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As I sat ready to release 2017 (and I was ready!), I listened for what 2018 was preparing me for. What energy, focus, theme, word or phrase did I need most for the new year? Devotion.
Devotion to stillness, to meditation, to love, to service, to creating, to healing, to traveling, to causes, to writing, to connections, and to nourishing peace.
I also ask our community to share and declare their word/s and focus for 2018. The global response was amazing. Here are some that have been shared by our tribe:
For the first few years of my meditation practice, I sat in formal lotus posture cross-legged with my back straight and often unsupported. Now for the past two years I sit very differently. My sitting practice teaches me to listen. It’s my way of becoming present. It’s my way of being completely relaxed and comfortable on a chair, or a cushion, or even on a seat in the subway. I have chosen to be comfortable during my practice. This comfort has taught me about how my body rests. My sitting practices has taught me how to more deeply listen to my body and mind. My legs can be crossed or not. My legs can be flat on the floor or not. I just sit upright, comfortably, relaxed and natural. I give myself complete permission to just sit without judging my sitting or anything that arises during my practice.
I place my hands either resting on the arms of the chair, my lap or my palms facing upwards on my lap, whichever is more comfortable. My palms are in the cosmic or also known as the universal mudra, left palm on top of my right, thumb-tips touching. I expand my shoulders so I can feel my heart-center open. I am in receive mode. I either close my eyes or leave them partially open looking down.
I begin sitting with four very slow, deep breaths, expelling all the air through my mouth. Breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, I continue to count these slow deep breaths for a few moments. Then I begin breathing naturally with mouth closed, through the nostrils only, dropping the counting and just sitting without judgments. I allow my mind to wander until it fades. I see the thoughts as floating and passing – this way there is no grasping at one particular thought. Sitting in a non-judging mind takes time – a daily or lifetime practice.
Sitting in this way I can completely relax, and make adjustments if I feel any pain anywhere in my body. I sit for fifteen minutes to one hour. It has become a daily ritual that allows me to start my day with ease and grace. Sitting daily teaches me how to be present. I don’t need to get caught up in chaos. Sitting has taught me to slow down.
There is real joy and pleasure in serving and being present for others. There is a very deep appreciation for being who we are, and not needing to change or fix anyone. Allowing you to be you and me to just be me. Sitting gives me permission to let go, drop into a deeper place within, and live from that place. It is not always easy. When I am stuck, I go back to the breath. When I feel overwhelmed I go back to the cushion. In the stillness within, I experience peace again and again and again. If I am willing to sit, just sit, I discover what remains – pure joy.
My father-in-law, Don, had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh. He would come up with funny names and phrases. I was no exception. My nickname from Don when he was calling me was, “Hey Irish.”
Don was an incredible photographer. He not only took wonderful pictures, but also kept detailed notes on the back of them. He always tracked who, where, and when the photos were taken. He had an amazing eye for taking pictures. Don had been a part-time wedding and newspaper photographer when his children were growing up.
In the late 90’s, Don realized how much of an interest I had in photography and he offered some advice on how to frame photos using various viewpoints. He taught me how to see with a new lens. It’s not easy – seeing with a new lens. He liked to show me how to breakdown the parts of a picture: the foreground, the main view and the background. See the whole thing. When he showed me how to capture an image or a person, he would often advise me to see the whole picture – take in the whole scene. Don wanted me to see more than the photograph I wanted to take. Rather, his advice was often about opening myself up to the larger view, the larger lens, and the larger frame.
I have taken many photos for the past 20 years with new eyes thanks to my father-in-law’s wisdom of seeing through new eyes and a new lens. And now when I photograph a moment using his technique of viewing, framing, and capturing, I always think of him. He was a good teacher.
I don’t think I ever got the chance to say thank you. Don, thank you – I see the world with a bigger lens because of you. Love, Irish
I sat with an egret for a moment – just a few moments.
I watched as it sat still letting the breeze blow its feathers.
Slowly the egret reached down into the water and snatched a fish.
I watched as the egret sauntered lifting each black foot up and out of the water without a sound.
Its slow steady movement was meditation in action.
Each step reminded me to be present.
I sat with an egret and was reminded to be still.
I watched an egret for a moment and realized that’s all we ever have – this moment.
The birds – they see everything. They fly overhead seeing everything. The birds have a different view.
View. The view of the heart. Does that not watch over everything too? How do we watch over? With love? With judgment? With peace? With an open heart?
Is there a being of love watching over everything? Perhaps this is my faith calling me back. Maybe I am ready, listening, and remembering to return.
Returning to light and darkness. Day and night. Doesn’t that watch over us too?
The night sky – looking up – watching over everything through the stars. The lights blinking, glowing, soaring through the sky. What do the stars see through their lens of light?
The light passes. The darkness opens me up to more light. Here I am shining. Here we are shining.
I have learned how much is watching over me. In the end, it is love, always love, watching over me. Here I AM: SKY, SPIRIT, STARS, LOVE watching….
Watching over everything.
This essay was inspired from the Prompt a Day Program with Cynthia Morris.
Enjoy a five minute meditation on peace recorded in Ireland. Spend a few minutes enjoying meditating on peace. Notice what happens when you take time to really breathe in and breathe out peace. Spend a few moments breathing peace, being peace, and extending peace to others. From a place of peace, life becomes filled with ease and joy. Remember – we are only one breath away from peace. Enjoy this meditation with Mary Anne Flanagan, Toning the OM. This was filmed in County Cork, Ireland.
This meditation is dedicated to my beloved Godfather, Uncle Billy.
And this is the place where I stand. And this is the world where I stand. And this is the universe where I stand.
And I breathe. And I breathe. And I belong. And I love. And I long. And I grieve. And I desire. And I remember. And I greet again. And again.
And this is the place where we stand. And this is the world where we stand. And this is the universe where we stand.
And we greet each other. And we greet God in each other. And we greet again. And again.
As I sat ready to release 2017 (and I was ready!), I listened for what 2018 was preparing me for. What energy, focus, theme, word or phrase did I need most for the new year? Devotion.
