious mind be a part of my conversation. Nothing that can harm me will stay hidden in the dark recesses of the subconscious. I want it all to come to the surface to be healed and let go.
Good luck with your meditation practices. I would love to hear about them.
Lilac
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