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 Spiritual: June 22, 2005 Issue [#430] |
  Spiritual This week: Edited by: Ms Kimmie   More Newsletters By This Editor   1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions  You Can See It In A Clear Blue Sky You Can See It In A Woman's Eyes You Can Hear It In Your Babies Cries You Can Hear It In Your Lover's Sighs You Can Touch It In A Grain Of Sand Yeah Hold It Right There In The Palm Of Your Hand Feel It Round You Everyday And Hear What I've Got To Say God Gave Me Everything I Want -- Written by: Lenny Kravitz/Mick Jagger, performed by Mick Jagger 
 ~  ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~I have heard people say they don’t meditate because they:  don’t get anything out of it; don’t think they’re doing it right; don’t know how; can’t quiet their minds enough; think it’s a Hindu or Buddhist thing only; fear it’s a form of brainwashing that goes against God; can’t see the necessity of it; or insert any other response that goes with “I don’t meditate because.”Meditating is easier than many of us have been led to believe, and it isn’t exclusive to (nor exclusionary of) any particular religion. We have all had moments of the meditative state whether we were aware of it or not. To intentionally meditate is simply reawakening to something you already are able to do, and probably have done. Imagine you are in a state of peace. You are outside, the night air is gentle on your skin, and no clouds mar the vastness of the dark sky above you. Stars are shimmering points of light too far away to fathom such distance. The moon shines bright, and maybe you can even see The Sea of Tranquility.¹ There may be music playing quietly in the background, or you hear only the sounds of the night: crickets, the hum of streetlights, or wind in the trees. Maybe you whisper “beautiful,” or say nothing at all, enjoying this moment for what it is. You can’t entirely explain why, but this little place in time, little space in time, feels perfect. You know that if this is the moment all your life has been leading you toward, then every tear, every hurt, every laugh, everything was worth it to experience this. It is perfect. That is tranquility. We all seek it, and the reason we all search for this often elusive thing is because we’ve experienced it before. We don’t miss what we’ve never known. Maybe you felt it the moment you looked at your newborn for the very first time. Perhaps that wonderful feeling washed over you one morning when you saw a pink-hued sunrise crest a snowy mountain; or when you watched a river rush by you; or you woke up in the house you worked hard to acquire; or when you saw a sunset while on last holiday. Maybe you haven’t felt it since the day you learned to ride a bike, or saw your drawing up on the art wall in your grade two classroom. It could even be that you don’t have a conscious memory at all, but an unconscious one from the “forgotten years” of your babyhood. Whenever it was, wherever it was, and whatever it was, you’ve felt “it”: that grand moment of complete tranquility. Often without conscious awareness, we judge our entire lives based on reaching that “perfect state.” But truly, if you think back to when you have felt that sense of peace, was the world—or you—suddenly perfect? More than likely, there were still mortgages to pay, children to raise, exams to pass, illnesses to overcome (or accept) and a whole host of other trials that made up your life at the time. You didn’t suddenly lose ten pounds or win a lottery, but you found that rare, golden moment worth more than all the money and weight loss programs the world has to offer. Unfortunately, it’s the frustration of not being able to achieve that sacred moment that marks the days that seem to pass by too fast. We pray a little harder, read more “What should I do with my life” books, get makeovers and better life-trappings (cars, houses, fashions), give a little more to Unicef, visit psychics, or just rant and rave that life is not fair and do we ever have it rough. Think about your perfect moment right now. Do you see how the only thing setting it apart from the other times in your life, was your state of mind? You weren’t worrying. You weren’t thinking about all the bad in your life. You let yourself be in the moment, with no past memories or future expectations crowding your thoughts. You had no judgments, only joy. No anguish, only acceptance. You were ONE with the moment. So what made the moment pass? Thinking—about yesterday, or today, or tomorrow, because the fact is, in our fast-paced world, we don’t often have the luxury to sit like gurus in calm contemplation of our oneness. Now remember, if you can, how you felt afterward. Chances are good that you didn’t feel as upset by things as you usually might. It’s highly likely that you were able to go forward, even for a little while, with greater acceptance of your life, yourself, or others. It is also possible that you came to some practical solutions to problems that were troubling you. Often, people feel a closer connection to God during or after their tranquil time. That is what meditation is all about. It's about quieting your mind, being in the moment, and being open to acceptance that life, you, your spirituality—just are. After a meditation, you’ll find yourself in that same “altered” frame of mind that you felt after the wonderful moment of tranquility that you experienced before. If you’ve never meditated with intention before, the process is an easy one. I strongly recommend you don’t lie down if you can help it—especially at bed time. You’ll relax yourself into a restful sleep (which is a great thing, really) but defeats the purpose of the awareness that comes from meditation. Remember too, that you can never meditate incorrectly! If you gain even a few seconds of a calm mind, or relaxed state of body or mind, your session was successful. Over time, you’ll get better at it, but you will never be a failure at it—ever. ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Meditation ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~Alignment Sit in a quiet room, or with gentle music playing softly in the background. If you’re comfortable sitting in a lotus position² then do so. If not, then try sitting cross-legged, or on a chair that is comfortable to sit on (that you won’t fall asleep in). Straighten your spine (sit up straight, like your mama told you!), looking directly in front of you, not down at your knees or up at the ceiling. If sitting on the floor or on a mat, I recommend you sit on a pillow as this will help to straighten your spine yet you’ll still feel comfortable. Place your hands on your thighs or knees—usually palms up, but if that isn’t comfortable for you, then just place them loosely in your lap. Before you begin the breathing exercise, do whatever adjustments you feel are necessary such as pulling your shoulders back, or if sitting in a chair, ensure that your feet are placed a comfortable distance apart. While form is an element of this, comfort is of primary importance! If you aren’t comfortable, you won’t gain the full benefits of meditation. Once you feel ready, close your eyes. Focus on how you are breathing. Don’t try to breathe more deeply, shallowly, or evenly. At this point, you just need to make sure you’re breathing “in alignment.” By that I mean take a breath in and note what happened to your abdomen. Even put your hand on your abdomen for a moment as you inhale so you can determine if you’re breathing as you should be. When you inhale, your abdomen should rise. If it deflates when you breathe in—which often happens to us when we are under stress—then just work on getting your breath back in alignment. If you watch a baby breathing, you’ll see he or she automatically breathes in proper alignment. That is our natural breathing state.If that’s as far as you think you can take it today—then feel free to end it here and take that success of your body/mind awareness with you into the world. You’ll feel better just for having brought your breathing back to its natural rhythm! But if you’d like to go further—keep reading. Relaxation Now that you’re breathing in alignment, you’re ready to go a little further. Continue to focus on your breathing. Don’t “try” to push all other thoughts out of your mind. Remember that moment you experienced when you touched tranquility without even trying? That will happen here eventually as well—as long as you don’t force it. If outside worries or thoughts enter in, don’t try to force them away (and they will enter your mind a lot at first—you’ll be prone to taking stock of your current experiences or daydreaming because that’s what you always do when you “relax). Just let the thought in, and on your next exhalation, let it go and listen to and feel your breathing. While it isn’t necessary, it can be helpful to say a word or two (sometimes called a chant or mantra) to help you stay focused on your breathing. Most people use one syllable words or sounds such as “Om,” “One,” “God,” or “Peace.” If two or three syllables work better for you—then go for it. “Tranquil” or “Release” are good. I’d avoid anything longer though. You don’t want to get into sentences here or you’ll be focusing on saying your lines right instead of relaxing. Now relax your body. If you don’t think you’re good at that, I suggest you tighten up, then relax—but just one body part at a time. Begin with your toes. Tense them on your next inhalation, then on your exhalation, relax them to the point where they feel almost heavy (if you can)—but in a good way! Do the same with each of your feet. Move up your body, tensing and releasing each part. When you get to the insides, visualize various organs tensing and releasing. Even do this with your neck, jaw, nose, eyes and forehead—your shoulders, your arms, your hands. Envision your mind relaxing. If that’s as far as you feel you can take it at this time, then end your session here by focusing again on your breathing and slowly bring yourself back to awareness of the world around you. Feel the chair or pillow you’re sitting on. Feel how your body is positioned. Listen to the sounds and experience the sensations around you, then open your eyes. Bravo if you made it this far. You just did your body and mind a huge favor. They’ll thank you for it—you’ll see. Tranquility Once you’ve done this a few times, you’ll find yourself moving more easily through the alignment and relaxation stages. In fact, after only a few weeks (less for some, more for others) you’ll sit in your meditative pose, and immediately your breathing will align, and your body will instantly relax. For some people just being in that state of relaxation is meditation enough and depending on the person, they can keep that worry-free, external stimuli-free state for anywhere from a few minutes to much longer times—even hours! The next stage though is an interesting one and varies for each person. It is the same as the first in that you may be focused on your breathing or simply enjoying feeling relaxed. Some find they can simply sit in a free-minded state—that is, no thoughts enter in at all—not their breathing, body, or anything else. If that isn’t you, don’t sweat it! Meditation is an individual thing. Others feel themselves surrounded by a white light, or feel as though they are floating in a pastel aura (for lack of a better word). For example, some of my best meditations came while I was suspended in pale pink. Some people have had the feeling that they are being held in the arms of their Savior. Another phenomenon that sometimes occurs is that you begin to receive answers to questions you asked (prior to meditating or so long ago, you forgot you asked!). These answers may come as suddenly clear ideas or images, or as messages. In ALL cases, these are positive events—never is it something that would have you cause harm to yourself or others. When you’re ready to end the meditation, focus again on your relaxed body, on your breathing, on your physical surroundings—touch, smell, and auditory awareness return. Note that they were always present but you simply weren’t focused on them. All you’re doing now is redirecting your focus. Take that mind/body awareness with you into the world. Take your calm state of mind with you and you’ll find yourself reacting less dramatically to those things that used to bother you so much more than they do now. If you find yourself reacting negatively to a situation, simply remember the calm and relaxation you felt during meditation, and just by putting your focus on that for a moment, you’ll redirect your energies in a positive way and be able to release your stress during the difficult situation you find yourself having to face. I recommend that if you are a praying person, you may find it beneficial to pray prior to meditation—prayers that question. Afterward, say a prayer of thanks. I say “namaste” when I end—it is something I learned to do when I started doing yoga. I further recommend that meditation be incorporated into a yoga program. I end every yoga session with a meditation, and I find that exercising my body, mind, and spirit this way is hugely beneficial to me on so many levels. If you feel that meditating in this way isn't something you're comfortable doing, you may find a walk in nature, or listening to soothing music can help lift you from the strife of life. I hope, if nothing else, that you were able to drift away on your own sea of tranquility--even if only from the length of this piece.  Stay strong in spirit! Ms Kimmie ** Image ID #982300 Unavailable ** ¹One of the many craters (Seas) on the moon is called "The Sea of Tranquility." ²The Lotus Position: A cross-legged position, but instead of the feet being tucked under, the feet are placed on top of each opposing leg. 
Sometimes, a gentle meditative state can be achieved by appreciation of beauty. As a writer, it's probable that you can easily envision yourself in this setting.
While it would seem simply to be a poem about meditation, you'll find that the smooth rhythm of it is a meditation in itself. Are all meditations created equal? Maybe not in the wondrous feelings they provide, but definitely in regard to how deeply we need to "get away from it all."
Now this is what it means to drift away on a sea of tranquility. The simplicity and significance of this piece is soothing.
This poem delves a little further into the "simplicity" idea of contemplating ourselves, yet it is profound, humorous, and simply enjoyable.
Exercise your writing skills, delve into your spiritual viewpoint and take this as a great opportunity to share your point of view.
This is the first place winner for the first round of the above contest. It's a refreshing answer to a question of the ages.
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 Last month, I had to use my backup issue and wasn't here--and so, it seems, neither were you. But we're both back in business now, right? Right? Hello?  Thank you so much Puditat for your dedication to making sure we all feel appreciated! You're awesome!From: Puditat What a fantastic idea, Kim-Marie. This was enjoyable and interesting. A chance to read some stuff I haven't and refresh on others (including my own  ).Your forethought is a great example to me. Great job! Puditat  Anytime, Puditat. I'm happy to include you in a "best of" list!  Have a question or comment for the Editor? http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form
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