Page 29 - Horizons magazine

This month’s thoughts A MEDITATION TO HELP

about things... TRANSMUTE THE SUFFERING

“I want to look back on my life and be giddy with OF THE WORLD
joy that I was the one who got to live it.”
1. Sit comfortably with an image of the world in your mind.
... from page 7 ..
2. Breathe into your heart, taking in all the pain of the world.

3. Offer this breath up to God by breathing it up through your
crown into the Universe.

4. Breathe God’s love down in to your heart space.

5. Offer God's love out to the world upon yourt exhale.
6. Repeat as needed, daily.

I used to never want to begin
an art or a writing project un-
less I could do it from
beginning to end. I learned
that with that mindset I'll
never begin it, but if I carve
out few minutes each day Meanwhile, while America figures this all out, I'm going to
to wholeheartedly do what I continue holding doors for strangers, letting people cut
love, I can end up with a massive body of work in no time. in front of me in traffic, saying yes ma'am, yes sir, saying
www.angelheartrocks.com good morning, being patient with people and smiling at
strangers, as often as I see the oportunity. Because I
What my meditation practice has taught me through the de- will not stand idly by and let anyone live in a world
cades is that if there is craziness going on in the world and the where unconditional love is invisible. Join me in showing
news is full of it, to stay sane and peaceful I should turn my love and respect for everyone, no matter what. Find your
attention to something personal and close at hand (here my own way to swing the pendulum in the direction of love
rocks and art) and throw myself into it wholeheartedly. That so we never see hate bloom again.
will keep me from getting sucked into the drama around me.
A friend asked about a mentor. I told her it’s great when we
You know that really mean thing you'd like to say to or about can have a mentor in our spiritual work, that can be a trig-
someone, just because they so deserve it? How about instead ger for that feeling of connection. But having a mentor isn’t
we hold our tongue and forget who deserves what and who did always the case and most often we walk the spiritual path
what to whom. How about we this once rise above it and don't without loved ones in the flesh. Remember that and when you
give it so much power to disturb our peace. Nothing infuriates stop feeling the connection (and you will at times) just know
your tormentors more than to know there's something stronger that it’s like an unplugged cord. The power is still available but
in you than they have in themselves. there will be times you unplug from it and don’t feel the cur-
rent. It’s never left you. You’re just for whatever reason hav-
Here is my adaptation of a Tonglen meditation, a Tibetan ing some resistance. Remember this, too, shall pass.
Buddhist meditation. When I was first introduced to breath
meditation, I thought how on Earth can me breathing trans- Keep the faith and keep practicing meditation or whatever
mute anything? as though you still felt listened to and responded to. It will
come back. In the meantime, in the down times, recall the
I was a slow learner and although it did reduce stress, it sensations of feeling a part of something bigger, of there being
wasn't until I was 10 years in that I had my first aha, my first someone who understands and being there to mentor you thru.
transcendent experience of exactly how conscious breathing Recalling the connected times, bringing them to mind and
connects me to everything and allows me to mediate suffering milking the memory for all it’s worth will serve as a “creative
around me. My world changed in that moment. visualization workshop” and will help you drop resistance
sooner than if you did not purposely recall the good times.
My husband used to tell me "you don't change the world by You're never alone. Daily meditation will
sitting around contemplating your navel." Who's to say? Here prove that to you. Enjoy our offering Andrea
it is: this month. Hari Om.
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