You are invited to stick with the wise invitation of Winter in January. Slow into the very center of your own being, your own wisdom, your own creativity, the magic that is you.
Do you have the patience to wait til your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till right action arises by itself? The master doesn’t seek fulfilment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present and can welcome all things. -Lao-Tzu
Below you will find a simple practice to engage in daily. A way to still yourself and allow the mud to settle and await for your own wisdom to reveal itself to you.
Centering
*adapted from the Department of Education Centers for Spiritual Living
The first practice for leading a spirit centered life is to learn balance in the inner self, so that the outer world can be observed from a perspective of truth. We have all had experiences of getting caught up in the events around us, and have experienced the pain of feeling the effect of what is happening in our world.
It is important to learn to center the attention, and the intention within one’s own being, and to do this every day. Living from the inside out, is the true method of co-creating and responding to our outer reality. Aligning our- selves with the Divine Power that lives at the very center of our being, allows us to be in the world but not of it, giving us the creative power of change.
Here is a simple step by step method for centering the attention, and perspective.
1. Begin by setting your intention to live more completely from your inner knowing, your inner heart. Be willing to release old concepts, inherited norms, challenges and events from your thinking in order to see more clearly.
Find a quiet place where you can sit for a few minutes alone, undisturbed. This can be a beautiful spot out of doors, your meditation place, your bed when you awake. During the day, it can also be as simple as closing your office door for a few minutes of alone time, sitting in your car, stepping outside, or whatever it takes to find a few minutes alone.
Bring your attention to your breath and begin to breathe into your heart. Continue to breathe until you can feel your heart becoming calm and peaceful.
Set the intention to create a sanctuary here in your own heart where you can rest and be safe. Use your imagination to create this space for yourself in whatever way you choose. You may wish to imagine a wonderful chair there only for you, a room that only you can visit, a color or sensation that feels at home for you. Stay in this idea until it feels safe and grounded and personal to you.
Breathe more deeply into this space and continue to claim the sanctuary of your own being. Begin to realize that this is the place where pure Goodness exists, at the center of you.
Move into the rest of your day continuing to allow your heart to open to this idea. Begin to look out on your life from this safe place at the center, being aware that all of life is a spiritual event. Feel the power within you and just observe the effects of the outer world, knowing that all is unfolding as Goodness or a call for Goodness. Practice relating to others from your center, at your personal heart space, from your heart to theirs.
This spiritual practice is one that must be done constantly and faithfully, practiced in order to maintain peace of mind and power of thought and word. Find time to center daily and begin to practice maintaining a centered perspective under stressful conditions. Remember that your power lies within, and from this centered place, you can create, and love, and find peace in every moment.