We become what we seek. Our thoughts and actions shape us, like a potter’s hands that form a clay pot. Seek peace, and more peaceful moments will find you.
Last month, I ended my blog with this paragraph…
I long to slip into silence. I read a poem. I become aware of subtle rhythms that the noisy world misses. I notice things: Troubling feelings that remain from a recent news article. Sounds from a distant plane. How the blaze maple leaves are now tinged with crimson. Lingering tastes from my breakfast. Coffee’s pungent aroma.
After writing this, I started wondering how I could be helpful to others who find this time disruptive. My meditation practice spans decades.
Shared meditation is powerful.
Why not invite others to meditate with me?
This idea inspired me to offer Morning Meditations for Inner Peace.
Five days a week at 7:00 a.m., you will find me settling into my home meditation spot. Candlelight and the spicy scent of incense help set my mood. I sign on to Zoom, and one by one, names and photos appear. Together we will practice moments of mindfulness in our virtual sanctuary.
Mary Oliver, Rumi or Joy Harjo poetry is a perfect opening. Poems and peace go hand in hand, especially when writers focus on nature. So, I start by reading a poem. I read it in a quiet voice and then I repeat it. The first time for our ears and the second time for our soul. I offer a few words. Next, we practice letting go of the surrounding cultural chatter and our own intrusive thoughts. Breath becomes our focus as we drop into each moment.
At 7:30 I end our session.
Afterward, I am soothed by our shared silence. Though miles apart, we have a common goal. We seek harmony. That purpose unites us and transcends physical distance. We experience being both individuals and part of a greater whole.
Stillness lingers after meditation. I recall a trip to Paris. I stand in front of Claude Monet’s painting, “Lily Pond in Green Harmony.” Serenity washes over me. Like his brushstrokes, my focus now softens. Subtle endless edges let me experience all things blending together. No rigid separation exists; all is part of an unfolding unity.
I sink into the moment.
I will hover here for a while.
Somewhere between 200 and 500 million people worldwide meditate. In Rome, Tokyo, or Dubai, people are meditating. In Boston, Indianapolis, or San Francisco, others are sitting in silence. We do not see them. We do not know them. We connect with the same desire to maintain tranquility.
Though this is a small percentage of humans, it is increasing. The impact is akin to yeast in the bread of our culture. Meditation can create a more peaceful, compassionate, and interconnected world.
I am left with this question: How can we each contribute to calming our culture? Each little bit does make a difference. Even little acts of kindness that we offer a salesclerk, a stranger, or a fellow driver helps. Not done flawlessly but to live with an intention of finding places of connection.
How can I help?
That is the question we must answer.
My response is to continue offering morning meditation. If you’re interested, send an email to Daremore@aol.com. Mark the subject “Meditation.” I will send the link and more details.
And if you seek inner peace, may you become what you seek.
Photo credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported