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Greetings,
Our perception of ourselves and our place in the world has been shaped by many powerful influences such as our birthday, our parents, our formative years of upbringing and our environment. How and what we view as ‘normal’ can differ vastly amongst ourselves, yet society does establish standards, and within this realm there is always a middle ground if we take the time to look for it. A fundamental belief that exists in many cultures and walks of life - whether we call it the Middle Path, the Middle Way or the Middle Pillar - is the path between extremes and it is the place where we find balance and harmony.
When it comes to our own natural state of wellbeing, it is essential that we understand what that is so that we can readily recognize any deviations that may occur to upset this balance in an unhealthy way – and then reestablish it. First, we must experience how this feels in order to develop the ability to open a healthy pathway that enables us to remember that feeling. This takes practice so that when challenges and/or circumstances arise, our Mind, Spirit and Body make a connection and automatically set into motion this self-healing action.
The practice of Breath Awareness is one such way. The following meditation will help you to recognize within yourself what your natural state is and, equally important, what it is not. It is a way of building a platform of support by creating a behavioral pattern that is cultivated and sensitized to your internal rhythms and needs, naturally. We don’t have to manage anything – instead, we actually take an active participation in our own transformation.
Breath pattern and visualization: You will be taking an inward journey. Be seated comfortably (relax your shoulders), hands in lap (palms facing up), eyes closed and begin Long Deep Breathing through the nose. Let your body feel in perfect balance. Bring your attention to your breath. Allow your mind to follow your breath and feel its motion. Observe and notice any changes in your subtle breath – continue observing as you are bringing your awareness to the state of your breath and flow of your prana (life-force). Continue Long Deep Breathing as you begin to feel and sense what your normal state of breathing is. This is the key that will enable you to notice any future deviations that may be unhealthy.
Now, imagine that the surface of your skin is all around you. As you breathe, feel the surface of your skin breathe with you; then imagine it can lift off to form a bubble. With each inhale, the bubble expands and fills with the light of the Sun, and with each exhale, feel it as it relaxes and comes closer, lightly embracing you. As you inhale and expand the bubble, let everything in – light, thoughts, feelings, sounds, fragrances, taste. Let each inhale alert you and each exhale relax you. As you continue to breathe, gradually expand the sensory bubble outward by feet, yards, miles, light-years, to the unlimited.
Become still in the center of your expanding and contracting bubble and rest in your heart. With each breath, reestablish your still point, your center and feel the vastness of your heart. Then inhale deeply, suspend your breath and expand your breath bubble as far as you can. After approx 5-10 seconds, exhale powerfully through your mouth, and explode your bubble to infinity. Be still for a moment - sense everything, bless everything and release everything.
Inhale deeply, suspend your breath, and stretch your arms overhead – stretch, stretch, stretch - then exhale, bringing your arms down slowly. Open your eyes and Smile!
Try practicing this in silence, beginning with 3 – 11 minutes.
With continued practice and yes, discipline, you will begin to notice how this inner journey leads you in your outer journey – how readily you will recognize when you move out of your range of inner balance and then how quickly you can find your way back. Focusing inward, then redirecting your focus outward with a wide-angle lens will give you the capacity to open your senses fully – to take in everything with more clarity, insight and an open heart.
We love hearing from you about your experiences. Our e-mail address is beyondthebridge@verizon.net.
Please pass this along to your friends and family!
With Love, Peace and Light,
Beyond the Bridge
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