This meditation is taken from my course Midlife Matters,
How to turn a midlife crisis into a midlife creation.
Go check it out,
I think you'll enjoy it.
All right,
Let's get started.
Get into a nice laying down position.
Bring those eyes to close and begin to settle into stillness.
Take a moment just to breathe in and out here.
Reminding yourself that you've got nowhere to be and nothing to do.
Dedicating this time to a bit of self-exploration without the self-critic.
We can tap into the present moment just by acknowledging our body.
Just in its current form.
Notice how it feels today.
Notice each limb,
Each appendage.
Then remark on the journey it has led you on.
Think about how this body has carried you through life right up until this moment.
This time.
Think about the paths that you have walked on with these feet.
From your first step to the step that brought you to this position you're in right now.
You've done a lot of walking.
Then think about the places that you have stood with these legs.
Think about some of the incredible areas you've been in.
Think of all the things that you have built with your hands.
From Lego or Play-Doh as a child.
Or frustrating IKEA beds.
And even entire worlds or arguments with your written essays.
Think of all the people your arms have allowed you to hug.
Some that are still with us.
And others that are sadly not.
Think of all the delicious food your stomach has received.
And that your tongue has tasted.
Think of your favourite meal right now.
Made possible by your mouth,
By your stomach and your tongue.
Then think of all the amazing pieces of music you've ever heard.
Music that has made you weep.
Music that has made you sing along.
And music that has forced you just to get up and dance.
Think of what a privilege it is to be able to hear.
Your body has facilitated all of these experiences.
So we start by bringing a bit of gratitude to this body.
But know that your body is also limited.
Limited in the time and space it can exist.
It is confined to the here and now.
It belongs to the physical world.
And that is where it must stay.
All those attributes I just celebrated exist only in the physical world and only during the moment that they occur.
However,
Your ability to remember them and relive them.
This exists in an abstract world.
Using the power of your mind.
Your ability to wonder at the amazing world that you have encountered does not reside in your body.
But instead,
In your mind.
The music that moves you transports you to worlds that do not exist in the physical.
Make you feel something very real.
In a similar way,
Your capacity to love others and care for them is not restricted to being in the same physical realm as yourself.
It is your ability to be in the same physical realm as yourself.
If you have ever been comforted by a phone call then you know this first hand.
People give love and feel love from opposite corners of the earth.
Furthermore,
People can love via time travel.
I'm exercising this ability right now by loving a son that has not even been born yet.
In a similar vein,
My dad still loves me even after his passing.
Through the lessons he taught and the actions he took.
And I in turn love him back.
With each memory and each decision that he has influenced.
You see,
The most powerful actions that we can take,
The most impactful decisions that we can make are not tied to the physical body.
Make are not tied to the physical body but to something far bigger.
If we focus so heavily on just our bodies,
We miss out on the incredible experiences that exist beyond them.
Our mind and soul allows us to transcend both time and space.
Our mind can think of things that are not in existence yet and furthermore can think of ways to create it.
Our souls can connect with people from near and afar,
From the past and in the future.
Allowing us to care and love way past the confines of our own body and the limitations of time itself.
So from the calm place you are right now,
Make a dedication to focus on these things.
Creation and love.
These things are timeless and make the most human of experiences.
Your body is a vehicle to carry out such actions,
But your soul is the actual traveler.
Don't focus too heavily on the vehicle.
Don't be restricted by the vehicle.
Explore everything the universe has to offer with your mind and soul,
Not just your body.
Namaste