Take a slow breath in.
And a long,
Gentle breath out.
Again.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
My name is Shana.
Welcome to our meditation.
To create peace and blessings.
In our world.
Feel where you are on the earth.
Feel the ground beneath you.
Feel the air entering your body.
Feel the breath leaving again.
One more breath.
Slowly in.
Releasing out.
Allow yourself to become still.
Let the world continue around you.
Feel the wind move.
Watch the flags dance in the wind.
Feel your breath move within your body and simply Be here.
Before you.
Tibetan prayer flags move gently in the wind.
Traditionally,
These flags carry prayers.
Mantras and sacred symbols.
Offered.
For the well-being of all.
As the wind moves through them,
The prayers are carried outward.
Release.
Into the mountains.
Into the valleys.
Into the world.
Perhaps today.
We can allow our own gentle intentions to travel with them.
Intentions for peace.
For compassion.
For a world living through uncertain and turbulent times.
There's so much happening in our world.
So much we cannot control.
So much suffering we may witness.
Without knowing what to do with it.
We don't need to carry the weight of the world.
That we can.
Care.
We can remain tender.
We can refuse to allow the turbulence around us.
To take away our capacity.
For compassion.
And so.
We begin here.
Not with the whole world,
But with one breath.
Deep breathe in slowly.
Receive this breath.
Breathe out,
Long release.
Again,
Receive.
Release.
Be with your breath.
Fully present in this moment.
Watching the wind carrying.
The messages.
Into the trees.
Peace.
Can begin here.
With this breath.
This human heart.
Silently offer these words to yourself.
May I know peace.
Even in uncertain times.
May I know peace.
Even in uncertain times.
Let the words land.
Nothing more needs to be said,
Just breathe.
Watch the flags.
Notice their dancing.
Their colors.
The spaces between them.
The way the wind arrives.
Moves through and carries on.
Perhaps peace is not something.
We hold tightly.
Perhaps it moves like the flags,
Like the wind and the breeze.
Arriving,
Leaving,
Returning.
Move your awareness to your body.
This body that carried you here.
Through ordinary days.
Through beautiful days.
Through days that asked more of you than you thought you could give.
Notice your heart.
Quietly beating the breath moving.
Life happening within you.
Perhaps gratitude needs only two words.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for this breath,
For this body.
For this moment of being alive.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Feel the Earth beneath you steady,
Present.
Supporting and holding you.
Think of all this earth gives,
The trees,
The rivers,
The mountains,
The oceans.
The soil from which life grows.
The air entering your lungs even now.
We are not separate.
We are the Earth.
We are connected to all beings.
Let this gratitude rest in your heart.
In your body.
And now look again at our prayer flags.
Watching the wind move through them Imagine the intentions they carry.
Traveling farther.
Than we could ever carry them ourselves.
Into lives we will never know.
Somewhere.
Someone is waking to a day of uncertainty.
Someone is sitting beside a hospital bed.
Someone is grieving.
Someone is afraid.
Is lonely.
Is hungry.
Someone,
Somewhere.
Is praying for peace.
We don't need to know their names to care.
We don't need to understand their lives.
To recognize something of ourselves in them.
And so.
One simple wish.
Nothing more.
May we know peace.
May we know peace.
May we know peace.
Let the prayers go with the wind into the flag.
You don't need to know where it lands.
The wind carries your words.
Perhaps compassion can move this way too.
One human being.
One human being wishing another well.
Look out at the earth again,
Our shared home.
The earth beneath every border.
Every language,
Every belief,
Every human story.
The same rain falls.
The same sun rises.
The same air moves through this planet.
Our ancestors.
And through us.
We are not separate from this earth.
We are not separate from one another.
Take a slow breath in.
And breathe out.
Imagine your breath joining the wind.
Imagine your intention joining these prayers.
Traveling outwards.
May all beings know peace.
May all beings know peace.
May all beings know peace.
Let the words travel.
And now feel your breath once more.
Breathing in gratitude.
Breathing out peace.
Again,
Gratitude.
Peace.
Maybe this is where peace begins.
In the way we speak.
And the way we listen.
In the way we meet another human being.
In the way we care for this earth.
In the choices we make when no one is watching.
We may not be able to bring peace to the entire world today,
But perhaps we can bring a little more peace.
To the small part of the world we touch.
And like the wind it ripples.
It ripples.
And that matters.
Look once more at the prayer flags.
Let them remind you that an intention offered in your heart.
In your place on this earth can travel.
That kindness can travel.
Compassion.
Love and peace.
Beautiful prayers and intentions in the wind.
And so we leave these final wishes.
May there be peace within us.
May there be peace between us.
May all beings know peace.
Take one final slow breath in.
And let it go.
Place your hands on your heart.
Connect with your body.
Grateful for the earth beneath us.
And grateful for the breath.
Within us.
Grateful for this one extraordinary moment.
Human life.
And like prayers gently carried upon the wind.
We release these intentions.
Offering them.
Without expectation.
With gratitude.
With compassion.
With hope.
With peace.
May it be so.
With much love.
This is Shana.
