Welcome,
And thanks for joining me on today's edition of Word and Breath.
Today's meditation is about the word,
Lambent.
We'll begin by settling into the body.
Then,
I'll share the meaning of the word,
And we'll explore it together in quiet reflection.
Take a comfortable seat.
Let your hands rest easily.
Close your eyes if that feels good,
Or just allow your gaze to soften.
Take a slow breath in,
And a long breath out.
Again,
Inhale,
And exhale.
One more slow breath in,
And out.
Let your breath return to its normal rhythm.
And just take a moment to notice that natural rhythm,
Steady and calm.
Each inhale and exhale as they rise and fall,
Coming and going.
For these first moments,
Simply stay with the breath.
Resting here.
Breathing in,
And out.
Our word today is Lambent.
Lambent means softly glowing,
A light that flickers and dances without ever burning too brightly.
The word comes from the Latin,
Lambere,
Meaning to lick,
As if firelight were gently licking across a surface.
With this word,
You might picture the illumination from a fireplace,
Of the flames playing along a wall,
Or moonlight glimmering across ripples of water.
Lambent light is tender,
Playful,
Never harsh.
The kind of glow that invites you to linger.
Now,
Imagine a soft,
Lambent glow.
See it flicker gently before you.
Golden,
Silver,
Orange,
Whatever comes to mind.
With each breath,
Let the glow move closer to you.
Imagine it touching your skin,
Warm and delicate.
Like a candle's radiance.
On your next inhale,
Picture the glow moving into your chest.
As you exhale,
See it spread gently through your body.
Each breath draws in this tender light.
Each exhale allows it to flow through you.
Illuminating,
Softening,
Calm.
Now,
Imagine the glow tracing the edges of your body.
From the top of your head,
Your shoulders,
Your hands,
Your hips,
Your feet.
As though brushed with gentle light.
The glow knows just where to go,
Finding every place that feels heavy or dim,
And brightening it without effort.
With each inhale,
You gather gentle,
Lambent light.
With each exhale,
It moves gently through your body,
Quietly luminous.
Notice how it feels to carry this glow within you.
Light and warm.
Not too hot.
Bright,
But never overwhelming.
Let yourself rest inside that light,
That lambent calm.
Now,
Simply rest with the image of lambent light.
Or quietly say the word to yourself.
Or just let your focus rest gently on your breath.
We'll rest here for a little while.
If your thoughts wander,
Just bring them back to the breath,
Or the word,
Or the image.
Nowhere to be.
Just gently resting.
And you can let go of that anchor of your awareness.
And begin to bring that awareness back to the body.
Notice the steady,
Calm rhythm of your breath.
The weight of your body where you are sitting.
You might wish to wiggle your fingers and toes.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Carrying this feeling of lambent glow with you as you return to the rest of your day.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
We'll explore another word together in the next Word and Breath.
