Meditation contains within it, a bottomless invitation,
To rest ever more deeply,
As the river of our heart finds her way around the rocks and blockages of life.....
In all honesty my early experiences of meditation were far from restful!
There was such a strong belief in my mind that with enough striving I could reach somewhere free of pain if only I sat for long enough, endured discomfort enough, breathed hard enough….. Bless me really for all that trying…..
Over time I have found that within the space of meditation there is the possibility of a natural settling, a settling down and an opening out, like an expansive coming-to-rest of all the different parts of me, whether they be physical, mental, emotional or any other expression of my being.
Striving in meditation is really common, an attempt to chase something more pleasant, less tense, more spiritual...., but ironically the striving takes us further away from the very place that will meet our longing, the place that is never very far away, just oftentimes obscured. Rather than pushing or striving to get somewhere, it really is possible to turn towards and rest into the spaciousness and stillness within meditation that is already present.
Quality rest is such an important element of human life. So many of us have been overridden in different ways, and then go on to do that to ourselves, resulting in frazzled nervous systems, exhausted minds and tense bodies. It's not uncommon for people new to meditation to feel a level of exhaustion that they previously been unaware of, and in the same way that people often feel overly tired when they stop work for a holiday, new meditators can often experience a backlog of exhaustion coming to the fore of their awareness. Overtime this too can settle, and the patterns of exhaustion can soften and thaw giving way to a foundation of settled aliveness.
As we practice turning towards the restful place in meditation, we can come to realise that this foundation of settled aliveness sustains, nourishes and is what actually lives us.
It's a given that at times our meditations will be stormy, so in order to engage as constructively as possible at these times, we need to be rooted into something powerful, steady and always available to us. When that root is established we develop an increasing capacity to fully experience the changing waters of our life without drowning.
Every Monday at 7pm UK I am offering a guided 'Deepening Into Being Together' online meditation for donation, a shared hour where we come together to turn towards and rest into the holding that is already here, slowly and steadily strengthening our individual and collective connection to it. .
Coming together to meditate is a powerful way to increase your own connection to this ground. The shared field is stronger when more of us join in an intention, and being with fellow meditators can be supportive and motivating.
The sessions are offered via audio only so you do not need to worry about cameras and privacy, you can attend anonymously if you prefer and alternatively there is the option to share your experience or ask questions if you would like to, but without any pressure to do so.
You can listen to the most recent Deepening Into Being Together recording here , and you can sign up here to receive email reminders for the weekly session. It would be lovely to have you join ~ if you have any questions about the sessions then please know you are welcome to bring them to the Deepening Into Being Together facebook page
תגובות