Finding Silver Linings And Rainbows

Enjoy this guided meditation with journal prompt. Shifting consciousness to gratitude and setting intentions. Even in the darkest of times in your life, there is always a silver lining to be found. What you focus on expands.

Transcript

This is Nitya with Nitya Living,

A holistic yoga refuge.

Thank you for tuning in today to this practice for yourself.

Let's take a deep breath in and exhale for an om together.

Om.

Letting the eyes close,

Feel yourself landing in a comfortable seated position.

You'll want to have a journal with you,

Something to write with.

And hopefully you're in a space where you aren't distracted.

And the environment is conducive to calm.

Let's take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.

Imagine that you're sitting by a beautiful stream in a tropical setting.

That you hear water flowing and birds singing.

That the sun is warm on your skin and the breeze is gentle and soft.

Imagine that you are alone and delighted with this solitude,

This reconnection to self.

Where are you with you?

Where are you with you?

Stripped of everyone's judgments and expectations,

How are you with you?

Take a moment to think of three things you are grateful for in this very moment.

And you can write them in your journal if you want.

Three things you are grateful for.

Think of three more now.

Think of three more.

Look at that list in your mind or on paper.

You are so blessed.

Even when we are faced with great hardship,

There is always a silver lining.

It may be very small,

But it's there.

And the more that you focus on the one or two or three or four or five or six beautiful blessings that are there,

They will grow.

They will grow.

Nurture the positive in your life with your intention.

If you focus on all that's wrong,

That is all your life will be filled with.

Stress,

Anxiety,

Heaviness.

Focus your attention as much as you can.

In this situation you find yourself.

Placing a hand on your belly and hand on your heart.

Repeat after me.

I am that I am,

I am that I am and I am love.

And I am love.

I am that I am and I am love.

I am that I am and I am love.

I am that I am and I am love.

Feel your heart shining brightly with love for yourself.

Feel the smooth,

Even rhythm of your breath.

Breathing into the abdomen,

Lifting the breath to the chest,

Filling the lungs as you come up all the way with that same breath to the collarbone,

Opening the mouth,

Release,

Release.

Continue with these three-part mindful breaths.

Allow them to calm and soothe your nervous system,

Bringing you deeper and deeper into this now moment of refuge with yourself.

This is from my book Musings from the Mat.

It's called Cultivating Heart.

Let your eyes be closed now and lift the spine so that your posture is long and graceful.

The bird-like mind flitters,

Flapping its winged thoughts into the vista.

How can you hold a bird?

How can you hold its wings against its quivering body?

They long to fly,

Both the bird and the mind.

Soaring high into daydream clouds,

Dipping down into the mire of pessimistic gloom,

Darting in and out of life's trees and brush does the mind-bird go.

Come into the nest of stillness,

Slow the breath,

Close the eyes.

There's a beautiful darkness behind the screen of sight and light.

Allow the mind to fold in its winged thoughts that insist to continue its endless flight.

As you sit with eyes closed and breath calm,

Bring your mind in its luminous stillness to your heart.

Bring the bird to its nest.

Hold your focus there.

Breathe into your heart and feel love glow,

Expand and grow.

Love is a sweet elixir manifesting from your heart nest.

Allow it to seep through every cell and pore of your being and bathe in the light of your love.

As you sit,

Feel love running off of you,

Pulling into a golden puddle.

Imagine it seeping into the earth,

Creating fertile ground for all of life to manifest.

Bring your love up through the center of your body and straight out the top of your head.

Like a beacon,

Send your love light to the universe,

Blessing all sentient beings.

Cradle your mind like a tiny wren into the still radiance of your heart,

Trusting that as you cultivate this love with the universe,

So too are you loved.

So too are you loved.

Let's take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.

Deep breath in.

Exhale slowly.

Hold yourself in this place of still calm.

In the storm that our life can be,

There is always a point of stillness and calm.

And in that space you find refuge.

It may be your meditation practice.

It may be running.

It may be a relationship.

It may be for you,

Like for me,

Journaling.

When my heart and mind are too full of the day or the situation or relationship that I am in,

And to open myself up to release all of that onto paper is freedom,

Comfort and refuge.

So I invite you to open your journal now.

And the journal prompt that I want you to work on,

And this doesn't have to be this now moment,

You might start and need to process and sit and chew on this.

What are the silver linings in my life right now?

What are the silver linings in my life right now?

Take some time to explore the concept of goodness,

Of grace,

Of blessing.

What spark of goodness do you see?

I'm going to chant while you are journaling.

This is a chant of healing protection.

Om triumbrakam yatvam ahe sukandim pushtivadanam Parvaadukam iva bandhanam rityamokshaya mamritad Om triumbrakam yatvam ahe sukandim pushtivadanam Parvaadukam iva bandhanam rityamokshaya mamritad Om before the truth I was imbedded to exclusion of leaving character or objectality.

But IMohiking Susie McM Going back again and third high note here.

Let's take a deep,

Releasing breath in.

Inhale,

Exhale audibly.

Deep breath in.

Beautiful.

Remember also that there aren't just silver linings.

There can be rainbows.

You might want to add to what you've already started to write.

Are there any rainbows?

What does a rainbow mean for you?

For many people,

A rainbow is something magical,

Something unexpected,

Something rare.

So sit with this for a moment.

Silver linings and rainbows.

And I recognize that this might be a challenging time.

There might be great suffering and sadness and grief.

And living with that heavy weight in your heart,

In your mind,

It's a process.

It's not like there's a magic bullet to wipe it all away,

To make it all better,

Like putting a Band-Aid on a boo-boo.

But in all the messiness of your beautiful self and your beautiful life,

Don't forget,

My friend.

There are silver linings and there are rainbows and you really don't even have to look.

They're right there.

It's just a matter of what you're focused on.

And sometimes it's just a matter of stopping and writing down.

And you will find and discover in your journaling,

In your day-to-day,

As you begin to shift your focus more and more,

Not to what isn't working,

But toward that which is working,

Even if it's the smallest,

Tiniest thing.

Shift your focus and it will begin to shift your life.

It really is that simple.

It's like training a pet.

You've got to train your mind.

Spin it around.

Spin it positive.

Silver linings and rainbows.

Just take a deep breath in and let it go slowly.

And you can join me for a closing om.

Om.

Luka samustah sukhino vavadun tu.

May the entire universe be filled with peace and joy,

Love and light.

And may the light of truth overcome all darkness.

Victory to that light.

Jai Sri Sathguru Maharaj ki jai.

Peace my friend.

Deep abiding peace.

Hmm,

Be well.