Dear friends,
Welcome everyone to our time of meditation on the theme Acceptance and Change.
Let's begin by allowing ourselves to come into the present moment,
Bringing body and mind together for a little while,
Wherever we happen to be just now.
So we relax,
Close our eyes,
Take a few deep breaths,
Let's leave the concerns of the day to one side just for now.
There's plenty of time later for all this,
Any concerns,
Any things on our to-do list.
Right here and right now,
All is well,
So just be here and be happy to be here together even though we're scattered across the whole planet.
An opening thought,
May I have the resilience to accept change in myself and in my way of life,
The adaptability to cope with the unexpected,
The patience to pause before reacting when change happens.
Help me realise that change will always happen.
Change will happen as surely as night follows day.
Help me to accept that change may not always be for the best,
And when it appears not to be for the best,
And when even courage does not enable me to fix it,
May I have the serenity to accept the unwelcome gift of change.
May I remember that everything in nature is in motion,
From the largest galaxies right down to the smallest stone.
Yes,
Even the rocks,
Apparently motionless,
Are made up of atoms,
Each of which is in constant motion.
In a world of constant motion,
How can I demand that anything be still?
But let's be still in mind,
Sixty seconds right now to reflect on the reality of constant change.
Welcome back.
Change is something which most of us find difficult at the best of times.
We feel secure when life rolls on without presenting us with surprises.
We coped yesterday,
And if tomorrow is like yesterday,
We know we can cope tomorrow.
We feel we can cope tomorrow.
It's all very reassuring.
Until something comes along that we don't expect,
Illness,
Accident,
Loss of a job,
A separation or divorce,
Even the loss of a life partner or a child.
All these things are hard to manage,
And coming as they sometimes do,
A few at a time,
We can feel overwhelmed,
And that's only normal.
And then comes along something like the coronavirus,
COVID-19.
This is an example of change,
The likes of which none of us has ever seen,
And it affects everyone,
The world over,
All of us,
At the very same time.
As we reflect together today,
Let us keep in mind all those who suffer because of change in their lives,
Especially people suffering from the effects of COVID-19,
And not forgetting the people working day and night to save lives that are threatened by this dramatic change.
Let's pause for one minute of solidarity with people who feel welcome back.
So how can we manage to cope with change,
Especially with life changing events?
The first thing is,
We have to accept the fact that the change has happened.
Maybe we don't like it.
We don't have to like it,
But there's no benefit in denying it.
Next,
We have to learn to figure out how to live with the new reality,
Illness,
Bereavement even,
And in the case of COVID-19,
The realisation that for a long time,
Things will be different.
This is not easy,
But acceptance is the key to learning to live with the change that has happened.
In the midst of change,
It's a good idea to try to hold on to those parts of your life that are unchanged.
Remember that unless we die,
We do not lose every single thing at the same time.
So hold on to what we have and be thankful for that piece of continuity.
Gratitude for what we still have will be a great comfort when we have suffered a loss.
In times of loss,
We can be overwhelmed by the loss,
To the point where we fail to see that we are not in total darkness.
If we can manage to open our eyes,
We'll see that there's always a glimmer of light.
Let's try to concentrate on that light.
Focus on all that we have to be thankful for,
Even in the darkest times.
The fourth point.
We should pluck up courage and be prepared to share our feelings with someone.
In the coronavirus situation,
We are all in the same boat,
So everyone has a listening ear and everyone will understand fully what we're concerned about.
But for a personal loss,
I hope you will find that you know someone who can be a shoulder to lean on.
Just as you would be a help to someone else in their time of need,
You'd be there to support them.
If you absolutely do not have anyone you can share the problem with,
Then at least remember that there are people at the end of a phone line,
Waiting to help anyone who phones.
Change can sometimes lead to despair and depression.
It's ok not to feel ok,
But do look for help if things are bad.
Remember that help is there,
Waiting anxiously there and hoping that someone will phone looking for it.
The fifth point.
Create a framework to the day regardless of the disruption caused by change.
Try to keep to it the familiar pattern of getting up,
Getting washed and dressed,
Getting meals and exercise.
Holding onto or finding a new hobby so that your whole life will not have been absorbed by the tragedy,
However great that may have been.
That would be a help.
Point number six.
Look at the change and see how can you adapt to it.
Now the loss of a family member or a friend,
Or especially the loss of a life partner,
Is particularly difficult.
But other changes that appear to be for the worse can open up new opportunities.
So be creative in discovering what good can come out of the enforced change.
Just think of the environmental awareness level that's been raised by our enforced lockdown in 2020.
Think of how people who have lost a job have discovered a new opportunity for making even a better and more enjoyable living.
Something they might never have even thought about without the change that they just had to accept.
If a change is permanent or semi-permanent,
Don't deny it.
OK,
The first reaction may be shock,
Denial,
Annoyance,
But after a settling down period and reflection on the new situation,
We have to learn,
Well,
This is the way things are,
And try to make the best of the new reality.
Finally,
It's most important to remember to help one another in moments when we are faced with change.
Some people are energised by change,
But others and maybe the majority find any change really difficult.
In all this we have to look out for one another.
We are social beings.
We need one another.
A world where everyone will be looking out for himself or herself will be a very poor world,
Whether faced with change or not.
Let's pause for another 60 seconds,
One minute before some quotes on the theme of change.
OK.
Welcome back.
This poem is called Life Still Has a Meaning and it's by an author unknown.
If there is a future there is time for mending,
Time to see your troubles coming to an ending.
Life is never hopeless,
However great your sorrow,
If you're looking forward to a new tomorrow.
If there is time for wishing,
Then there is time for hoping,
When through doubt and darkness you are blindly groping.
Though the heart be heavy and hurt you may be feeling,
If there is time for praying there is time for healing.
So if through your window there is a new day breaking,
Thank God for the promise,
Though mind and soul be aching.
If with harvest there is grain enough for gleaning,
There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning.
The next poem is by Edgar Guest.
It's titled See It True.
When you're up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely face to face.
Lift your chin and set your shoulders.
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it's vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do.
You may fail,
But you may conquer.
See it true.
Black may be the clouds about you and your future may seem grim,
But don't let your nerve desert you.
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worst is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you.
See it true.
Even hope may seem but futile.
When with troubles you're beset.
But remember you are facing just what other men have met.
You may fail but fall still fighting.
Don't give up.
Whatever you do.
Eyes front,
Head high to the finish.
See it true.
And finally before our closing thought a quote from Cassandra Clare,
The clockwork angel.
Sometimes our lives can change so fast that the change outpaces our minds and hearts.
It's those times I think when our lives have altered but we still long for the time before everything was altered.
That is when we feel the greatest pain.
I can tell you though from experience you grow accustomed to it.
You learn to live your new life.
And you can't imagine or even really remember how things were before.
A thought from Cassandra Clare.
A final thought before we end this meditation and thanks for being here today.
May I open my eyes and come to notice that blessings are everywhere.
That my life with its ups and downs has been an inundation of blessings.
May I open my eyes to see that I have many skills and talents I can use for the benefit of many people.
May I notice the many people around me who wish me well.
May I have the wisdom to see that today is a blessing to be enjoyed.
That each person is unique and important and not forgetting that I too am important.
That each moment of my life has meaning and that my contribution to the well-being of others has lasting meaning.
May I have the courage to face changes and help others to face changes as they arise.
And may I open each envelope marked change.
May I open my eyes and find in it an instruction card marked opportunity.
Namaste.
