Meditation corner - 2

Learning to meditate

When I seriously started to meditate it was in an environment with about 5 other people, lying on the floor under a blanket and all I remember from that experience was, that most of the time I fell “asleep” during the guided meditations, usually waking up at the end of the journey, not remembering what our teacher had been talking about. The others were telling wondrous stories of where they had been, what they had seen, heard, smelled and I felt sorry for myself. I kept on going, though, because I noticed waking up refreshed after 10, 15 or more minutes and realizing there was a shift inside of me, a shift I could not find the words for.

The teacher was not very happy with me, because I had too many questions and at one point I stopped asking but started to read and experiment on my own, with the thought, that never would I teach without taking the time to try and guide my students through their experiences if they were at a loss or full of questions.

 

One of the “things” I started with right away was to sit, while meditating. It felt important to be able to find some stillness whenever needed and wherever I was, with or without music or listening to a guided meditation, or sitting on top of the Mount Everest.

 

Wish for you

“Shine your light”

 

Digest the meaning of the following poem and do realize in doing so, you are meditating, you are on the pathway of discovering who you truly are. The world needs you.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us;
It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Note: This inspiring poem is taken from Marianne Williamson's book A Return to Love

With love - Juliet Joan