Philosopher Lao Tzu said that at the centre of our being, we all have the answer. Wise words from centuries ago, yet still pertinent for life today in the chaos and noise of the external world and often-times busy lives.
We have the ability to filter our experience through positivity, optimism and hope and at the same time we can see the myriad of current tragedies occurring in our external world and feel a sense of sadness, a sense that we might not have the answers or the capacity to carry the weight of the world, of our shared humanity.
Through a sense of sadness can come a feeling of helplessness that we alone cannot do enough or make an impact. We CAN act in whatever ways we are able to with the resources we have to help to heal our global community and in doing so find some healing within ourselves. It would be fair to say that we as individuals with our shared humanity could do with some extra TLC – I know that we can all offer and express that TLC in our own unique way.
In the famous words from Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi, “There is a disturbance in the force”. A prescient mimesis for it’s time.
In speaking to these times of upheaval, uncertainty and instability, after a morning meditation, I ask myself – “How can I be of benefit today?” What question would you ask of yourself?
Silence isn’t empty It’s full of answers. – unknown
For me, in addition to a professional session helping a client, being of benefit can manifest in a myriad of ways. It can be through a meditation on compassion practice or even a small act of kindness – it doesn’t have to be gigantic acts of kindness or compassion, it can be as simple as smiling at others as you pass them by, connecting with a friend or family member and reminding them how much you love and appreciate them, donating to a worthy and credible charity or NGO – small acts can make a big impact in someone’s day and upon the world.
One of the most enriching ways that I find healing is through being in nature and in the solace, silence and the expression of beauty and love found through the inner world of meditation.
In today’s world, with the demands on our time, the ever-present assault on our senses and the chronic stress from what has been an ongoing existential crisis, our nervous systems are in overwhelm and survival mode. Whether we know it at a conscious or at an unconscious level, our bodies, brains and minds are craving solace, a place of refuge where we can take a breather and give ourselves a rest.
All too often, the time spent endeavouring to fix the problems our external world is done through an outward lens rather than turning inwards through the practice of meditation. It is through the act of going within that we can come to a place of rest from the busyness and noise and our active minds and to allow for healing.
“Muscles relax, the mind expands. The vastness enters into the skin like a shot. ‘Our’ time dissolves” – Arianna Dagnino
Going within can help you to calm and clear your mind and to feel a deep state of rest. During that inner state of calm your body and nervous system can rest, heal and restore – we can experience a sense of gentle healing. Going within can also help you to access internal information to enhance your intuition and decision-making abilities. As Einstein said, “I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in the silence and the truth comes to me.” We can ask ourselves at the deeper state of calm and rest, “What specifically can I do today to be of benefit and to help our collective healing?”
When you arrive at your first session of the Mind on Meditation™ – mediation and mindfulness course, one of the first questions I ask you is “What do you want through the course and through the practice of meditation? The most common answers I hear are –A greater sense of CALM, SILENCE, PEACE, STILLNESS and CLARITY.
Through decades of meditation practice and experience-based evidence, the axiom “If you don’t go within you will go without” has been at the heart of my own meditation practice. If you truly want to connect with a deeper sense of calm, silence, peace, stillness, clarity, wisdom, compassion and healing then meditate and go within.
Through the practice of meditation, we can experience a greater sense of interconnectedness and with that we gain a deeper understanding that can lead to more compassion for ourselves and our shared humanity which in turn can allow for our own and the collective healing of our shared humanity.
Your thoughts? Do share in the comments below.
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