Final 2008 Winter Solstice Meditation

It has been such a pleasure, joining with each other in this Global Meditation to bring Calm, Healing energy to our world culture.

Our final meditation will be at the moment of Solstice. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere it is Winter, and those of us in the Southern Hemisphere it is Summer Solstice.

No matter where we live in the world, this is a time of New Beginnings. A time for shifting our awareness. For our final 2008 meditation we will be meditating on the energy of the heart. The heart with in each of us, as well as the harmony of our collective hearts as a group. The ability our heart has for compassion, empathy, awakening and immeasurable potential is our intention for this very special solstice meditation.

When the sun shines directly over the tropic of Capricorn. The tropic of capricorn carries an incredibly stong, supportive energy for being able to focus your intentions (goals) into physical reality. It is this energy that makes us want to set our New Years resolutions at this time of year, and we want to enter this time with our hearts beating as ONE for a new prosperity of peace, awareness, harmony, and joy to flood our planet.

The winter solstice occurs December 21 2008 at 12:04pm universal time. In Utah we move through the solstice at 5:04am MST, will do this mediation from our homes.

For our Solstice Celebration we will repeat it again Monday Evening December 22nd at 5:30pm. I hope you can join me in person Monday at the WMY Center for the meditation, some gentle Yoga and holiday cheer. The WMY Center is located at: 2230 N. University Parkway CottonTree ClockTower Suite 2E in Provo. If you plan on attending please R.S.V.P and feel free to bring a small plate of something to share.

We begin this wholehearted practice with the "Anahata" breath. Anahata is the Sanskrit word for the heart chakra. It means: "Unstruck Sound" and refers to the untaped potential of our physical, mental and spiritual heart.

This breath is done by finding your pulse and inhaling up four heart beats, followed by exhaling down four heart beats. Following the rythm of this breath will bring us together. Let your whole body be flooded with the rythm of your heart, and stay with it for as long as you can. You don't need to keep track of your heart-rate once you get the general timing.

When your heart feels open or expansive (which can be as simple as a warming sensation), on your inhale let the energy of your heart flood your brain. On your exhale let your heart energy flush through-out every cell of your body.

Please join us by posting your comments and impressions at the end of this entry. I look forward to participating together.

I will have my annual holiday gift, "Orange Rum Chakra Gingerbread Cookie", for each of you who can make it to the center. (So I make sure there are enough please R.S.V.P.)

Peace & Blessings from one "co-heart" to another.

Namaste

Syl

Meditation Four-Making Space

Meditation Four is about making space in our mind for our heart, and making space in our heart for Blessings Beyond Measure.

When we create space for light, it fills that space completely. When we shut out the light, then darkness exists.

When we pull back the curtain from the window of our minds and the light floods in, the darkness does not scurry down the vents and cracks in the walls...the darkness becomes the light.

During the Winter months we have less physical light. Especially as we enter the Solstice. During this reflective time of year we find the most abundant light lives inside our own minds and hearts.

This special meditation is to make space, openness and the Light of Blessings Beyond Measure to pour though the hearts and minds of all humanity, including each one of us in our Global Group.

Meditation Four will take place on December 10th at 4:09pm. I have been wondering for some time what I would like to do for my birthday. If I could have anything I choose, it would be for each of you to join me in meditation at the hour of my birth on December 10th.

This is a mediation with no expectations, just opening, making space and allowing light to fill it.

Coincidentally, LIGHT was my first word.

To begin we will release our everyday obsessive thoughts by beginning with an eye movement meditation:

Eye Movement Meditation

Sit comfortably erect or lay in comfortable position. With eyes closed throughout the meditation. Breathe from the diaphragm, through the nostrils, silently, a soft breath and begin:

1- upper left corner of the eye sockets
Inhale, move the eyes from center, slowly, diagonally to the upper left corner of the eye sockets. Hold for brief moment at the top of breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

2- upper right corner of the eye sockets
Inhale, move the eyes from center, slowly, without straining, diagonally to the upper right corner of the eye sockets. Hold softly for a moment at the top of breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

3- lateral left of the eye sockets
Inhale, move the eyes from center, directly lateral left of the eye sockets. Hold for brief moment at the top of breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

4-laterally right of the eye sockets
Inhale, move the eyes from center, slowly, directly laterally right of the eye sockets. Hold for a moment at the top of breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

5-lower left corner of the eye sockets
Inhale, slowly, move the eyes from center, softly, diagonally to the lower left corner of the eye sockets. Hold for brief moment at the top of breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

6- lower right corner of the eye sockets
Inhale, slowly, move the eyes from center, diagonally to the lower right corner of the eye sockets. Hold soft for brief moment at the top of breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

7- downward toward the tip of the nose
Inhale, drop the eyes downward toward the tip of the nose. Hold at the top of the breath. Exhale, relax eyes back to center.

8- upward to the bridge of the nose
Inhale, slowly draw the eyes upward to the bridge of the nose. Softly hold... Exhale, relax eyes back to center.…Breathe softly.

Let the breath move the eyes as they draw toward the different directions, rather than lock and hold at the end of the socket movements.

This meditation will release stress from all the areas of the mind. Sit with it...Let the Mind/ Body space it opens you to fill with light. Do your best not to judge it, or lable...Just be in the light!

Breathe a relaxed breath, and stay in the space for as long as you feel comfortable.

As you come out of your meditation share your expansive space of light as you intend it out to everyone else.

It is amazing, to realize that the light from you will not dissipate when you share it...It intensifies and gives an expansive feeling outward that is Beyond Measure! Better than you could have hope for, more than you could have dreamed of...all you have to do is make the space.

It works the same way in life.

Global Gratitude

We reach the culmination of our two week Meditation THREE, with a unifying meditation of gratitude.

To wrap up Meditation Three, November 26th & 27th, Wednesday & Thursday Evening at 7pm MST, we will spend 15 minutes together as a group in global meditation of the gifts of Gratitude and Appreciation.

Start with your Sat Nam (details in following entry), and then begin to breathe in feelings of Appreciation and exhale feelings of Gratitude for something that you are thankful for in relation to what is happening in the world right now.

This could be the self-reflection that the upheaval has caused, it could be the way it has taught us that our actions individually really do affect the collective, or that we have an opportunity to see just how much our lives (economic and otherwise) are built on our faith in each other. Or...maybe appreciation and gratitude that many of your e-mail request inspired this meditation.

It is not a coincidence that financial language uses the word appreciation to describe something that increases in value. What we value appreciates, what we appreciate we raise in value.

Thank you for joining in!

Meditation Three—the language of what we “tell” our SELF

Meditation Three is a special practice done for 10-20 minutes at dawn. It is a meditation using a silent “mantra”…What is a mantra?

In the West we unknowingly already use mantras like “I’m such a loser”, “I hate it when that happens” or “no pain, no gain”. We each have our own special brand of reinforcing language that can lock us into patterns of depreciation, or worse apathy.

Using a mantra in meditation can help instill positive feelings that, when used with our breath, become more believable to us and subsequently have a positive effect on our lives, as well as others.

Mantras used in meditation can be more believable because in a relaxed thought process, we can loosen the ego argument with our higher self. The “higher self “is the part of us that knows we can think and act more mindfully than we normally do, the ego is the part of us that rationalizes and justifies.

Also, yoga mantras take us “outside the box”, because the words are somewhat unfamiliar, which makes it easier to not associate the mantra with anything we already know.

So for our dawn meditation we get to sit and follow our breath as we inhale and exhale two words: “Sat” as you inhale and “Nam” as you exhale.

“Sat” means “Truth”, and “Nam” means “name” or “me”. Together, with your inhale and exhale these words make up the mantra that we would interpret as “I am my true self”, “ I am my true identity”, “All Truth is ME”.

If you are participating in this incredible Global Meditation you will get an e-mail on Monday with more details about this mantra. If you would like to join our global group email: syl@whitemountainyoga.com.

Using this meditation as a group will connect us together to the collective Better Angels of our Nature. In participating, we send the light of our “true self mediation” across the landscape of the world, and we hold the space for everyone “under the sun”, as the day dawns, to also feel a sense of their “true self” or higher purpose. And in doing so, bring their actions into a healthy integrity.

We will practice together, from where ever we are, each morning at dawn, beginning November 11th, through Thanksgiving Morning in the U.S, November 27th. This day of Gratitude is really needed at this time. Coming into “your truth” will bring on a wave of gratitude. Each morning sit with it, or journal it, or write your comments at the end of this blog entry.

Personally, I also think of Thanksgiving as a family holiday. I am a 10th generation granddaughter of William Bradford, who came to America on the Mayflower. As many of you know, they arrived at Cape Cod the morning of November 11th 1620, and he was the second governor of the Plymouth Colony.

My “10-greats” Grandfather presided (with Indian Chief of the Wampanoag) over the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621. I have read from the original manuscript his personal history (written in 1620 old-style Kings English), and while many of the words, and rhythms were difficult for me to read, he spoke of two men coming to his door in England, with the message of religious freedom, and an underground movement, that would lead them (in his words) as Moses from Egypt.

I quote in his own words, (and spelling): “God’s blessing on their labours, as in other places of ye land, so in ye North parts, many became inlightened by ye word, and had their own ignorance discovered unto them, and begane, by His grace to reforme their lives and make conscience to their ways…”

I am honored over 388 years later to be a part of another group effort to do the same…”Like (10-Greats) Grandfather, like grand-daughter” I guess.

Meditation TWO "Lets do the Wave"

Have you ever been at a football game, or concert and one person says: "lets do the WAVE!" For our global Meditation Two in our 2008 Winter Solstice Series, that is exactly what we are going to do:

During the three days of Oct. 27th - 29th we will be meditating for aprox. 10-20minutes at twilight, morning and evening.

Twilight is a time when your thoughts and intentions hold a much farther reaching, much more expansive energy. A time when quiet inspiration is natural because you are not bound by day or night.

Our meditation will begin with the breath, as we in/exhale the energy of appreciation (past), enjoyment (present), and joyful anticipation (future)-three energies the people of our world are in deep need of presently.

As you bring in these energies, through visualization or just bathing yourself in the energy of each word's individual meaning (or their meaning as a trinity), our meditation will send a wave of this incredible healing over the planet morning and evening for three days. We could think of it as a global, energetic, healing cleanse.

In joining this "Wave" we will be essentially sending a healing balm of meditative energy that will lift everyone on the planet as they either arise for their day, or retire to a sweeter sleep. I can nearly guarantee that being one of the participants will give you some of the most restful sleep and rejuvenated mornings you have experienced in a long time!

We have all the time zones in the US, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico covered and many more across the globe. Please let anyone you know who is willing (anywhere in the world, the more the better) to e-mail me and I will add them to the "Wave" of our circle. We are still hoping for like-minded people from the UK, Africa, & Middle East to join.

You will receive more details on how to do this mediation from me via e-mail this Saturday October 25 if you are in the e-mail group (you would have recd. a welcome letter). If you have not yet e-mailed me to be added to a special temporary e-mail list you can participate by simply emailing "add ME" to syl@whitemountainyoga.com

Until Saturday feel free to continue our Meditation One - Confusion to Wisdom as many times at you wish. Thanks to all who have commented at the bottom of this blog for sharing your sacred experiences!

Mediation ONE Transforming Confusion into Wisdom

Our first meditation, began together yesterday, Sun. Oct. 12th at 4:00pm MST USA/Canada.

Comments from this mediation are cascading in. Thank you to those of you who are willing to share. Your experiences are each an invaluable contribution.

Even though many of us meditated together (from our own homes), from all over the globe yesterday, this first style of meditation will continue through Mon. Oct. 27th. Feel free to join in at any point. You can learn the forum for "Meditation One" by emailing me at syl@whitemountainyoga.com. I will send you the e-mail that went out, which will teach you the style of meditation we are working with for the next couple of weeks. It is incredibly healing.

Please feel free to repeat this meditation as often as you like between now and our next mediation which will take place as a group Oct. 28th-30th! Look for details on what style of meditation we will be doing to come to you by e-mail the weekend of Oct. 25th.

I have posted my experience from our last group session in the below comments. It was such a profound, yet calming experience. Most importantly, as I meditated on the issue that surfaced for me, I was so touched by the energy that kept coming back with my compassion breath, it was a phrase that told my mind/body/spirit: "everything is just how it should be, everyone is in just the place that they need to be in, everything will fall into place". The other message that seemed to prevail in my experience was that, even though it isn't turning out like we planned, as a world family, we are being prepared for "Blessings Beyond Measure"!

I thought of the phrase by the poet David Whyte, "What you can plan is too small for you to live, what you can live will make plans enough...sometimes it takes darkness, and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn that anything or anyone who does not bring you more alive is too small for you!"

Thanks to all who are sharing as we continue through this important work to bring one another more alive.

Blessings

2008 Winter Solstice Global Meditation

If you would like to participate in this global event, e-mail me: Syl@whitemountainyoga.com

Between now and December 21st 2008, we will work together using the powerful yoga tool (of several styles) of Meditation.

The aim of this event is to help our world culture, which is currently experiencing a high dosage of distress and disconnection.

We will help connect-up our own inner-strength and wholehearted desire to "thrive" rather than "dive", and we will feel and see our personal blessings flower in the winter.

...and most importantly we will help the spirit of our planet, (the big Mamma), as she gives birth to a completely new, more spiritual age of consciousness.

The meditations will come to you in the form of an e-mail series. Approximately once every fortnight you will receive an e-mail which will include food for thought, and a meditation that we will do together from where ever we are.

Though I will give you a specific time (all Mtn-Standard time USA & Canada), and the length will vary, you can use your own discretion as to when and how you want to participate. For example, if you can do it with the rest of us fine, or you can simply make a heart-felt note to hold the intention as part of the group, and/or do it on your own time). Meditation is beyond what we think of as linear time, but gives an exponential component to those of us that can do it simultaneously.

Our final meditation will be December 21st 2008, at the exact moment of Winter Solstice, from 11:00 am to 12:05pm. For those of you that are close by physically, this whole afternoon will be held at the White Mountain Center for Yoga & Therapeutic Studies in Provo. During the noon-time we will share a gentle Winter Solstice Yoga Practice, Food (complete with your annual "Wheels of Life" chakra gingerbread man) and final solstice Meditation.

Plan on coming in your winter cozy clothes and enjoy the delights of the season--it will be an incredibly sacred way to enter the three days that lead us into Christmas, as well as honor the spirit of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

The phrase "winter solstice" means "sun standing still". It is typically the longest night of the year, a time when we are in "Lunar, or feminine energy" for the longest hours in a single day. The weeks leading up to the solstice are, ideally, very reflective, and vitally important to our mind, body & spirit well-being.

With the economic and energetic upheaval, we are not getting our much needed dose of this rejuvenation, which we normally have this time of year, so participating in this incredible work, will give you a level of sustaining energy you would otherwise be missing.

This labor of love will also shield you from the disharmonious forces trying to take root in our collective consciousness and give you the inner-power to make up for tens of thousands of people who are existing on the lower eb of fear and trepidation without realizing an effective way to transcend their feelings.

I am looking forward to it! Thank you from my heart for your desire to take part in this world-wide meditation to heal our global heart.

Please invite as many as you can to participate with us, there is no cost, but a high value. Anyone can join in at anytime by requesting they be added to our group. They can e-mail me at syl@whitemountainyoga.com, so if you are comfortable let everyone in your e-mail circle know.

Read Comments below to see meditation time & responses: