Golden Thoughts
On meditation… Personally, I have no vested interest in swaying anyone in a particular direction as far as ideologies or spiritual practices. Whether it is yoga, nature walks, lotus pose meditation, Sufi dance, Tai Chi, or good old fashioned prayer, the only thing I will encourage is to: please take time to slow down.
In a world that is extremely demanding and which does nothing but insist that we all run—make that sprint—through each day of life, I cannot emphasize enough the personal good that comes from stepping away from the daily chaos to become quiet, whatever your chosen path.
I have made time to meditate at various times in my life, and always feel the pull to dedicate even more to this practice. The experience may be different for each of us. At its core it’s basic: stillness is good. Making a conscious effort to quiet the relentless mental chatter is extremely beneficial on all levels. Doctors have lauded the physiological benefits of meditation as a stress and anxiety reliever for years.
Many people I have spoken with about meditation immediately say, “I can’t do it. I can’t shut off my mind,” unaware that THAT is the exact process. The mental chatter is a normal part of beginners mind, or as my aunt calls it, ‘Monkey Mind.’ Just noticing when you slip into that habit and consciously choosing to return to breath is a natural part of the process. With patience and time, what you begin to notice is that the time between the mental chatter goes a longer, and a little longer.. extending the stillness .. until finally the stillness is the state that lasts.
I have found the times that I meditate, sitting quietly in one place, focusing on my breath, I am more aware… more conscious. Releasing each distraction that rises to intrude, I settle more into myself, my magic aliveness. Then comes a mental concentration into my “Third Eye” at the center of my existence, which (with time – for me, anyway) brings the most wondrous array of colors – just like the serene floating images of gas in distant galaxies, images returned by the Hubble telescope – but in this case they are iridescent lavender, saffron, gold, cornflower blue, or tanzanite purple.. washing my mind.
Sometimes the colors don’t come easily. I must be patient. I wait in acceptance of the black that is there instead. I return to my breath and sit in ease, knowing that it is well with my soul. Occasionally there are flashes of light or those strange squiggly lines behind my eyeballs and I continue to sit and just breathe more deeply into it. Finally, the procession of healing color floats within.
It is then the certainty of my connection to divine energy arises. With it I know Peace.
I wish each of you profound Peace.