Meditation, Thursday 2 September 2021
This long lockdown with its tiresome restrictions is having an effect on all of us. Some are battling with financial concerns, interrupted study, unemployment, illness and a myriad of other issues exacerbated by the fear generated via the megaphone announcing the daily diet of bad news. Fear is paralyzing! Yet when we develop the capacity to face our fears we can be liberated and when we acknowledge our vulnerability it marks the beginning of our liberation.
Meditation cultivates compassion towards ourselves and others by giving us a way to move closer to our thoughts and emotions even those emotions that are paralyzed by fear. It moves us to joy by positioning us in the present moment. Fear is usually manifested by anticipation of the future whether that future is in the next five minutes or the next five years. The experience of being in the moment, of being right here, right now, gives to us an uncluttered, simple immediacy that is the perfect antidote for fear.
As well as our regular meditation periods it is desirable to complement those with deliberate mindfulness acts or exercises throughout the day. This is particularly important when we are counter-acting fear. A simple mindfulness practice that drags us back from apprehension to the now, to the present moment is to be cherished.
It is helpful to understand that there are days when as much as we try we fail to live in the moment. Self-denigration is never helpful on days like these. Rather than surrendering to fear try listening to inspiring music or inspiring reading or just sitting in your chair and verbalizing your fear. It will pass and the opportunity will once again present itself to be in the present moment.
Meditation is a transformative process.
Bringing us into the present moment it will dissipate fear and bring us peace.
Now let us meditate in the custom to which are comfortable always remembering that we not only meditate for ourselves but we meditate for others particularly those who at present are crippled by fear
Meditation … Say 20 Minutes
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Remember to take a look at the Carmelite Centre website for their
zoom programs…www.thecarmelitecentremelbourne.org