Contentment can be cultivated. Being in the here and now requires attention. It’s called Mindfulness. As one is cultivating contentment one is practicing the art of mindfulness. A discipline where there is no right or wrong…you just are where you are on the journey. Practicing is the journey. Cultivating contentment while being mindful is a spiritually fulfilling journey.
In the valley of your soul as you cultivate content of being in the present moment become aware of your breath. Breathing is the channel of your spirit, the link to your conscious and subconscious mind. Breathe in as you are here, breathing out as you are now. Let the thoughts pass from one to the without attachment. It is suggested that you begin your meditative practice with three minutes and work your way up to 10 minutes. If you practice this for 10 minutes 3 times a week very soon you too will be in a place to let your life unfold like a flower. Mindfulness
will allow you to see that just as you cannot will a flower to bloom – you cannot will life to unfold on your timing, you can breathe in the moments of the here and now and be content as you watch the unfolding.
Meditation Exercise -
Let life unfold like a flower
1. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor, your hands lying comfortably in your lap – not touching one another, with your eyes closed.
2. With your mouth closed begin to follow your breath in and out of your nostrils in a very natural way. Allow your mind to focus only on the breath in and out.
3. Sitting comfortably and breathing in a natural way begin to scan your body for signs of discomfort. When you come to a place where there is tension – let it go by tensing the muscles and then freeing them. Once you have relaxed your physical body you can focus on your breath.
4. In your minds eye begin to hear on the in breathe – Here, and on the out breathe – Now. Breathing in Here. Breathing out Now. Following the breath in – Here, out – Now.
5. If your attention wanders simply say to yourself – thinking – and bring your focus back to the breath of breathing in Here and breathing our Now.
6. As you are focused here and now, imagine a seedling buried beneath rich soil. Its many roots have grown firmly down into the earth. The seed will sprout up through the ground and begin to unfold from its beautiful green coat. Slowly it will transform into a beautiful flower. This is the valley of your soul. (the flower may be whatever you like, whatever color comes into your mind’s eye)
7. When you have experienced a moment of peace, of being mindfully present in the here and now return your focus to your body. Slowly open your eyes, stretch and wiggle around a bit before returning to the activities of your day.
With the mindfulness of here and now – life will begin to unfold as naturally as a flower.
