“We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.”–Swami Vivekananda
Author note: A reader requested I write another meditation. I hope this benefits not only that reader, but anyone else who may be in need of a quiet mind, even if only for a few moments.
Wakeful Worries 😏
As I rose early on a recent morning, thoughts were bouncing around on the trampoline of my mind. I had a to-do list that was growing and several creative ideas sprouting. Overriding all of this, however, were stresses and worries springing about like jackrabbits in the desert. In fact, those negative thoughts, I realized with a sudden clarity, had been vying for residency in my mind for several weeks to the point they were disrupting my sleep.
Feeling the inner war, I opened a window, sat down in a chair near it–cup of coffee in hand–and welcomed nature’s morning muzak. I took in a deep inhale, and slowly let it out.
Inhaling, I felt the expanse of my ribs. Exhaling, I sensed bits of tension releasing. Focusing on my breath, I gently closed my eyes in an attempt to relax my body and release the mind noise. Inhale, soften. Exhale, dissolve.
Focused Breathing 😮💨
I am unsure how long I remained in this focused state of breathing, but soon, my mind drifted–as it tends to do–back into thoughts. Thoughts of past events, worries of future events, and pressing concerns for the day ahead kept popping up. I had to keep redirecting my mind back to my breath and gently pushed aside those niggling thoughts. It wasn’t easy. Like a curious toddler trying to tempt fate, my mind kept circling back to those all-consuming worries and concerns.
Inhale, redirect the mind back to the breath. Exhale. Let go of the negative thoughts jostling for attention.
As my mind engaged in this game of ping-pong, I was reminded of a story I heard years ago during my yoga teacher training.
Inhale, notice how easily the body can breathe. Exhale, notice how naturally the body releases.
The Parable of the two Wolves 🐺
The story, as I recall, is based on a Native American parable. An old tribal leader was teaching his grandson about life. The grandfather tells his grandson that there is a fight going on inside of him. He describes it as a terrible fight between two wolves.
Inhale, notice the ease of breath.
One wolf is evil, the story goes. He is filled with anger, envy, superiority, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false-pride, and ego.
Exhale, let go more.
The other wolf is good. He is filled with joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, and compassion.
Inhale, lungs fill.
The grandson thought about it for a minute, and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
Exhale, lungs release.
The old tribal leader smiled and replied, “The wolf you feed will win.”
Inhale truth; exhale falsities.
our Thoughts can be shackling ⛓️
I sat with the story, returning to the ebb and flow of my breath. The nourishment of the inhale continued to fill me with a sense of peace. The long, slow exhale showered the soul, washing away worries, fears, and anxieties.
Many of us have experienced moments when we feel shackled by memories and traumas of past events. For some of us, those past occurrences created deeply-rooted fears, planted in our minds like cancerous tumors. Those seeds of fear from long-ago have a tendency to create clouds of self-doubt, blocking rays of hope and joy that can be found in the present moment.
Inhale, strength. Exhale, dread.
However, there are times when all the present can offer you is a stem full of thorny events as if the sweet blossoms of life have been stolen. Illness, disease, work-day stressors, financial struggles, and numerous other difficulties prickle and needle our days with seemingly no balm for the soul. At these times, it can be easy to dip into the waters of sorrow, the woe-is-me story.
Inhale, perseverance. Exhale, detachment from the story.
mindful connections 😌
However, even when we are surrounded by the chaos of life, there is a place of peace and ease. All it takes is a moment to reconnect with our breath, the river of calm and life-giving force within us. By giving up the struggle for one moment, we can let go of the bubbles of tension held within our depths, and allow them to rise and release with each exhale. With each inhalation, we strengthen our connection to our True Source, our Infinite Creator. With each exhalation, we can surrender our illusion of control and trust that all is as it should be.
Inhale, fortitude. Exhale, liberate the mind.
By watching the ebb and flow of each inhale and exhale, we can lay down our burdens of our fear, doubt, and pain for the time being, and allow the Universe to carry the load for us. We can inhale the peace, and with the exhale, perceive the lightness of nothing is weighing us down in the moment. We can allow ourselves to feel the Divine creations that we are, and have faith in the process. All is well in this moment as we breathe.
Inhale, trust. Exhale, believe.
breathe. connect. have faith. 😌
In the same way that we trust our lungs to breathe for us–even when we are not focused on them–so too must we put our trust in our Creator and the flow of our life. It doesn’t mean all will be perfect, for life is not simple. However, when life, and/or those around you, choose to feed the bad wolf, take a breath, and remind yourself that you have the power to choose to feed the good wolf, simply by pausing and taking a few deep breaths.
Inhale, faith. Exhale, peace.
Steph Simply 