The practice: finding inspiration and meaning
“Instead of searching for what you don’t have, find out what it is that you have never lost.” Nisargadatta Maharaj
Daily Reflections: Where do we find inspiration and meaning in trying times? In our darkest moments, how do we find the light? 2020 was a year of tremendous change, a year filled with so much uncertainty, not knowing, and loss. With this, we all are dealing with the collective loss of the world we knew: the loss of routine, the loss of physical touch, the loss of gathering for a meal, and the loss of work/ school life as we knew it. AND amidst it all, can we find meaning? What have you learned about yourself and about your life? What really matters to you? What have you remembered that touches your heart? May 2020 provide some type of perspective and clarity, some type of waking up. The meaning of 2020 is not in what happened but what we do with it afterwards. The meaning is within us.
“Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.” Joseph Campbell
Meditation Challenge: Today I invite you to use gratitude as your meditation anchor. Taking the time to reflect on the goodness in your life, even the simple, small things that we often overlooked can be quite powerful and transformative. Gratitude is probably the most scientifically studied and proven technique for rewiring our brains, driving neuroplasticity in a positive direction.
Gratitude meditation was my gateway into a seated practice of stillness. In the beginning, I found it extremely difficult (and uncomfortable) to be still until a teacher offered gratitude as a meditation anchor. Afterwards I thought to myself… I can sit for 5 minutes and reflect on all the things I am grateful for… and I soon found myself sitting longer, enjoying the process and how it made me feel. Give it a try. Take time today to sit still and remember some aspects of your life that you are appreciative of; some part of your life that is going well; and then notice how the quality of your attention affects the quality of your experience.
“Gladness and delight do not merely balance out negative tendencies, they actually heal the aversive mind.” James Baraz