In my morning meditation my mind drifted to memories of years past and wandered ever so far into the future before my mind began to settle. Sometimes - okay often, it requires intentional sitting, conscious breathing and just plain determination for me to stay in lotus pose for my moments of meditation. Years ago, I made up my mind that my learning to meditate was a matter of life and death... not literally for my physical life but more a matter of - If I didn't learn to still my heart and mind I was personally, single handedly going to make decisions that would affect me the rest of my life - in a detrimental way! So today, no matter where my mind went- I sat; I sat breathing in and breathing out; I sat allowing aches and pains; I sat allowing itches and tickles to come and go; I sat until my breathing became slow and rhythmic, my thoughts stopped swirling then there were moments of peace.
When I began todays blog I wanted to tell you of the creative imagery that came to me as I meditated; Jesus and Buddha standing on either side of me as we looked out over the valley. The thought I heard was "goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life". I became a snake and saw the world from a totally different perspective (that was interesting!). I even so my old friend Lagan who assured me I'd come so very far this year with my meditative practice...and yes, that made me cry! I am not sure how or why such creativity come to me in my moments of meditation or if they are even just creative images but they are somehow inspiring and comforting. But that's really not what I felt compelled to write about today.
What speaks to me the most as I sit here contemplating the seeds of wisdom I am so fortunate to gather during my meditation practice is that I am living proof that meditation works. Through daily practice I have gained so much insight into the nature of my own mind and into the nature of life itself that I would be a fool to say it's just happenstance! Meditation has allowed me the freedom to just be. Inside of my being I have space to feel kindness and compassion, to experience my life with renewed wonder and awe. Through the determination to find a new way to live - I have found peace.
May your moments be filled with intentional living. Namaste'
