The lotus is considered a sacred flower because it grows from the muck at the bottom of the pond.
It actually needs the muck in order to create this beautiful blossom.
So in this meditation we're going to just allow the stuff in our mind stream to settle down like you might picture it like a snow globe.
Just letting the mind settle down like letting the silt in a pond just settle down to the bottom.
We're not ignoring it,
We're not pretending it's not there,
We're not shutting out our lives,
We're just taking a moment to be still and letting it settle.
And by letting it settle we're giving some nourishment to that lotus that's forming roots deep in the bottom of the pond.
On the inhalation we're going to picture the lotus rising up,
The stem growing up through the pond,
Reaching the surface of the pond with each inhalation.
We'll picture that nourishment,
That growing,
And with each exhalation we'll picture letting our minds settle,
Letting the silt settle down.
So the exhalation we're releasing,
We're settling,
We're being still,
And the inhalation we're drawing heart wisdom up,
Rising up into the bloom of the lotus.
So let's start by settling into a meditation posture,
Whatever has been working for you.
It's good to have your spine somewhat upright,
Sort of regal posture,
But also relaxed.
We can begin with two or three full complete breaths,
Just really filling our lungs and completely releasing,
Just letting all the old stale air,
The old energy,
The tension,
Anything that's concerning us,
Just letting it go.
And filling our lungs back up with fresh rejuvenating breath.
And after doing that two or three times,
Just letting the breath relax to its own natural rhythm.
And picturing yourself now in this relaxed and regal state,
High up in the mountains,
You might see yourself in this beautiful protected little gait,
High up in a mountain range,
A place of rest.
And on one side of the gasebo is the valley below.
You might see lights twinkling in the valley,
It could be dawn or dusk.
And down in that valley is your everyday life,
Your life on the horizontal plane,
The life of doing,
The life where the mind is out ahead of itself,
Planning,
Rehearsing,
And just being there.
The life where the mind is out ahead of itself,
Planning,
Rehearsing,
Or behind itself replaying,
Remembering that horizontal dimension that we live in most of the time.
Just look down at that valley and just offer yourself a little blessing,
A little blessing to your everyday busy and perhaps exhausting life.
But for the moment you're up here in this sacred gazebo,
This place of rest,
Connecting with your vertical dimension,
The transcendent plane.
On one side of the gazebo is that gentle valley and on the other side is this high mountain lake,
Very serene,
Very shielded,
Quiet and remote place.
You might think of this beautiful place as your heart mind,
Your inner space,
The place in you that's always quiet and whole and at peace.
And as you exhale,
Just letting the mind become quiet,
Letting the lake become even more clear,
Letting the silt settle,
With each exhalation just releasing thoughts and worries,
Not resisting them,
Not pushing them away or clinging,
Just letting them drift down.
And with each inhalation,
Feeling that lotus rooted at the bottom of the lake,
Steadily growing,
Nourished with each inhalation,
Feeling that bud patiently and gradually rising up towards the light.
The more the mind settles,
The more the lotus rises,
Until the bud reaches the surface of the water,
And with each nourishing breath,
The petals open,
Your heart opens,
Your deepest heart,
Your heart that's connected to everything around you,
Your sacred heart that holds and contains your human heart.
With each in-breath,
Just letting that blossom open,
Allowing the heart wisdom to release itself.
The mind settling with each exhalation,
The heart opening with each inhalation,
Nourishing the heart by settling the mind.
Just feeling the radiance of that blossom,
The way each petal unfolds,
Releasing its fragrance,
Your love,
Your expansive love,
The fragrance of the flower.
In this quiet,
Sacred,
Protected space,
Inviting your heart to open,
Letting the fragrance of that expansive love fill the gazebo.
Nourish the trees and the plants,
Drift down to the valley below,
The sweetness of your own expansive love drifting down to your everyday life,
Touching everyone it encounters,
People you know and people you don't know,
Smelling the sweet fragrance of that expansive love,
Feeling the blessing of that love,
The fragrance of your heart lotus sweetening the whole mountain range,
Touching trees and animals,
Reaching those in far off places,
With the blessing of fragrance of love.
So,
Continuing to let your mind quiet and still with each relaxed exhalation,
Letting your heart fill with each inhalation,
Nourishing your heart wisdom with each breath.
And bring your awareness back now to the gazebo,
To yourself seated here in this sacred moment,
Thanking yourself for this time,
This time to touch in with the vertical dimension,
With your deeper self,
Your higher self,
And vowing as you re-enter your life below your everyday busy life,
Vowing to be alert for that fragrance,
For your own blessing coming back to you,
To remind you of that place where the vertical dimension of you touches the horizontal,
Your beautiful everyday life.
So,
