As we journey into our second week of this 21 Day Meditation together, you may find yourself wondering about your experiences during meditation. When you get into deep meditation you may not be aware of the sounds in your environment, but you are still aware of the sensations in your body. When you do become aware of those sensations, just shift your attention back to your breath and the mantra. Even when it is difficult to shift back, don’t worry, you still get the rest and benefits of meditation.
In these first few days of Shedding the Weight: Mind, Body and Spirit, we have realized we lighten our burdens by coming into balance. But even if we understand that balance is desirable, it will elude us if we approach balance with different parts of our life separately.
Because all the pieces are interconnected, it’s better to “shed the weight” by looking at the whole mind-body system. Our aim is total balance. You can’t achieve this by struggle, effort, discipline, worry, or fighting with yourself. Total balance is achievable by going to a place of total balance – your true self. In meditation, you find your true self, and as you continue the practice, you identify with it more and more. In time, you discover that you were whole all along.
Total Balance Is Natural Balance
Today’s Centering Thought is: My true self leads me to an inspired life.
Today’s Mantra: Om Supra Niti Swaha (I am guided by my self-awareness)
Center yourself to begin a quite solitude of mind and spirit with the thought “My true self leads me to an inspired life.” Then begin to meditate by repeating the mantra: Om Supra Niti Swaha. This mantra affirms that the light of your own being guides your life forward. With each meditation feel your mind body and spirit open just a little more to this affirmation. Each time your mind wanders come back by repeating this mantra and hold the meaning behind it – I am guided by my self-awareness. Simply meditate for 20 minutes.
Today’s Journal Activities:
- Describe three sources of inspiration in your life that keep you aiming to be a better you.
- List any parts of your life you are frustrated with. Notice and describe how that frustration and self-judgment fragments your life and keeps you out of balance.
- Write down why being loving and compassionate with yourself is more helpful than being impatient. Describe how self-kindness and self-acceptance heal, integrate, and rebalance life.
- Reflect further on your experience today.
Being in balance is the best place to be, but getting there can be a trial. Balance is where your heaviness is lifted. Real lasting balance can be going to the very source of ourselves and going beyond our struggles. With balance we move towards inherent and natural confidence, our true sense of worthiness. We can gracefully rebalance and shed the weight of our lives.
Approaching getting into balance one part at a time is not as productive as looking at the whole-body system, because you as a whole person are carrying the weight. The natural tendencies are to ignore weaknesses and flaws. Self-care is about inclusion – even the flaws in us. In meditation we bypass denial and noncompliance. The way around noncompliance isn’t to force yourself because it doesn’t work. The best motivation is inspiration and the best motivation for inspiration is self-compassion – nurture your personal self. Your true self feels fulfilled simply by being in the moment.
“The road to health for everyone is through moderation, harmony, and a sound mind in a sound body.” ― Jostein Gaarder