Friday Meditation: Become the Witness
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Photo by me.
Rain is catching on the windowsills. In the distance, a siren wails. Nothing happens, and yet something is at work in me.
We are a constant ticker tape of thoughts and desires. Reflections happening in passing, fleeting memories, possibility, breath. If there's one thing meditation allows you, it's presence. If you can begin to see your life as it is happening, you gain insight into it. You can begin to shape who you are meant to be.
Here are two daily practices that can help you on your journey toward peace and thoughtful presence in the everyday.
Photo via Brian Ferry.
Practice 1: Ease Away Tension (Mid-Day)
Let your shoulders sink away from your ears. Now, scan your body for physical tension. Ask your muscles to relax. Start by taking a deep, full breath so your belly rises, then falls.
Notice where you are tight, bound. Breathe into these areas and notice how your whole body responds in grateful ease.
Photo via Brian Ferry.
Mentally retrace your day's steps. Imagine that you are watching a movie of yourself from the moment you woke up until now. You recall the alarm going off, turning it off, pulling away the covers to swing your legs out of bed. You walked down the hall to the bathroom to get ready for your day. You packed a lunch, put on your coat.
See how precisely you can remember the details. Notice the nuances, the little moments that stick out to you, the bits of conversation, funny moments, vivid colors, smells, thoughts. Try to recall how you reacted physically, mentally and emotionally to every event of the day.
At first, you may be surprised at how little you can recall while doing this exercise. Obvious moments may come to mind first -- surprising things that happened, emotional situations, difficulties. But the more you do this practice of reviewing your day, the more you will begin to pay attention to your life as it takes place and the more you will remember about the events that transpire.
Let this meditation technique enhance your awareness of the present. Become aware of yourself. Become excited about the live you are leading and the remarkable way which you can begin to fully experience the world physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Namaste.
Photo by me.
