This is a lake meditation and it will last for 10 minutes.
Lakes can speak to us of allowing a flow of movement,
A quality of openness and reflection.
So finding a place that is warm and comfortable for you,
Either lying on your back or sitting cross-legged on a cushion on the floor or sitting on a chair.
Settling yourself into the posture that you have adopted.
Really connecting with the floor.
So whatever you're sitting or lying on,
Allowing the floor to hold the body.
Noticing all the contact points,
Any points of pressure.
Really settling into this connection.
And now tuning into your breathing.
Noticing the breath as it comes and goes.
And now breathing into the contact of the body with the floor,
The chair.
Having a sense of being held,
Supported.
And now the invitation is to picture in your mind's eye a lake.
A body of water held by the earth itself in a hollow.
Remembering how water likes to pool in low places,
Seeks its own level.
Asked to be held,
Contained.
The lake you envision may be deep or shadow,
Broad or narrow,
Blue,
Green or clear.
If there is no wind,
The surface will be still and reflective as a mirror.
Seeing trees,
Rocks,
Mountains,
Clouds,
Birds,
Even the sky itself.
Everything held in itself for a moment.
And then perhaps a gust of wind comes and changes the surface in an instant.
And the clarity and reflection will disappear and waves will arise and dance on the lake.
And if the sun is out,
Then sparkles of light will play on the water like magic diamonds.
At night,
The light will change and the moon may cast its silver spell on the lake.
And with the coming of winter,
The water may freeze over,
But still in the depths there is an abundance of life and movement.
So when you've established a picture of the lake in your mind's eye,
Allowing yourself to imagine that you are at one with the lake.
So the essence of you is held by your awareness,
Much as the water of the lake is held by the surface of the earth,
Breathing into your lake body moment by moment by moment.
As you breathe,
Allow your mind and heart to be open and reflective,
To reflect whatever comes near.
And when all is clear and the surface of the lake is like a mirror,
But there will be other times when the lake surface is stirred up and choppy.
So breathing with the lake,
Seeing if it is possible to simply notice the play of what is arising in your body,
Your heart,
Your mind,
Thoughts,
Feelings moving fleetingly by or maybe lingering.
The momentary reactions that come and go as do ripples on the surface.
Just seeing the effect on you,
Just as you notice the effect of wind on the surface of the water,
The waves,
Light,
Shadow,
Colours all around.
Do your thoughts and feelings disturb the surface?
Can you be with that?
Can you allow and accept the fleeting movements of your mind,
Much like the movement of ripples and waves on the surface of the lake?
Bringing moment by moment awareness to that.
Can you see this as the essence of the lake?
Can you identify not just with the changing surface,
But also with the still depths beneath the surface of the lake,
Which change so little,
No matter what's going on,
On top?
In the same way in your practice and in your daily life,
You can notice and acknowledge not only the content of thoughts and feelings,
But also identify with the vast reservoir of awareness that lies as if beneath the surface of the mind.
In this lake meditation,
We sit with the intention to hold in awareness and acceptance all the qualities of mind and body,
Just as the lake sits cradled and held by the earth itself,
Reflecting the sun,
Moon and stars.
The essential essence of the lake.
Now inviting you for a short time to continue to meditate on the image and experience the lake until I ring the bells for the end of the practice.
Namaste.
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