~I invite you to listen to the audio version shared above, where a guided meditation is provided that follows what is shared below in the text.

There’s a pool of water that accumulates alongside the fast-moving creek that I regularly walk along. While Nelle laps up some water for a drink and then toodles about in curiosity, I often gaze at this clear pool of still water while sitting on a fallen tree that lies near it, and I can see every rock, pebble, twig, anything that rests beneath the surface. If I were to drop something in it, I could easily reach out and lift it back out. 

When we sit down to meditate, we give our mind the opportunity, the space to find calm. It is important to remember that to meditate is not stopping our thoughts, just stopping our physical body from movement that takes us out of the present moment. There are walking meditations that are most wonderful as well, but until we understand how to meditate, sitting still is most helpful. 

When we stop in this intentional moment, breathing deeply, consciously paying attention to our breath, the feeling of calm has room to introduce itself to us. We don’t seek it out; instead, we just breathe deeply in and out. Slowly, paying attention to how our breath feels as it moves through our body. 

It is by knowing how to calm ourselves that we begin the process of healing, because we are calming the waters to better observe (not engage) our thoughts and emotions. Just as in the clear pond, when we see an unhelpful thought, we witness it, and now are able to explore why it exists. Then, we let it go, knowing now what is causing our suffering, so we no longer need to suffer unnecessarily. 

Let’s find a comfortable seat and take a deep breath in . . .

~To conclude each meditation session, I encourage you to recite a mantra of your choosing and design. In the Contentment Masterclass, I share my example, which you are welcome to use, tweak, or look to as a template to design your own. Also provided to enrollees of the course is a free trial of the guided meditation app I use.

~Learn more about TSLL’s Contentment Masterclass: Discover the benefits of Meditation, which is included in the detailed syllabus shared here, watch the trailer, and read student reviews.

~Comments will be turned off for Meditation posts as you cultivate a practice guided by what you need and your journey to cultivating inner peace and aligning with your true self.