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"There is a stillness in the heart
of every moment. Not a pull outward, not a push to do, just an inner
quietness calling me to center. In this place of stillness all things are
possible. The past, the present and the future become a portal to
infinite opportunities. In the stillness of this moment, the breath of my
breath, the beat of my heart, and the quiet whisper of the spirit move me
inward."
– Rev. Safire Rose
Happy New Year! Actually, Happy New Moment! Each new moment truly is an
opportunity to begin again, to start fresh, to take a deep, slow breath,
releasing the past (perhaps with a sigh!) and welcoming the exquisite
present in all its fullness.
Winter is the season of hibernation when creatures rest safely in the
comforting embrace of the earth; a time when seeds quietly and patiently
gestate. Aligning with nature’s rhythms, we feel our own inclination to turn inward, to find stillness, peace and rest from
the busyness of our lives. This is the season of renewal as we prepare
for new life that will emerge in the year to come.
This is a wonderful time to begin or to deepen a meditation practice: to
train our minds to be more present, to cultivate peace and equanimity, to
place our focus on being rather than doing.
Meditation produces restful, restorative changes in the body. In addition
to wonderful health benefits such as decreased heart rate, breathing rate,
and oxygen consumption and increased alpha waves in the brain, a regular
meditation practice can enhance the sense of peace and focus we carry
with us throughout the day.
The good news is that even when most of the meditation period is spent
thinking, beneficial bodily changes still occur. And every time we let go
of thinking and return to our chosen focus of concentration (e.g., our
breath, a mantra), the mental muscles of awareness are being exercised.
Here are some tips to create a simple practice of meditation*:
1. Set and setting. Sit in a quiet, comfortable place that feels
peaceful and inviting and where you won’t be interrupted. This
can be either indoors or outdoors. You
might create an altar or special place where you have sacred objects, a
lit candle, and incense if you like, creating an atmosphere that will
automatically draw you into the divine presence.
2. Letting go. Wherever you have chosen to meditate, begin by
closing your eyes and stretching. Take a few letting-go breaths. Breathe
in deeply, hold it, and let it go. As you pay attention to your
breathing, feel how each outbreath is an opportunity to let go to the
deepest part of your being. When you feel your body begin to relax, check
your posture. It is easiest to mediate if the spine is straight and the
body posture is symmetrical.
3. Connecting with the Higher Self. Remember a “holy moment”, a time
when you felt deeply connected to
life: watching a sunset, creating something of beauty, feeling deeply in
touch with another person, loving a pet, feeling present to life. Once
you have felt this fully, let the memory fade and focus on the peaceful
feelings that remain.
4. The sacred word. To direct you into the sacred presence of the
divine, it helps to focus on your breathing, noticing what it feels like
to breathe, how your body rises up slightly as you breathe in and settles
back as you breathe out. Notice the space in between breaths. You can
also choose a sacred word, or mantra, to repeat. Some examples are the
Sanskrit om nama shivaya, which means “I honor the Self in all” or the Hebrew shalom, meaning “peace”. Secular words such as “peace”, “love”, “thank
you”, and “oneness” can also work
well. The magic isn’t really in the
words as much as in the intent to use them to direct you into the sacred
presence of God.
5. Establishing a practice. Choosing a consistent time of day for
meditation and making a commitment to do it daily is the easiest way to
get started and to keep going. It is best to practice for a minimum of
twenty minutes. The longer you sit, the more you will be drawn into the
silence. But if ten minutes is all you have on a given day, ten minutes
are much better than no minutes! Good times to practice are early morning
before the day begins, and in the early evening before supper.
Wishing you many Happy New Moments in the year to come!
Peace and blessings,
Carol
*Adapted from Joan Borysenko, PhD, Fire in the Soul
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