Meditation: Food For The Soul
Meditation brought the kind of awareness to my life that helped me see that I am not defined by what goes on inside my mind. Nor am I defined by what I experience in the outside world. There’s this great analogy of the blue sky which represents the clear mind. And the clouds represent our thoughts and feelings. Sometimes we can’t see the blue sky when it’s covered with clouds. However, through it all the sky is still blue.
When we’re overwhelmed with thinking and feeling, it may feel as though we have this dark cloud hanging over us and that we may never escape from its shadow. However, clouds are constantly moving and they eventually pass. Just as thoughts and feelings come and go. And when they do, we can begin to enjoy the blue sky again.
Lately, my days have been very dark and gloomy. But every once in awhile, I get a ray of sunshine that pierces through and I am reminded that the blue sky is waiting for me on the other side. Sometimes, in our minds, we can feel like the low points in our life will never end and the clouds are here to stay forever. But if we can have a moment of silence with the mind, we can remind ourselves the blue sky is still there.
There’s a great practice for this and it focuses on being in the present moment. And I want to try it with you. So…
If you’re sitting down, I want you to keep your eyes open and look about two feet away form you. Don’t focus on any one thing. Just maintain a soft gaze. Now, take 3 deep breathes, in and out. When inhaling, fill your lungs completely. When you’ve reached maximum capacity, hold it for 4 seconds. On the exhale, breath out slowly. And try to push all the air out all the way from the very bottom of your lungs. Do this two more times.
Now, I want you to close your eyes and breathe as you normally would. Not forcing your breathe anymore, just breathing with ease. I want you to focus on the sensation at the very top of your head. And we’re going to follow that sensation all the way down to the very bottom of your feet. Being aware of what sensations might pop up. Try to release any tension you might be feeling. Slowly move down from the top of your head to your ears, to your eyes, your nose, your mouth and your jaw. Releasing tension where you feel it. Move down to your upper back, shoulders, chest. Into your arms, hands, lower back, stomach. Now to your hips into your thighs, your knees, your lower legs, ankles, the soles of your feet, all the way to tip of your toes.
Now if you want you can open your eyes or keep them closed. But notice how that made you feel. Was it calming? Did you feel a sense of ease?
This is what it means to see the blue sky it’s to experience a clear mind. We focused on the sensations of the present moment. And even if it was just for a moment, we were able get past the dark clouds. This is the magic of meditation, a sense of relief from the on-going chatter of the mind and the effects that it has on the body.
Try this whenever you feel overwhelmed, worried or need to escape the noise of mind. The blue sky awaits you.
With love,
The girl that’s getting unstuck
