There’s a reason meditation has stood the test of time across cultures and traditions. We often hear about its benefits in reducing stress and improving focus, but there’s a deeper power simmering beneath the surface, meditating regularly is “an overcoming“.
Think about it. Before each session, there’s likely a familiar voice – the “old you” – whispering doubts and excuses. It might be the urge to check your phone, the nagging feeling you “should” be doing something more productive, or simply the resistance to stillness itself. Every time you choose to sit for meditation, defying this internal chatter, it’s a victory.
Each gentle but firm decision to meditate is a brick laid in the foundation of your new self. Every sitting you surrender to is an act of taking control from the hands of the old you, and constructing the new programme that you choose to live by. This is not an inner war, it is an act of love that sees you blooming into the strongest version of yourself that you’ve ever been.
“Within each of us there is a silence as vast as the universe. We long for it. We can return to it.” – Jack Kornfield
“When we take the one seat on our meditation cushion we become our own monastery. We create the compassionate space that allows for the arising of all things: sorrows, loneliness, shame, desire, regret, frustration, happiness.” – Jack Kornfield
“Meditation takes discipline, just like learning how to play piano. If you want to learn how to play the piano, it takes more than a few minutes a day, once a while, here and there. If you really want to learn any important skill, whether it is playing piano or meditation, it grows with perseverance, patience, and systematic training.” – Jack Kornfield
Guiding mantras for your meditation journey:
- “I choose stillness.” Repeat this mantra before each meditation session to reaffirm your commitment to inner peace.
- “I observe my thoughts with kindness.” This mantra helps cultivate self-compassion and detachment from the constant chatter in our minds.
- “With each breath, I step closer to my true self.” As you focus on your breath, visualize yourself becoming the empowered, authentic person you wish to be.
Remember, meditation is a practice, not a destination. There will be days when it feels effortless, and others where your mind seems particularly restless. Be gentle with yourself throughout the process. Every time you return to your cushion, you’re making a powerful investment in your well-being. So, find your silence, create your sanctuary within, and witness the strength that unfolds within you.
Have a peaceful Sunday everyone!
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Finding silence.