Hi,
This is Akasha and I wanted to offer you a meditation today for cultivating strength.
Sometimes we are thinking of strength as this thing that's related to the blood-bone body or related to the mind.
I'd like to offer that we think of strength as carrying out our intentions.
Also this ability with strength to maintain our practices,
Maintain our growth and create a sustainable way of living.
And with this idea of strength and intention I'll also bring your attention to the concept from Buddhism of the three poisons which are greed,
Hatred and delusion.
And these are also a kind of intention in a way you know one to grab pleasure,
One to hold on tight,
Resist pain or anything else you don't like and then another to ignore or distort things you'd rather not know about.
And these types of intentions can can operate on a lot of levels in the brain.
If we can cultivate strength then we are able to really start to nurture and sustain good intentions at all levels in the body,
The mind and subsequently we elevate and unite with spirit.
It's this idea of strength and the ability to carry out our intentions that I want to offer this meditation in regards to for your benefit today.
And strength really brings with it this idea of energy and determination.
Those are the two primary aspects of it and there's many ways to to find or intensify a feeling of strength.
Today the exercise will explore some of them.
Our meditation is something that you can adapt later on however you would like.
And I'm going to ask you to maybe have your eyes open today and think about how just for a moment you know often when we are seeking strength we want to have that in our everyday experiences.
So that's why I'm saying maybe have the eyes open because often in our everyday experience our eyes are open.
I like to do this meditation in a seated position where I'm just facing a blank wall.
You can do the same.
You could also lie flat.
Remember anytime we meditate together just pick a seat that allows you to not be distracted by the body.
So let's begin.
Take a moment here.
Make any final adjustments to your seat.
And then take a few breaths,
Three breaths here,
And just come into yourself.
Be aware of thoughts passing through your mind without any need to engage with them.
Feel the strength in awareness,
Always clear and everlasting,
No matter what.
Feel the strength in awareness,
Always clear and everlasting,
No matter what passes through it.
Now sense the vitality in your body.
Notice how your breathing has a strength of its own.
Sense your muscles,
Your capacity to move in any direction.
Sense the animal strength in your body,
Even if it's also weak in some ways.
Recall a time when you felt really strong.
Imagine that situation as intensely as you can.
Bring to mind the sense of strength you experience.
Strength in your breathing,
Energy in your arms and legs.
That same strength is beating today in your powerful heart.
Whatever you feel is fine.
Continue to open to the sense that you are strong,
Clear,
And determined.
Notice how it feels good to feel strong.
Let strength sink into your being.
Now continue to feel strong.
Bring to mind a person or even a group of people who support you.
Make this as real as possible.
Imagine this person's face or the group's face,
The sound of their voice or voices.
Let yourself feel supported,
Valued,
Believed in,
Valued,
Believed in.
Sense how this feeling of support increases your sense of strength.
Notice how it feels good to feel strong.
Let strength sink into your being.
Notice any other feelings coming up too,
Perhaps even opposite ones like weakness.
Whatever is arising is fine.
Just notice it,
Let it be,
And let it go.
Turn your attention back to your sense of being strong.
Finally,
Abiding in a sense of strength bring to awareness a challenging situation.
Solid in your strength,
Feel a spaciousness around that difficult condition.
Allow it to be what it is while you continue to be strong.
Allow it to be what it is while you continue to feel strong and centered.
Be strong with no need to grasp or struggle in any way.
Any problems are flowing through awareness like clouds across the sky.
Be spacious,
Relaxed,
And easy.
Feel the strength in your breathing,
In your awareness,
In the clarity of your mind,
In the wholeness of your body,
In your good intentions.
As you go throughout the rest of your day,
Pay attention to the sense of feeling strong.
Notice how it feels good to feel strong.
Let strength sink into your being.
Take another deep,
Full breath in here through the nose.
Full exhale out of the mouth.
Take a moment to bring the palms together.
Let the thumbs rest at the center of the chest.
A gentle bow of mind to heart.
May go through the rest of your day feeling strong,
Stable,
And capable.
Namaste.
