‘When you start the day with a moment of solitude and contemplation, even the most crowded schedule runs more smoothly’

     Brahma Kumaris – Thought for the Day

Meditation can be thought of as the act of quieting oneself in order in order to receive guidance from the knowing within. To get to know the place within you that offers calmness and serenity. To practice how to find that place when life appears overwhelming. Some believe that guidance can also come from a higher power or source.

Jessica Macbeth has written some excellent books on meditation, I strongly recommend ‘Moon over Water, Meditation Made Clear with Techniques for Beginners and Initiates’ (published by Gateway, 1990). Macbeth gives the encouragement that the effects of meditation spill into our everyday life. With meditation comes the ability to focus and concentrate, the practice of letting go when appropriate and knowing when to be flexible rather than sticking to one response or belief system. The epitome of meditation is to be still, which does not mean to be thinking about being still. To illustrate this, Macbeth suggests we think of the silent moon resting in space, the moon disappears, leaving nothing resting in nothingness. If we manage this state of stillness, we seem to then experience everything but it is not an everything that is separate. Instead of emptiness there is complete fullness. This state just ‘is’.

Meditation is available to everyone. The only wrong way of doing meditation is not doing it at all. Just being still and focusing on breath and breathing is meditating. It can last for one minute or for an hour. Afterwards, the noise that clouded our perception will lessen. That which was unimportant fades to the background, maybe even fades completely. We can turn our attention to what is truly important.

Meditation can offer a wonderful escape. Sometimes returning to the present is an unattractive prospect. It helps if we ground our meditation in the physical world. By Earthing ourselves, we can fix our physical bodies in the present while our mind explores the landscape within us. When I lead a meditation I like to make a conscious connection with the Earth. This can provide us with a mindful awareness of time, rather than wondering ‘where the year went’. When we think of calmer days, we use phrases such as ‘being grounded’ or ‘having both feet on the ground’. When we feel overwhelmed we ‘can’t think straight’ or our ‘thoughts feel scattered’. When this happens, we are less likely to turn to a friend who has ‘their head in the clouds’ as opposed to someone who ‘has their bearings’ and is ‘earthed’.

The Celtic traditions, seasonal ceremonies and tree calendar can provide a way to connect with Earth energies. Considering different types of energies may be new to you but I aim to use these ideas as simply as possible. The Celtic and seasonal calendar can give an outward focus, grounding us in the physical world, whilst the tree calendar can lend itself to an inner focus, guiding us on our own personal journeys.

I hold a women’s meditation group once a month on a Friday evening. Please contact me for details.

Contact and rates

Meditation meetings Women’s group Friday evening, once a month. Contact Yvonne for details.

Cost: Donation