When it comes to meditation,
I try to find the space between the reality of our five senses and what lives beyond that.
Whether that feels like it's something inside,
Or beneath,
Or over top,
Or around.
And you might call that essence a different name,
But whatever it is for you,
It's something we all share.
And there are certain times in which your environment might make it harder to tap into that aspect of being,
And there might be times in which it becomes easier to tap into that aspect of being.
And lately,
My home has been offering a lot of beautiful reflection to send me closer to the world of spirit,
Which is the word I may use.
And so I'd like to just share a little reflection and from there blend into a meditation.
In the desert,
The rain is my muse.
Clouds,
Shadows,
And spots of sunshine change the faces I can see in the mountain.
But as the old man used to say,
When I was young,
People come and go,
But the mountain still remains.
That's a line from the Johnny Clegg song,
Old Eyes.
And the Andean people told me,
When they pass,
Their spirit shall merge with the mountains too.
They walk in reverence every day to the land,
Hand in hand with both ancestors and those still of the stars.
And so when I gaze upon this mountain,
I see,
I feel,
I hear those who have been here before.
This mountain teaches stillness,
The beauty of expression,
And how in softness,
Life can emerge from even the tougher places.
The sun and blue sky may peek through and shine on your face,
Even as a dark storm cloud lingers to the west.
It all happens together.
Our natural world,
Our home,
Our earth,
She is one of the greatest teachers.
When I feel lost or unsure of what is true,
I go to her.
She reminds me,
The essence of life is love,
It's in the birdsong,
It's in the air.
So settle into your space,
Find a place to sit or lie down comfortably,
And let your eyes close.
And find the air around you,
Take a deep breath of it in,
And hold it for a second,
And notice the quality of fullness,
And then let it go.
And breathe like this a few more times,
Pausing to feel the air in your body before you release.
And then begin to notice the air,
The space around your body,
Between your shoulders,
In the side of the room,
Or the borders of the space you're in.
Notice the space between your head,
The top of your head in the ceiling,
Or maybe the sky,
And feel the weight of your body,
The weight of your bones,
The touch between you and the support beneath.
Feel the quality of earth,
Stable,
Still.
Feel that even through layers of what may feel like man-made material,
Her soft sweetness still supports you.
And all of this that feels man-made,
It's not apart from her expression.
All that is around you is the art of life.
I'm going to pose a few questions,
But try not to answer with your mind,
Just listen.
Listen for what may come.
What might the elements be trying to teach you when you tune in in a different way?
Eyes closed,
Connected to the rhythm of your breath.
How might your breath be able to harmonize with the breath of the earth?
What might the elements be trying to teach you when you tune in in a different way?
What qualities do you feel in this space?
What might the elements of your environment be trying to teach you when you tune in in a different way?
In a moment,
I'm going to ask you to open your eyes and look around.
But as you take in your surroundings,
Remember,
There is a beauty this moment is asking to reveal to you.
When you notice,
Name it aloud.
So open your eyes and let your moment in.
You can look around,
But try to hold some awareness inside.
Listen.
And then when you feel ready,
Once again close your eyes.
And whether something came or not,
Let there be no expectation of what your moment was.
Let there be no expectation for if the mind came in.
Let go of the experience.
Come back to the weight of your body.
Soften into this place.
Allow a deep breath to flow in.
Pause or release.
And continue like this,
Following the wisdom of your breath in its own rhythm.
Every aspect of this life is flowing in its own rhythm.
Your breath.
Your digestive system.
The experience of people around you.
The seasons.
The moon.
The mountains.
The waters.
It's all together.
It's all connected.
Let every moment be your teacher.
And hold this in your heart as you start to come back.
First introduce some small movements to your body.
Fingers,
Toes.
Maybe a roll of your neck,
Side to side.
And when you feel ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you for spending this time with me.
Many blessings and peace and love to you.
