Dear friends.
Welcome to this meditation.
Which I hope will help each of us set a direction as a new day begins.
Of course if we have no particular destination in mind.
It really wouldn't matter what road we might take.
But I don't imagine many of us would be very happy.
Looking back,
If this was the way we were moving along the journey of life.
But before we get down to considering this question of entering the day with purpose,
Let's give ourselves a few moments to come to a place of rest.
From which all meaningful activity must start.
So I invite you to relax.
Notice your presence here.
Make sure you're sitting comfortably,
Whether on the floor,
Or on a cushion.
Or perhaps you were even lying down.
If you are lying down.
You might have to listen again if you fall asleep.
Wherever you're sitting.
Notice how you are supported by the magical power of gravity.
Allow yourself to relax now.
And enjoy that support.
As we take 60 seconds to just be.
Welcome back.
It is important that we will try to enter each new day with purpose.
We all know how easy it is to hop out of bed.
Into the shower.
Brush your teeth.
On with our calls.
In with breakfast and out the door to walk.
It goes without saying that these daily activities are important.
We owe it to ourselves.
And to the people around us.
To clean herself up.
And it wouldn't be a good idea to set off without brushing your teeth.
We are told time and time again.
That breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
But somewhere in these early moments of the day.
We have to make time for reflection.
It might only be five or ten minutes.
I have to admit that I'm not a lover of long meditations.
If I'm looking to find a guided meditation here on Insight Timer.
Most of the time I find myself looking to see if it can be listened to in under 15 minutes.
So before launching out into the day's activity,
We don't need to stop for an hour.
Or even half an hour.
But it is important that we would pass,
However briefly.
That we'd allow ourselves the chance to come to ourselves.
And notice the gift of this new day.
And what to do with this pause?
I'd suggest that first of all,
We give thanks.
In the rush of life we can forget how wonderful it is to be here at all.
We owe it to ourselves to turn on the light of awareness.
To express gratitude for something that is a gift beyond measure.
Step number two follows the theme for this meditation.
We need to take time to reflect on where we are going.
What is our motivating thought for the day?
We don't set off in a car without deciding on our destination and planning the route.
Or allowing GPS to do it for us.
Our setting out each morning is a little like beginning a car journey.
So before the demands of the world consume us yet again.
We must remember to set our own GPS.
Questions we might ask ourselves.
How will I approach this day?
Who do I expect to meet?
And how will I deal with these people?
Is there some virtue I'm going to try to practice?
Is there any bad habit that I would like to avoid?
Such as some of my own.
And patience.
Jump into conclusions.
Rush into judgment.
We all know what our individual weaknesses are.
This morning reflection is an opportunity to work on them.
And even though we can be knocked off track.
We will be knocked off course.
As the day proceeds.
At least by setting the intention at the start.
We can give ourselves a chance to stay on track.
Maybe we can stay on track for a little bit longer today than we did yesterday.
Most of us don't have an agenda that involves world-altering opportunities.
At least in the short term.
Although the ripples we send out can have a good effect in time.
Very few of us have the privilege and opportunity.
Of working for organizations.
That have the capacity to change the world today.
Whatever that was.
And whatever our other activities.
We can all set out with some good intention.
Just for today at least.
Practicing kindness.
Acting honestly.
Listening to other people before jumping in to speak.
Treating other people the way we would like to be treated ourselves.
All these simple day-by-day actions that make a difference.
You may have come across the words of the well-known Sam.
This is the day which the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
These are very hopeful thoughts with which to begin the day.
Even though not every encounter of the day will be a reason for us to rejoice.
We can take the rough with the smooth.
And we can do our best.
And the most magical thing about a new morning is this.
Each new day.
Is a chance to begin again.
A new day really is a clean sheet.
We can turn over the page.
We can leave behind the mistakes of yesterday.
And every single morning we can begin again.
The important thing to remember from today's reflection.
Is to treat each day as the new beginning that it really is.
Today doesn't have to be a repeat of yesterday.
Everything changes.
Because change is the only constant.
Everything is in a state of flux.
We ourselves are changing all the time.
Our bodies are changing minute by minute.
And yet,
Sometimes we can enter the day.
As if nothing has changed from yesterday.
As if today must be a repeat performance of yesterday.
Sometimes by applying this routine attitude.
We can write people off.
Without giving them a chance.
Without looking at them afresh.
And without realising that it doesn't have to be the way it was.
I suppose you could say.
That we should enter each new day with an open mind.
And be prepared for the many surprises that it might bring.
So it is important to set our direction.
Reside on our path.
Make our plans.
Even so,
We should always be open to possibilities.
Nothing shall be written in stone.
Maybe not even in pen.
Plans should be wide spaced.
And written in pencil.
We don't enter the day without a plan.
But we try to be open to the possibilities that the new day will bring.
Maybe it's time for another pause now.
And during this pause.
Maybe we could ask ourselves two questions.
Did I begin today with a time for reflection?
And two.
Did I make a plan?
To help me along.
And maybe in the light of this,
We might ask ourselves,
How am I going to approach tomorrow?
A 60 second pause.
Welcome back.
Now we can't and we don't expect to enter every day in the best of form.
Some days we might wake up tired.
Maybe we didn't have a good night's sleep.
Maybe yesterday was a very difficult day.
Maybe we are paying today.
For the enjoyment of a late night last night.
But even so.
.
.
Let us make up our minds to begin each tomorrow.
Was a time of reflection.
Allow ourselves a little time to set out some idea.
About the path ahead.
Form an outline of how we will approach this new day.
And we can be sure that a mindful start like this.
Will make a huge difference.
Now to end this reflection,
I'd like to leave you with an Irish blessing.
I happened to listen to it this morning.
And I thought it might be cool to share it with you in this reflection.
Deep piece of the running wave to you.
Deep piece of the flowing air to you.
Deep piece of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the gentle night to you.
Moon and stars.
Pour their healing light on you.
Deep peace of Christ,
The light of the world to you.
Deep peace of Christ to you.
Namaste.
