Weekly reflections on finding stillness within.
I recently attended a global meditation with no shortage of enthusiasm, as the potency in the teacher’s presence is something not to be missed. Before we sat for our 20 minutes of inner contented bliss, the teacher reminded us that a wandering mind during seated meditation has purpose; a tool for clearing out the cobwebs left behind by accumulated stress and unmet expectations. As Vedic meditators, our thoughts traverse from point A to point B, effortlessly redirecting themselves towards a more charmed state. With this, our practice is born.
The teacher used a simple analogy of an autumn leaf falling from a tree. The leaf, embodying very little weight in its essence, floats somewhat erratically as it makes its way down to the ground. Down it goes, passing the center plumb line from time to time. It floats effortlessly, gracefully and without a predetermined agenda. It floats in full allowance of its true nature and in full surrender to the unknown.
Like a leaf in autumn, we are meant to waft from here to there, passing through our own personal plumb lines as we go. As mothers, we live on either side of “centered” at any given moment, only momentarily collecting ourselves fully. We are soon thrown back into our habitual wafting to explore our edges once more. Our hearts and minds will wander to greener pastures, the insurmountable to-do list, and to the little beings dependent on our presence.
It’s by design that our personal practice lies in the allowance of the wafting. When we pass through the occasional moment of transcendence, we become aware of our place on the path, learning to flow with less resistance and softening ever so slowly back into our true nature.
This week’s journal prompt: As you embody your role as mother/caregiver this week, observe where you may be “efforting” against the natural flow? Where can you soften your edges, surrender to the unknown path ahead, and gracefully float life a leaf in an autumn’s breeze?
Resources for your practice: Wing of Effort, Wing of Grace by Jan Birchfield, The Radiance Sutras by Lorin Roche and Fear & Discomfort, the Friendly-Foe of Motherhood on the Our Seva blog.
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Each week, expect a bite-sized personal reflection with accompanying journal prompt. My hope is that by sharing these reflections and prompts, you’ll be inspired into purposeful action and we’ll both be reassured that we are not alone in this process of unraveling.
Once a month, expect a curation of resources intended to inspire a deeper personal practice. There will be Q&A interviews to showcase how other women in this community navigate transformation, articles and podcasts that have made a lasting impression and practical mindfulness exercises to bring about sustainable change. If you’re a fan of mantra…there will be some of that too.