Hello,
I'm Oine and I'm so glad to be here with you as we meditate together with Rumi and other poets from around the globe who have inspired the mind,
The heart,
The spirit for many centuries.
As we travel around the globe and through consciousness,
We'll engage each poet,
Allowing their words to sink deep into our heart so that our time together is one not just of the mind but of the energy space.
Our theme today is the heart's garden and how we may plant seeds for our own personal transformation.
As we sit with excerpts from each poet,
We'll allow them to percolate deep within by engaging in several moments of stillness and breath meditation.
A chime will call us back to this shared space as we move forward into the next leg for each part of this journey.
So with that,
Let's begin with one of my favorite poets,
Rumi from Persia around the 13th century.
I invite you to close your eyes and relax into a posture that allows you to open your heart to stillness.
Tree limbs rise and fall like the ecstatic arms of those who have submitted to the mystical life.
Leaf sounds talk together like poets making fresh metaphors.
The green felt cover slips and we get a flash of the mirror underneath.
This now is it,
This,
Your deepest need and desire.
Is satisfied by the moment's energy here in your hand.
And with that,
I encourage you to feel into your hands.
You feel the life pulsating there.
Picture the moment's energy as a warm light emitting from your palms.
You may wish to gently massage the center of each palm as you do this.
Now place one hand over your chest and the other on your abdomen as you allow that warm healing light to enter your being with each breath.
In,
Out,
In,
Out.
Continue to breathe at whatever pace feels most comfortable for you.
As you picture in your mind's eye the moment's energy in your hands passing into your body with each breath.
Let us now think Poet Rumi with one final gentle deep breath from deep within.
As we prepare to travel through time and space to sit with another poet and allow their words to enter our hearts.
We sit now with Kabir from India,
15th century.
Creating space in our heart for the energy of these words.
Do not go to the garden of flowers,
Oh friend,
Go not there,
In your body.
Is the garden of flowers.
Take your seat on the thousand petals of the lotus and there gaze on the infinite beauty.
Here Kabir encourages us to go deep within that infinite space of discovery.
So for this portion of the meditation,
As you continue to keep your eyes either closed or in a soft gaze,
Picture yourself seated there on the thousand petals of the blooming lotus.
Each petal imbued with a beautiful healing light.
Light and with each breath in as you sit there on the lotus,
You're breathing this light deeply into each part of your being.
Feeling for areas of tension where you may release and ease those aches with this beautiful light.
And with that we breathe in the healing light.
Out.
In.
Out.
Continue to breathe in a pace that feels comfortable for you.
As we sit with these beautiful words as seeds in our heart.
As we sit in gratitude to Kabir for those beautiful healing words,
We can once again relax into this space and prepare to journey in space and time to another poet friend,
This time from Spain in the 16th century,
San Juan de la Cruz.
Let's relax our body and our eyes as we prepare to sit in stillness with his words.
On my flowering breast,
That breast I kept for him alone.
There he took his rest.
That breast I kept for him alone.
There he took his rest while I regaled my own in loving breezes from the cedars blown.
And here the imagery of the cedar tree,
That evergreen,
Represents in nature,
Eternal life,
And that enduring spirit within each of us.
And that enduring spirit within each of us.
So let us sit now with the cedar trees.
Whatever space most beckons your heart,
It may be a meadow or mountain view,
A cliff face,
Somewhere near an ocean,
Or perhaps a babbling brook in the background,
Birds singing their melodies.
Wherever it is,
Let's take our seat there,
Within our hearts,
Within our hearts,
Sitting with the words of this poet,
As the loving breezes from the cedars blow by,
Filling our hearts with their refreshing air,
In,
Out,
In,
Continue to breathe,
Whatever pace is most soothing for your spirit,
And I will call you back with a gentle chime in just a little while.
Thank you for meditating here with me today.
I hope that you have felt that beautiful stillness planted within your own heart's garden,
And that you are able to take that forward from our friends Rumi,
Kabir,
And San Juan de la Cruz throughout your day today.
I hope to see you next time as we meditate again together.
You
