This evening I read post by Annie about peace descending on her when she spent a week in a place by the sea. Our inherent nature is peace, just as it is love, compassion, beauty, generosity, joy and wisdom. Nature shows us all this, if we can take the time to be present, to open our senses and begin to perceive who we really are.
I will be teaching a meditation class with new people next week, so I am thinking about how to explain something so simple yet so profound. Sitting with nature, sharing love, or meditating are excellent ways to discover that we do not end at the visual boundary of our skin. When we pay attention we discover awareness radiates out endlessly beyond and into the body in every direction; this is a hint about our real nature, we are life, we are It, whatever It is. The mind tries to jump in with its own importance, questions and rationalisations, but if you reassure it that all is well you can slip back into simply being One. So much more peaceful than being two, you and It.
When practising yoga nidra (a powerful tantric form of meditation) we spend time sensing each of the koshas or ‘bodies’, staying as alert and present as we can, even though we are lying down. Buddha said to start with the senses, being mindful of everything that enters our sense doors, so we do. Attention is carefully guided around the body, then into the energy body by following the breath. Concentration is developed through counting the breaths for while, and when the pranic body is fully awakened we move on with our senses to the emotional body of feelings. Now we notice what is present, or focus our attention on a feelings such as heaviness/ lightness, or happiness/sadness, creating opportunities for healing and harmony to do their work. Similarly yoga nidra takes us to the mind; thoughts and beliefs are all examined as part of this simple but profound meditation. Through all this we learn to ‘pan out’ so that as well as being aware of all we are doing in our mediation we notice that we are awareness itself. Not separate. Joy tingles through every cell of the body, everything smiles, inside and out … mmm yoga nidra is delicious!
Thanks for being patient while I tried out a few thoughts. Usually I have only taught yoga nidra to my yoga students, where most of us already have some common understanding. Of course my first class will be mostly practical, and I have worked out some basics that must be covered. I will let you know how it goes; we are hoping it will turn into a monthly meditation in town after we return from our trip to the Kimberley.
If you are interested to learn more about the simple practice and transformative power of yoga nidra I can recommend recordings by Richard Miller and Kelly Boys titled iRest at Ease. As part of my work I will be recording each session and making it available to students for their home practice … a new skill I am working on!
ooh will you think about offering your recordings online?
one day I would love to be present for a session…and those photos of peace are wonderful 🙂
hi annie .. yes i might … remains to be seen how it works out … do you ever come south? i can see you are north coast person 😀
I do love the north coast but I’m not sure where I’ll end up when I move out of the city.
I’ve only been further south than Wollongong once and went to Congo Beach…when it’s easier for me to travel again I will explore more south 🙂 It was very beautiful…and much less crowded.
so funny you went to congo .. almost the next beach to our beach! (there is meringo beach in between) good, i will look forward to having you stay a few days when you get travelling again … we can do some yoga nidra and other stuff together 🙂
how lovely is the internet for opening up connections
🙂
This post is delicious, and a perfect way to start my day. Thank you. 🙂
have a wonderful smooth day dear robin … i am off to dreamland 🙂
I think it is wonderful that you are exploring your ideas here in readiness for your students. I’d love to attend one of your sessions, I find guided meditation a remarkable thing, something I can nearly achieve, I have the feeling that I will spend my life working on meditating, as I find it so difficult to stop that whirring. But guided meditation does sometimes break through the whirrings……
Perfect place to sit and feel in the moment, part of it all … Hope it goes as you plan, Christine. 🙂
Indeed a wonderful way to start the day…hope you training goes well.
Such PRESENCE photography, Christine!!!! I can hear the waves, I can smell the foam, I can float in the clouds…….all of these are favorite, very favorite sounds and visuals of mine. I think I need to share this on Napkinwriter.
How very strange – or maybe not at all strange. As I read, I was thinking that I must ask if you have ever made recordings of guided meditations, it would be wonderful, and there you are.
As I think you know I have used guided visualisations in therapeutic work and have been asked if I could record myself, but it wouldn’t work for me, I’m far too shy and I’d just clam up. I’ve never found the right meditation recording to use myself.
Love and peace, G.
Looking at your beautiful beach photos, it calms me down. Thanks, Christine!
The simplest things are the most significant, aren’t they always? Our minds are so used to the clutter and hyperactivity that simplicity, spirituality and peace seem like ‘boring ideas’. Stress keeps taking a toll on people’s lives and they start enjoying it. Beats me! Thanks for the great images and words!
Your photos evoke, for me anyway, I love the sea, so well that feeling of calm that comes from knowing we do not end at the visual boundary of our skin…
What a great thing to do, to introduce people who haven’t yet had the benefit of yoga or meditation, to it’s possibilities, and perhaps a new way of being.
Exciting times.
thanks elladee … your comment reassures me … it is exciting … now i have to practise recording with my new Zoom H1 … it looks easy so i just have to try!
I would love to sit in on your meditation class. It sounds wonderful. 🙂
I add my interest to accessing your recordings if it ever works out for you to offer them. I would love to be a part of your class. I practice Hatha yoga regularly, and I think meditative practice comes naturally out of the attention to the breath and the spine, but I’m not at all familiar with yoga nigra, and I would love to know more. Thank you for the link! And wonderful success with the class you’re teaching. I’m sure your students will be so encouraged. ox
Aah, that looked and sounded beautiful Christine. I wish I could attend one of your workshops too! Good luck with your class. Envy your students 🙂
Lovely and relaxing images! They would be wonderful to use with meditation.
I have tried many types of meditation, and the one that works best for me is being absorbed in nature and photography.
i agree with you fergie …. nature is us … what a beautiful mirror 🙂