Dear friends,
It is 4.
30am in Dublin in Ireland,
The beginning of May.
It is still an hour before dawn.
As I turn over in bed,
I hear the chattering of birds outside.
I go to the window.
There is just the faintest hint of light on the horizon.
It is still dark,
But already the birds are enthusiastically welcoming the new day.
I am reminded that this is the time of the year when we hear the dawn chorus in the northern hemisphere.
Let's pause for one minute and take a few deep breaths as we enter these moments of reflection.
Breathing in,
I am aware that I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I am aware that I am breathing out.
A one minute pause to allow us to become present.
Welcome back.
The dawn chorus encourages us to look at how we welcome this new day.
Maybe we could begin by dedicating this period of reflection to some good intention.
Some ideas.
May this new day bring peace and renewal to our world.
May it bring a greater awareness of our common humanity.
May many people be encouraged to take up the cause of caring for our beautiful,
Vulnerable planet.
The dawn chorus reminds us to welcome the seasons of the year as they change.
It prompts us also to be aware of the passing seasons of our own lives.
It asks,
Are we ready to begin again?
Ready to leave the past to itself?
Bearing in mind that we can create a better future by what we decide to do today.
Even in moments of darkness,
We can anticipate,
Even create,
The return of light.
Let us claim for ourselves another space for reflection.
Shared only with the birds who prompted this meditation.
A one minute pause.
Welcome back.
In this new day,
Let us see if we might offer forgiveness to anyone who has caused us hurt.
There is no peace without forgiveness.
And we need to forgive ourselves as well.
Not in a careless and indifferent way,
As though what we do doesn't matter.
Because we know it does matter.
Instead,
Let us offer ourselves forgiveness in a more considered way.
Realising that sometimes the pain we cause others arises from pain that is already residing within ourselves.
If we approach life mindfully,
We can be more careful to avoid these pain-causing circumstances in the future.
So let us here and now express regret for any past failings.
Let us forgive ourselves.
Let us drop the burden of weight that we've been carrying.
Take a deep breath in.
Let it go,
Not only the breath,
But the weight of sorrow.
We can arise refreshed,
Freed from the weight that has burdened us.
And we will be better able to help lift the weight off the shoulders of people around us.
Dropping the weight,
We can imagine ourselves renewed.
Almost taking to the skies as if we ourselves had wings.
Each time we hear birdsong,
Let us reflect on this and celebrate new beginnings and new possibilities.
I'd like to bring this meditation to an end by leaving you with a quote from Dag Hammarskjold.
For all that has been,
Thank you.
For all that is yet to come,
Yes.
Namaste.
