Dear friends,
Our doing can sometimes get in the way of our being.
We all have so much to do,
And we employ all sorts of aids to help us do more.
We have handwritten to-do lists,
We have charts to help us prioritise,
We have apps to help us organise ourselves,
And we set reminders to bring ourselves back on track if we drift out of the habit of doing.
It's time to take a break.
Welcome to this meditation where I meet you at the door and invite you into a stress-free zone.
So let's begin.
The first instruction.
There is no instruction.
You have nothing to do here except relax.
One minute now.
Just 60 seconds to simply relax.
Let's double check to ensure that you're sitting comfortably.
So,
Adjust your posture if you need to,
To make sure that you are really comfortable.
It's a well-known fact that we cannot think of two things at the same time.
So to prevent a list of things to be done from bubbling up,
Let's focus our attention on a breathing exercise.
There's no need to adjust your breathing for this.
It's simply a case of becoming more aware of your breathing in and your breathing out.
It might help if you use words such as,
Breathing in,
I notice that I'm breathing in.
And the same as you breathe out,
Breathing out,
I notice that I'm breathing out.
Let's see if you can direct your attention to the simple fact of breathing for the next 60 seconds.
Now it's possible that you will lose concentration.
Something might pop up into your mind.
No worries if that happens.
This is not a failure of concentration.
The awareness of the fact that you've noticed that you've lost concentration is itself a moment of awareness.
So well done for noticing that if it happens and for coming back.
If it happens,
Just return to your mindful breathing.
Breathing in,
I am aware that I'm breathing in.
Breathing out,
I am aware that I'm breathing out.
A 60 second pause now for mindful breathing.
Welcome back again.
I hope you are enjoying these few moments of relaxation.
It's so good to be here.
Nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Just relaxing.
Taking time to stop like this is a real gift.
We can be so busy doing.
We can lose sight of the fact of our being.
I was out for a walk this morning and I was reminded of how the world of nature operates in the present moment in a being mode.
There were wood pigeons and color doves resting on rooftops and chimneys.
They were murmuring and calling as birds do.
I did notice them but I was mostly concentrating on where I was going.
They were in a state of being but I was in a state of doing.
There were flowers in gardens and weeds on the pathway edges all doing their own thing.
In one garden near my house there's a huge bush of lavender.
Each time I pass that garden I squeeze one of the heads of lavender and I pay attention to its distinctive scent with a feeling of gratitude.
The lavender is living in the moment and as I notice it and take the scent in I am in the moment as well.
It reminds me of a song which you may have come across.
It's titled What Color is the Wind?
One of the verses asks if the flowers can hear the blackboard singing and the question is when the blackboard is singing what are the roses doing?
The lyric goes on do they cast their scent upon the air and is fragrance just a rose in prayer giving thanks to God above for the blackboard's song of love.
A magical idea.
The message is this.
We all need to live in the moment more often.
So now for a final period of a quiet reflection.
This time nothing to concentrate upon,
Nothing to listen to except some background music and maybe noting in our minds a feeling of gratitude for being here.
Welcome back.
I hope you've enjoyed this period of quiet reflection and that you'll come back again to it from time to time.
Think of it as a doorway into your stress-free zone.
Remember this door is never locked.
It's here always ready and waiting for you to just turn the handle.
So remember to walk up to the door,
Turn the handle and come in.
Namaste.
