I'm baaaack!! How was week seven? Did you gain any new insight by reading the scriptures in a new way or learn anything new about the scriptures themselves? I hope it was a rich and beautiful week and I hope you'll give this week's challenge a chance to be a blessing in your life!
I can't even tell you what a long, emotional, difficult and wonderful week it has been for me! I taught a class on Bringing Light and Clarity into My Life (basically the TREE OF LIFE) at our stake's Women's Conference on Saturday and it went really well even though I wasn't sure how it was all going to come together until I got up there and started talking. The Holy Ghost jumped in and helped me finally know which stories I was supposed to share and what to leave out. It was really neat to see how it all worked out but it took an extremely huge leap of faith to get up there and just start talking. What an incredible opportunity it was to share with others how much the Lord loves all of us!! It was great so see many of you there and get your hugs!!
I have so much I want to share with you today but I will bog you down with too much reading so I am going to write out some things later this week. Now, let's focus on this week's challenge, which is MEDITATION!! We are in very good hands because Camille Smith, a dear friend of mine who is doing the challenge and actually teaches classes on meditation, which I have taken, has written up her thoughts on how to actually do it! It's quite simple as you will see. I just want to tell Camille thank you and let you know how much she has blessed my life. I met her at a political event (sort of) because her husband was running for office and if you know me, I gravitate towards those things... (actually I was helping out and was dressed as Abigail Adams!) anyways we started talking and just hit it off. When Liza died I knew I was in big trouble and had lots of healing to do. I came to Camille's house for a class feeling broken and scared that I might not be able to ever feel solid again. I left feeling more settled and like I had a new tool in my life to help me cope with her death, and any other problem or even to keep me centered. I had learned a few valuable things. One of which was that being still is incredibly rewarding, even necessary. The other is that what goes on in your mind is very important and can be healing if you take the time to do it. Just like anything else, you HAVE TO TRY IT!! Please give this a chance. Baby steps...
Here is Camille:
What is meditation? Why do we want to do it? In addition to my regular prayers and scripture study, meditation has been one of the most profound and life changing things I have done to increase my spirituality and to find peace!
If we want to commune with our Heavenly Father, it’s not enough to say our prayers and read. We have to make time to stop and LISTEN!! When we create a space in our busy lives for answers and inspiration to show up- they will.
I started out on this path to learn meditation several years ago because I so desperately needed to learn to be still. I felt like I was running so fast and spinning so many plates that at any moment it would all come crashing down. I remember having a regular conversation in my head where I would try to figure out how I could possibly accomplish the many things that were on my to do list. No matter how well I managed my time and tried to stay organized I always came up short!
I came from a family of very busy bees. My grandpa’s key chain said “Slow me Down, Lord.” Now my grandpa is gone and that same key chain belongs to my Dad and is very applicable to our family. Learning a different way of being and slowing down has been a tremendous blessing. One of my favorite scriptures, “Be still and know that I am God”
If you have never spent any time meditating before and you don’t even know what it is, let me tell you it is SO simple! Just put everything down, sit on a chair, or the floor, close your eyes and be still. (turn off your phone or any other distractions first) When you first try this, your mind may become very busy talking to you and saying things like “What are you doing, this is such a waste of time, you have all these things to do, this is so silly, what is supposed to be happening, am I doing this right?” And a million other thoughts. This is NORMAL. It is called busy mind syndrome, but like any skill when you practice being still, this busy mind can learn to subside.
One image that works well for me is to think of your thoughts like a waterfall- endless , never stopping. (By the way, your thoughts are not you!) You can choose, in your mind’s eye, to step out of the stream of thoughts and choose to have a seat behind the waterfall. That way you can just watch your thoughts in more of a detached way. You could even say “Oh there’s that thought again, that’s interesting” In other words, choose to view your thoughts in a non judgmental way. Even with a gentle curiosity. This process, of being still, as you practice regularly will have amazing effects. Your ability to be calm (despite the circumstances you are in), manage stress, be more discerning and feel closer to your HF will improve!
You don’t have to sit in the lotus position or have any special equipment, only the will to try it and a quiet space. Playing quiet music can help as you get started although silence is great too. Don’t wait for the perfect situation or time, practice now- in your car (not while you’re driving please!) or in your bathroom or closet. I promise the results will astound you! Have a notebook or journal nearby for those flashes of inspiration. Good luck! Email me if you have any questions. camillebstill@cox.net.
If anyone else likes meditating and has other thoughts or advice for the group early in the week, before the survey, please send them to me and I will send them out. This goes for all our challenges etc. If you ever have any inspiration or encouragement, you don't have to wait for the Survey. Speaking of Surveys, HERE IT IS!!
I love you so much! Your friendship means the world to me!! Have a great week and remember we are doing this to feel more of God's love that is already out there, not to try and be worthy of his love. He already loves us just the way we are! We are just planting the seeds in our hearts and seeing what grows and what helps us feel that love and what helps us see ourselves as he sees us! Pretty important stuff but it is for YOU to be HAPPY!!! Not stressed or angry that you aren't perfect! I have not done well with the exercise part of this challenge, like I thought I would, but other parts have been incredibly helpful and powerful and that's the idea! See what works and take it a step at a time. And love yourself along the way!!
Lots of love!
Sarah
No comments:
Post a Comment