When the body is physically depleted it can seem difficult to make the choice to Meditate. Even if you do choose to sit on your Meditation cushion or chair, when exhausted you may find yourself slumped, dozing off, doing the “nodding dog”, ending up with a stiff neck and likely a side order of negative, self-denigrating, “I should be able to…..”, or “I can’t do it”, thoughts.
This Heart journey we’re on here, is not about forcing Nature but going with it. It’s not about denying or forcing our own physical Nature but about learning to be more aware of it’s basic and necessary needs, which when met allows more ease and clarity of Seeing, that in turn supports us to make healthier choices.
There’s a popular saying in Meditation culture that the Sun is always shining beyond the clouds, however there are clouds and rain and shady areas for a reason. If you find yourself as a desert, burnt out, dehydrated, blinded by the glare of your sunny (and dare I say lofty) Spiritual expectations instead of energised by them, then you may be in need of some good old fashioned rest.
The more we See, the more we dissolve the heavy veil of Maya. Over time we may come to appreciate the Maya for what it really is as it becomes more like the gossamer wings of the Dragonfly than a blindfold. We begin to see through it, we see the beautiful play of light and shade. As we begin to dis-create and see beyond the illusions of our projections, we literally begin to light up, our world lights up, we learn to take life more lightly, as we show up authentically in this life.
It’s difficult not to be in awe of this little being, Dragonfly, that reminds us that the Maya is actually self created by our own faulty projections and our ancestral and cultural conditioning. That includes the very prominent mind virus that whispers in our ear that our self worth is determined by what we do and that we are not worthy of rest. We must “push through”. Sometimes we do indeed need to push and other times that is detrimental. We Meditate to discern what is truly in alignment for our growth and sometimes that is to STOP pushing and START allowing.
Dragonfly represents having the wisdom and resilience to adapt to change. It represents becoming our true self through transformation. It starts life in water (symbolic of our emotions) and grows to fly in the air (symbolic of our mind). Its speed and ability to change direction effortlessly is phenomenal and it’s a powerful symbol of courage, transformation, joy, and adaptability. A dragonfly can see in 360 degrees, and nearly 80 per cent of the insect’s brain is dedicated to its sight. It reminds us too, of the connection between the physical and spiritual realms.
Dragonfly rests with its wings open and I will here, encourage you to play with Meditative rest with your arms and body in an open position. Like Dragonfly, we are learning through our practices, to become masters of our own waters and masters of our own mind; Mastery in this sense becoming adept at navigating, working with, not having control over. The senses are not designed to be slaves to our conditioning, to our desires or our lofty ideals.
If you are like me, resting in a healthy way may not come easily! Part of my learning is to choose to rest before my body or external circumstances demand that I do so. It’s usually at points of extreme exhaustion that my practices go to seed. It always, without doubt, blossoms again.
As I’ve become more aware of my natural tendency to vacillate between ON (full on!) and OFF (barely functional!) and own it, I am learning to actively make the most of my full throttle, knowing that at some point I’m gonna physically need to pause to fill up the “tank”. I am now, for the most, able to recognise when I need to rest and to actually enjoy it! I adjust my practice to suit.
Here’s a few ways I might adjust my practice and support my body in such times of energetic depletion:
- Use a default Heart Word Mantra so there is nothing to “create”. Those that have previously learnt Ascension Meditation with me, you can pick an Ascension Attitude. My default is the 1st.
- Create a semi-supine, reclined position (with Yoga bolsters or improvise with cushions) that supports your head and spine. Think supported Savasana (resting pose), with limbs gently outstretched and support under your knees. Do your Meditation as you would normally. With the body supported you may find you are able to be more alert, or if not your practice will carry you into a deep level of healing sleep and relaxation.
- You can actually do a whole restorative Yoga session, in supported Yoga postures that you rest in for 10mins each and still do your Heart Words Meditation practice throughout. Keep an eye out for a guided online class coming soon, as we head into the winter months. I practice restorative Yoga with Meditation like this on my bed in my van!
- Sometimes I hold crystals in my hands or place them on my body to support the flow of energy and any healing that is needed. As a qualified crystal therapist I’ll come back to what crystals are helpful and how to use them in another blog! I also sometimes use a “Polaraid” device on my chakras, setting a timer so I know when to move it. I Meditate as I would normally. When I notice my mind drifting, I cycle through my Mantras for the day, week, month, etc or my Ascension Attitudes.
- I may create specific Mantras through Self Enquiry, aimed towards physical healing by “listening” to any areas of pain as the focal points to receive Mantras, or go through each Chakra energy centre to receive healing and balancing Mantras to play with. The Chakra Meditation version of Heart Words practice incorporates the use of colours and visualisation which the body is very responsive to. This used to be very popular in my live classes at Whitespace Yoga Studio. It’s my intention to record it. Please do bug me to do so if this appeals to you!
- Ask for help from the Angels. Archangel Raphael is the Angel for healing. Ask him to surround you in emerald green light whilst you are Meditating, to give you any healing needed, clarity on what is needed to replenish your body and what changes are needed to not get so depleted in future. Warning. No change, no different outcome. You may not get insights in your Meditation if you are that exhausted, although sometimes, the exhaustion actually allows us to “get out of the way” so insights can pop in! Be open to what is presented to you in the outer world that may support you. Working with Angels can make it easier to make changes needed, especially if you have no external, positive role models encouraging you or are surrounded with people that it’s not in their best interest that you grow and change!
If you’re into Angels or curious in how to work with Angelic energies, please check out my upcoming in-person event Angel Cosmology on Sunday October 6th 2024.
We’ll meet tonight, Monday 16th September 2024, 7.30pm in the zoom Meditation Cafe, and help you get clear on a default mantra for an eyes closed OR eyes open Meditation practice. The session will be focused on rejuvenation and healing. If you’d like to come learn and participate in some active resting, please register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElfuCupjwuE9x3PEtQSm2KP_VO1qpeWls5
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No previous experience necessary. An open mind and willing Heart is helpful. You can find the weekly registration links and read about contraindications, other things you need to be aware of, on the Meditation Cafe page . If you’re struggling with your mental health or experiencing any kind of trauma, please contact me beforehand to discuss whether this Meditation practice is for you, or how we might adapt the practice to support you.
Meditation Cafe is part of The Silent Revolution and is free by default. If you’d like to support me in this work, you can if you feel called to, “Buy Me A Coffee” in the Cafe, pay for the tuition received (the going rate is between £5 – £8 for similar online classes) or express your Gratitude with a donation here:
http://paypal.me/thebendywitch
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Thank you for liking, sharing blogs and poems you resonate with with friends and for sharing any thoughts provoked, contemplations and your experiences of Meditation in the comments.
The Bendy Witch 