Recently I was on the phone with an old friend trying to patch up a disagreement when, at a particularly difficult moment, an urgent voice rose up in me that almost spilled out into speech. Here’s what it said: “She’s criticizing me and blaming me. This isn’t fair!” My heart was pounding, making my face hot.
But then something new happened. I waited. Pausing, I took a long breath, and imagined light pouring over me and grounding through my feet, steadying me in the rising swells. In that moment I knew, my friend missed me and wanted to feel close again. That’s what I wanted too. It was really as simple as that. And so, rather than pouncing on her and defending my honor, I softened, listened to her grievance and responded calmly. The only explanation for my newfound serenity: meditation.
Like anyone else, I love to lie down on the couch at the end of a long day, watch my favorite shows, and eat goodies from our local bakery (rumored to have the best chocolate chip cookies in New York City!) When I’m exhausted, I just want to “zone out.”
But I always end my days with meditation. Here’s why: It feels good. And the more I meditate, the better it feels. It is peaceful and calming, and settles my chaotic thoughts. More than that, meditation allows me to commune with Spirit, and with the ever-present guides and angels hovering around me. Like a siren luring me into her watery depths, meditation has grown on me over time, enticing me with sensations of grace and serenity. Then, as my dedication intensified, I uncovered a further layer of beauty, lying at the heart of the practice, like buried treasure at the bottom of the sea.
The treasure, available to anyone, unlocks itself slowly over time, spreading tiny jewels intermittently throughout our days, gradually making each aspect of our experience shine a little brighter. One delightful and surprising gem that began to illuminate my days was the occasional ascension into bliss. Walking on a sidewalk or in the woods, it would come upon me, arresting me on the spot. Then, peering around with enchanted eyes, the world seemed impossibly beautiful, colors shining with more luster, the faces of strangers filling me with love.
I started experimenting with summoning the state at will, and it worked. Not all the time, but often. It seemed to be a matter of focus and intent, as if turning a magical switch in my brain to unleash a feeling of total peace, contentment and joy. Or, to try another metaphor: It was like picking up a prism and turning it just so, until the sunlight glinted through, splashing the colors of the rainbow across my world. That prism is in our hands all the time, but it takes practice to learn how to shift it and change our perspective. Daily meditation primes our capacities for this type of consciousness shift.
Of course, any amount of meditation is beneficial. We all know that. But if you want to turn up the heat on your practice, increase your sensitivity to the spirit realm, and invite more joy into your everyday awareness, a daily practice is key.
Thankfully, my husband also meditates daily because, sometimes I can be quite annoying, especially when I splay myself on the couch at night, and leave a trail of cookie crumbs on the carpet. What a relief that he too has learned to pause!
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