Riding the wave of life’s challenges
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs…….”[i]
Rudyard Kipling wrote these words as the opening line of his poem ‘If’, in 1895. I have taken them very much out of context, but I often think of these lines, especially at the moment.
We are going through “interesting times” (an alleged ancient Chinese curse[ii]), where one challenge after another is being heaped upon us. There appears to be little we can do about what is happening in the world, but the real question is, how can we ride the turbulence and stay physically and mentally well despite it all?
When we wake in the morning, we have a choice; to get up and throw ourselves into the day unprepared (as most do), or to take charge of how our day will be and of our emotional state.
Spending ten or twenty minutes to tune into our inner selves and our subconscious, facing any darker aspects of how we are feeling, reacting to situations etc., and recalibrating ourselves through meditation, changes how our day unfolds. Not only that, but it starts to change us within, bringing forth a greater positivity, mental strength and inner joy.
Meditation is not necessarily sitting with the legs crossed and changing “OM”! It can be a meditative walk if nothing else, taking in the birdsong, Nature’s beauty, and the peace. If that is all you feel you can do, then do it – it’s a gift to yourself.
If you can discipline yourself to set your alarm a little earlier every day and spend time tuning inwards, the benefits will be even greater. There are many sources of meditation guidance, and you will need to find a way that suits you. They vary from those oriented towards busy people who want a practical approach to calming and destressing, to those focusing on chakra balancing and accessing the more spiritual aspects of the self.
Here are some links that provide/guide you to free or low-cost meditation options across the board:
http://www.dandelionmeditation.co.uk
www.mindful.org/free-mindfulness-apps-worthy-of-your-attention
Also, Googling ‘free Buddhist meditation’ will take you to a plethora of sites and options.
If you want to invest in a huge resource that will provide you not only with meditations but courses in many topics including self-development (physical, emotional and spiritual), try Mindvalley
How we can help
When we start to be aware of what is going on in our subconscious, and how we are being held back by our past, a wish to move on can emerge. You may be interested in one of the modalities I work with, Energy Field Therapy, to help you on the emotional, mental and physical levels. Please take a look.
Contact me on jan@bodyinharmony.org.uk or ring on 01753 867877, or 07724 027748.
[1] https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/if/ [Accessed 28.6.22]
[1] Attributed to a Chinese curse plus other sources. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/12/18/live/ [Accessed 28.6.22]
*All websites given above were available on 28.6.22