Oh to feel peaceful…. How many of us do?? maybe we have snippets of peace every now and then, in a quiet spot in nature, during the night or while listening to some relaxing music. But how do we maintain that peaceful feeling in our lives on-going? There seem to be a trillion things to do and we are bombarded by news and information via radio, TV, laptops and phones etc.
Meditation is my answer – not that we “live in meditation”, although it can become a way of life most people just need to start, to know what to do. I practise a peace meditation every day – a really, really simple one. How do I do it? – I find somewhere comfy to sit, not a sleep inducing reclining lounge but either on a chair or on the floor. Personally I am not comfortable cross-legged on the floor so I opt for a chair or my meditation stool.
Just make some time – about 20-25 minutes, make yourself comfortable and relax a little bit….take time to allow yourself to settle and close your eyes………….settle with your breath….just settle….then imagine you are surrounded by a large pale blue bubble….. the same colour blue as the sky with no clouds….allow yourself to relax into that…. imagining yourself sat within a large, pale blue bubble…… blue is peace.
Also imagine that in the centre of your tummy, just above the navel and a little way inside the body, is a tiny point of light, like a star…… feel for the starlight in the belly and feel the light expanding gently, creating a lovely warm feeling in your belly……very simply and easily keep imagining the pale blue bubble around you….each time you breathe out…… and each time you breathe in focus on the warming, relaxing starlight in the belly….. It’s simple, really really simple and easy, nothing complicated. Imagine yourself sitting inside a large, pale blue bubble with the starlight in your belly and enjoy the expanding feeling of peacefulness…
When we start to meditate we can all find ourselves suddenly aware that we are thinking about something else, we get distracted by our thoughts. What I say to my students is “ if you become aware that you are thinking about something other than the meditation that’s ok, don’t judge it, just gently refocus on the breath and the meditation… the pale blue bubble and the star in the belly.” Don’t worry if your mind wonders, just gently allow the thoughts to dissipate and refocus on the breath and the meditation.
This is the simplest of meditations and incredibly easy, it makes me feel peaceful, relaxed and clearer. When we feel more relaxed we also have more energy because we are not investing so much energy in holding patterns of tension. Stress uses up energy!! hence the “wired and tired” experience.
Make some “me time” for yourself, just 20-25 minutes per day and enjoy this creative, simple and peaceful meditation.
If you would like this meditation on CD it is available as the Peace to all Beings Meditation by Mike Booth and is available from Aura-Soma Products.
