Hi everyone,
This is April and today's meditation is inspired by the Kashmiri mystic and poet Lala.
She lived in the 14th century and was known as a poet,
A prophetess,
And saint.
She was married at 12 and left home at 24 to become a devotee of Shiva.
She is known for walking the streets naked and reciting poetry.
Her words reflect the non-duality she experienced as a mystic.
Here are a few of her lines.
I Lala entered through the door of the garden of my mind and saw Shiva and Shakti united into one.
Oh joy!
There I became immersed in the lake of nectar and died even while I was still alive.
What can death do to me now?
These powerful words from Lala speak to the power of connecting to the space within us that does not change,
That is not our mind or our thoughts.
When we tap into that space we are less fearful and we can move from love.
Here are a few more lines from Lala.
I didn't believe in it for a moment but I gulped down the wine of my own voice and then I wrestled with the darkness inside me.
Knocked it down,
Clawed at it,
Ripped it to shreds.
Our meditation today will have two parts and you may want to have a journal or some paper nearby along with a pen.
Lala spoke as if each word were a prayer.
How do you choose your words?
Both with others but also with yourself.
What is the story you tell yourself and the conversation that you have?
What is the dialogue that you are having with your heart?
So again you may want to have a journal or a piece of paper for this meditation.
You can stop the recording and come back if you need.
Come to a comfortable seat,
Make sure you are comfortable,
Maybe you even want to lie down.
If it is comfortable and feels safe for you,
Allow the eyes to close and if you prefer to keep the eyes open then try to just keep them focused on a point.
Just notice your inhalation and your exhalation for a moment.
So allow yourself to truly arrive for the next few moments trying to really devote this time for yourself.
Notice you want to just feel your body and how it is connected to the earth.
And then again moving back to just watching your inhalation and your exhalation.
As you exhale,
Bring your attention down,
To send down into your heart.
And with another exhalation just allow yourself to fully land and arrive at the heart center.
What is the dialogue you have within your heart?
Is there a story or a conversation that perhaps you would like to rewrite or reauthor or reorganize?
What is the prayer that you are having within your heart?
Is it kind and compassionate?
Is there a story that you would like to change or release?
Take a moment here.
Allow yourself to get quiet and listen.
Is there a conversation that is not serving you?
Are there words that you use towards yourself that you would not with anyone else?
Take another moment and if there is a word or a phrase that you feel is not serving you that can be released that is not kind,
That you are using within a dialogue in your heart towards yourself,
Just gently when you're ready open the eyes and just write it down.
Write down the word or the phrase that you'd like to release and let go.
Feel free to pause the recording here if you need a little more time.
After you've written that word or that phrase down,
Slowly return to closing the eyes or focus on a point.
Allow yourself to move back to the heart.
What words would bring more love into your heart right now?
What words do you associate with divine love?
Can you begin to add them to the dialogue with yourself,
To the prayer that you're having within your heart and with the universe?
How can you finish this sentence with love?
I am,
Fill in the blank.
I am kind,
Compassionate,
Intelligent,
Beautiful,
Spirit.
Can you finish this sentence for yourself?
I am.
As you begin to complete this sentence within your heart,
Can you just continue to repeat it to yourself for another moment?
You can stay here longer if you'd like as you're ready,
When you're ready to exit very intentionally,
Taking another exhalation as you bring the chin into the chest and blink the eyes open,
Coming back to your day,
To your body.
Allow your sight to anchor on a place on the ground.
Really feel yourself fully back and then allow your head to lift and take in the rest of the room.
I'll offer you two recommendations that might be helpful.
Number one,
Take the paper with the words that are no longer serving you,
That are not compassionate,
That are not what you want to be carrying in your heart and putting out into the universe.
And take the paper and in some way maybe just black those words out or rip the paper up but destroy those words so symbolically you are really releasing them.
And the second recommendation is to take the sentence,
I am,
That you just completed in the meditation,
Write down how you finished that sentence.
I am,
What was the rest of the statement?
Write it in your own handwriting and place it somewhere where you will see it,
Where it will remind you of the conversation,
Of the dialogue,
Of the prayer that you want to be having with yourself throughout the day.
And I hope you will very intentionally use this new mantra for yourself through the day and come back to the practice,
Come back to this meditation when you might need it or you may need some or want some inspiration from Lala.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Carry on,
On top side.
