Hello my friends,
And welcome to Ray's Meditation.
Today I will be guiding you through a meditation titled,
Calm Amidst the Storm.
Thanks for taking the time to join me.
Right now,
Both here in the US and throughout the world,
The COVID-19 virus is affecting us all in one way or another.
Each new day brings increasing numbers of those infected,
More closures and restrictions,
And a general increase of fear and panic.
Staying outside of that very fear and panic at all times can be difficult.
As we turn to the news and social media for updates,
We are inundated with information and collective fear.
Today,
I'd like to offer you a meditation that is aimed to provide calm and peace to our overtaxed systems.
Keeping ourselves healthy,
Both physically and mentally,
Are goals we can set for each new day.
Learning mechanisms to relax and self-soothe will be of utmost benefit to us during this time.
Begin by finding a comfortable place to sit or lie down,
Preferably a quiet one,
Where you will have limited interruptions.
Silence your phone and maybe let those around you know that you're taking a bit of time to yourself and would prefer not to be interrupted.
Or better yet,
Ask them to join you.
Once you're all settled in and comfortable,
Close your eyes.
We are going to start with a body scan to both release tension and determine how you are feeling physically and emotionally in the here and now.
We will begin at the feet.
Take a breath in and curl up your toes,
Tightening all of the muscles in your toes and feet as much as you can.
Now slowly let that breath out and release all tension and tightness.
Wiggle your toes and turn the ankles in circles a few times.
And now we will focus on the legs.
Take a breath in,
Tighten all of the muscles starting at your glutes,
Down the entirety of your legs and once again to the toes as long as you comfortably can,
Holding everything tight.
Now slowly release the breath and at the same time loosen up all those muscles that you're holding tight.
Give your legs a bit of a wiggle now,
Releasing any additional tension.
Bring your focus up to the arms,
Chest and belly.
On the inhale,
Tighten the arms down to the fingers,
The chest,
The belly and the back,
Everything crunched up tight and taut.
Slowly exhale and release.
Wiggle the arms and fingers now.
Next,
Bring your attention to the head and face.
Inhale and tighten,
Squeezing your face muscles and clenching the jaw.
Inhale,
Exhale and release,
Loosening all of those muscles again.
Check in and notice if you're still holding your body rigid in any way.
See if there are any areas you can loosen further.
Now I'd like you to focus on your mental state.
Try to pinpoint what emotions are most prevalent right now.
Merely notice and try not to judge.
Let's focus now on the breath.
Let us all try to take a deep breath in together.
Inhale through the nose.
Feel that breath fill your chest with air and hold it there for a moment or two before very slowly exhaling it out through the nose or mouth.
Again inhale deeply in,
Hold and slowly exhale out.
And once more inhale,
Hold and exhale out.
As the storm swirls around us in its tumultuous fashion,
We have the ability to remain steady and calm.
Besides taking the proper safety measures,
We can't control outside circumstances.
What we can do is find that place inside of ourselves that is steady and rock solid.
It is a place of peace,
Calm and resilience.
A place where self-love,
Compassion and empathy reside.
It is a place that we can return to any time we need.
Right now is a wonderful time to stop and reflect.
It is a perfect time to allow our bodies and minds some much needed stillness.
We have an opportunity to reassess our priorities.
If we are fortunate enough to be healthy,
We can spread seeds of love and kindness to one another virtually and through calls and texts.
This time contains gifts.
It's a forced pause from the constant busyness that most of us find ourselves in.
It's a time to give back to the earth and allow it some stillness as well,
As we reduce our carbon footprint temporarily.
It's a reminder that we are all connected and can work together for the greater good.
So rather than focus on the things that you temporarily cannot do,
Let us instead focus on the many things you can.
You can be joyful and spread joy.
You can take a retreat inside of your home,
Inside of yourself.
You can connect with others in beautiful and creative ways.
Check in on them and send them love.
You can read that book you've been meaning to,
Make that home cooked meal,
Spend more time with your kids and those you live with.
Explore your creativity.
Snuggle up and watch movies,
Get some fresh air,
Spring clean the house,
Make a vision board,
Start a home fitness routine.
Learn to meditate,
Do some yoga.
The opportunities for growth are endless if you look for them.
We are all going through this together.
Let us continue to lift one another up.
Stay well my friends.
Thanks for joining me today.
Namaste.
