You are on the home stretch. If you have missed a day (like most people)-- don’t berate yourself. Remember this is a Bhakti challenge-- and it is about Loving yourself. Kindly ask the story teller inside your head (the ego) to sit back with a cup of tea and let your heart jump back into practice.
One of my favorite Yogic chants is translated into english below:
Lead us from the unreal to the real
Lead us from darkness to light
Lead us from death to immortality.
The first line is a potent reminder-- may our practice lead us from what is unreal what is Real. In one of my favorite books Yoga and the Quest for True Self by Stephen Cope he quotes Amrit Desai as saying "Acceptance of reality is what we really mean by the word Love. Love is accepting reality. It is not necessarily an emotional experience; it is impersonal and universal. Reality is God or Spirit in disguise." In essence, to deepen real and lasting Love in your life-- become friends with Reality. Become aware of what IS, just as it is, without the need to change it. Because what IS happening in the moment is Real, everything else is a story. Of course, that does not mean sitting on the couch with a pint of Coconut Bliss and watching reality go by. With presence we move in the world, and we respond and act from a place of Love.
Love, is then found in the present moment and you are a manifestation of this Love in the physical form, as many ancient Yogis and Sages through time and across spiritual traditions have recognized. And, at any moment you can choose Love by bringing your awareness to the present.
Desai says “ If you want to experience the joyous ecstasy that life offers, there is one commitment that is absolutely fundamental: the commitment to live in the moment.”There is so much more to this than I can write, it is complex and yet simple.
Thich Nhat Hahn, a living zen master and author of over 100 books on spiritual practice has created simple ways to cultivate awareness of the present moment. Today we will do one of these practices-- one that I did with him over 10 years ago called Walking Meditation.
Day 12 & 13: Bhakti Challenge
1. First, let's warm up. Asana or yoga postures were designed to prepare our body and minds for meditation. Practicing Yoga is one of the best ways I have found to release tension, drop-in to my breath and slow my thinking mind. Then I am more receptive to meditation. Do 5 minutes of simple yoga postures with breath and movement to warm up today.
2. Walking Meditation
“Let us walk as a free person and feel our steps get lighter. Let us enjoy every step we make. Each step is nourishing and healing. As we walk, imprint our gratitude and our love on the earth.” Thich Naht Hahn.
The weather is beautiful lets go outside and walk. Find a scenic and quiet setting in nature or your neighborhood. Walk without a destination. Feel your breath moving in and out. Walk with a soft gaze, focus upon nothing but aware of everything. Smile softly with your eyes and allow it to spread to your face. Imagine every cell of your body smiling softly. Let the stress and worry of your day fall away with each step.
Walk in silence, both internal and external. Make each step a gesture, move in a state of grace, and each footprint is an impression of the peace and love you feel for yourself and the universe. Walk mindfully for 10 minutes.
Come back to your seat and close your eyes to integrate and reflect on your experiences. Write in your journal and let me know how you are doing.
Many blessings on your walking path to awareness,
Sienna
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