Lent: The Elephant & The Rider

Day Twenty-One of Lent. This meditation is a visualization exercise to bring us in greater connection with our own minds & motives.

During this meditation, and for the third & fourth weeks of this series we meditate upon the Call to Endurance. Where do we draw strength from, when we feel weak? How can we learn to have grace for ourselves in those moments?

Let this meditation take you deeper in communion with God. And let this series be an edifying part of your Lent practice.

Transcript

Hello my friends and welcome to day 21 of Lent.

To get into the spirit of meditation,

I invite you to close your eyes and take a long,

Slow,

Deep breath in,

And after a brief pause,

Slowly let it out.

Imagine yourself sitting on the back of a majestic elephant.

The elephant is powerful and strong,

Yet gentle and kind.

You feel a sense of awe and reverence for this magnificent creature.

As you sit on the elephant's back,

You notice there is also a rider with you.

The rider is intelligent,

Calculating,

And holds the reins that guide the elephant's movements.

As you take a brief moment to observe the relationship between the elephant and the rider,

The elephant is much larger and stronger than the rider,

And yet the rider has the power to guide the elephant in a certain direction.

The rider seems to be in control,

However,

If the rider is not careful,

The elephant can easily overpower and control the rider.

In your own life,

The elephant represents your inner self,

Your emotions,

And your intuition.

The rider represents your rational mind,

Your thoughts,

And your beliefs.

Like the elephant and the rider,

There is a delicate balance between these two aspects of yourself.

Sometimes,

Your rational mind may try to control your emotions or intuition,

May try to dictate how you should feel.

Your mind may try to guide you in a certain direction that may not align with your true desires or needs.

Other times,

Your emotions or intuition may overpower your rational mind,

Leading you to make impulsive decisions that may not be in your best interest.

Just like the rider and the elephant need to work together to reach their destination,

You too need to find a balance between your rational mind and your emotions and intuition.

Take a moment to connect with your inner self and listen to your intuition.

Allow your emotions to guide you,

And also use your rational mind to make thoughtful decisions.

Remember that the elephant and the rider are both equally valuable and necessary parts of who you are.

Neglecting one or the other is not helpful.

When they work together in harmony,

You can achieve your goals and live a fulfilling life.

Take a deep breath and embrace the balance between your rational mind and your emotions and intuition.

When you open your eyes,

Carry this balance with you as you continue on your journey.

And may grace and peace,

Light and love be with you.

Reviews

I loved this peaceful meditation and the accompanying metaphor of the elephant and elephant rider. At first glance they appear as separate entities. Yet together they make up a system of interdependence that, when aligned, moves smoothly in harmony. It's a great metaphor for inner self and logical mind and I can both see the great parallel and feel its wisdom. The metaphor served me well when I did this series during Lent. I can appreciate the message even more now after completing a refresher on the lesson now that Lent is over and I carry my revelations forward into the sea of daily life.