Winter Feast - Day 3

My inner struggle was reflected back at me and I saw how the mind will go to great lengths to keep everything the way it knows it to be. It doesn't want to release old thought patterns that no longer have value or meaning. I am beginning the journey of the witness (observer).

Winter Feast for the Soul - Day 2

After the layers of self doubt were lifted away I came out of this meditation with the realization that where I believed I was committed to a project, it was merely stubbornness of will.
I must be mindful in the future; commitment of self vs. stubbornness of will.

Winter Feast for the Soul - Day 1

Back to the basics - How to Meditate

To settle the mind you have to settle the body.
Sitting erect but relaxed; one vertebrae on top of the other.
Let go of any expectations of what this meditation should look like.
Have the intention to release any thoughts that may arise.
Anchor the focus to the sensations of breathing to help settle the mind.
Gently allow your body to relax into your breath.
Breath in, breath out; notice the sensation where your attention is focused.
Allow the breath to be what it is, do not try to change the way you breathe.
When your mind wanders, gently return to breath with no judgement.

Forty minutes of silent meditation was quite a unexpected challenge.
My mind created discomfort in my body;and I released by coming back to the focus of my breath.
My mind created self doubt, I was meditating all wrong; and I released by coming back to the focus of my breath.
My mind created distraction, perhaps the computer had gone to sleep and I wouldn't know when the 40 minutes was up; and I released by coming back to the focus of my breath.

In conclusion I am reminded of the importance of silent meditation.

Winter Feast for the Soul

Today is the first day of participating in the "Winter Feast for the Soul".

"The mission of A Winter Feast for the Soul is to support individuals around the world in making a commitment to daily spiritual practice for forty days. A life grounded in daily practice is one that knows inner peace. It is that peace which translates into peace throughout our lives and ultimately to peace and healing for our planet.

We know that it only takes a few committed individuals to change the world. We are here to do that. Please join us this coming winter for

A Winter Feast for the Soul
a 40-day worldwide spiritual practice period for people of all faiths everywhere.
January 15 – February 23, 2010"

I hope that you will have a look at this site and perhaps join in ... it's free!!

http://www.winterfeastforthesoul.com

I will be sharing my experiences as I journey through the 40 days.

Peace to you,

Julia

Haiku - Waka - Tanka

The first adventure I had to express my own voice was when I was a child and we were taught how to write a Haiku. Once I began to write the haiku's I couldn't stop. At the time, my Grandfather was ill with cancer and I was too young to visit him in the hospital. Instead, I put my energy into making little books of Haiku's describing the day. My father would take my books of poems to the hospital for my grandfather. It made me feel as if I might give a bit of sunshine into his day. None of these books survived; nor did my Grandfather. I find it interesting to travel back and see where my passion for writing began. Now, looking back, I see it as where my passion for healing began too.

As we enter into winter and the Holiday season I offer my Waka to you.

Fear not the winter
Barren tree's and sleeping soil
Fear not the coldness
It is time to dwell within
Peaceful pursuits; Gratefulness

Too busy to meditate??

To find time to meditate when things get busy seems to be a challenge; but, this is precisely the time meditation is most important. The first step is to redefine our concept of the time required. Sometimes, when life seems too busy, all that is needed is to consciously breathe out and then in again ... you have to breathe anyway ... just that simple conscious thought with action can ground and centre us. Focusing on breath is always a meditation whether it is one breath or many.

Reiki Meditation In the Park

If you are in Toronto this Saturday, August 22 8:30 AM hopefully you will be able to attend the first public Hands that Heal *Pay-What-You-Can event. Set in the beautiful High Park at The Labyrinth our reiki practitioner, Julia, will lead a group meditation while applying Reiki.
Guided group meditation with Reiki offers a wonderful and deep sense of relaxation. People continue to feel the Reiki being applied even when the practitioner has moved onto another participant. The wonderful gift of Reiki can be brought to many more people through this method.
The ancient symbol of a labyrinth represents a journey to the centre of our core self and back out into the world with a renewed sense of ourselves. Labyrinths have been used throughout ancient cultures for meditation and prayer.

Hope to see you there - don't forget to bring a yoga mat, blanket or towel to sit on.

*Pay- What- You-Can* in Reiki it is believed that there should always be an exchange of energy money, fruit, service, testimonial ... etc.