My latest blog post for SageWoman 🙂
Meditation is a huge part of my spiritual life. It is something that I try to do every single day, in various shapes and forms. I find that sitting meditation, or zazen is the best way for my self to refocus on what’s important, to stop the chattering ego and really get deep down to the issues at hand. So much clarity is gained from simply stopping, from allowing the silence to fill your soul. In that deep pool of quiet, in that dark heart of Cerridwen’s cauldron, lies transformation.
You have to be willing to do it, though. It’s difficult, as many of us don’t really like spending time alone, much less sitting still and “wasting time”. However, I would posit that this could very well be the best use of your time, realigning you to the present moment, grounding yourself in the reality of the here and now. We can get so carried away on our emotions, on our problems with the world, on our own sense of self that we become blinkered to the rest of existence. Life is constantly happening, all around us, and we hardly notice it. Sitting meditation is a great way to pay attention to it, to our selves, our bodies and our minds, to see how they work, to get in touch with them once again, thereby allowing us to get in touch with the rest of the world on a much clearer, positive level.
Like a deep pool, the waters may become disturbed, but if we stop the mud will eventually settle to the bottom, the clear water rising to the top to perfectly reflect the sky above. We can become as this pool, reflecting with clarity the present moment in all that we do, in all that we say and in all that we think. It’s not easy, but it’s well worth it.
To read more, click HERE…
Down the Forest Path 
When I started doing yoga (which as you mention can be a type of meditation in itself), I thought of it as just a workout; I was looking to strengthen my muscles and maybe increase my flexibility a bit, but that was it. It did those things, but the practice also gradually cascaded into the rest of my life in ways I never expected. I’ve become more aware of how shallow my breathing normally is, and how much I slouch, but more than that, I’ve (slowly!) become kinder to myself and have started to confront and let go of some of the baggage from my turbulent childhood. (Awareness and growing appreciation of my body and breath have led to awareness and acceptance if not appreciation of my emotions). On my mat I’ve discovered that I’m capable of more than I would have thought as far as the poses go, and I’ve begun to have more confidence in myself off the mat as well. But even when I can’t do something (or do it as well as my perfectionism demands) I’ve started to realize that that’s ok too. One of my teachers says that the perfect pose is whatever we can do at any given time. It’s the showing up and trying that matters. You’re absolutely right when you say that it’s not easy but it’s so, so worth it.
That’s exactly the reason I love meditation – And yoga 🙂 x