Finding gentle peace
by Rachel
Breathing, in a quiet environment, with the body completely relaxed, gently focussing on the point where the in breath and out breath touch the nostrils can be one of the simplest, most fundamental forms of meditation.It calms the mind, clears the negativity away, and replaces it with an understanding that we are able to live peacefully. Such a life is possible!
Learnt from the practices of Buddhism, the nature of the practice can be done by anyone, without the need for following any religious order, teacher or tool.
I joined a meditation group in September 2001. Inner peace had eluded me for the years I struggled with generalised anxiety.
I had already embraced a healthier diet, given up alcohol, and begun to exercise in outdoor settings. I was learning that for me, anxiety was built up energy that ran around my body and thoughts without a leash!
So I slowly retrained myself to harness this energy again. Energy is what takes us forward in life, and intuition is the inner guide that brings us to the people and situations that will benefit and support us best.
With all the unhelpful 'noise' that anxiety creates, it is sometimes impossible to hear that gentle intuition, our self care, and so a sense of helplessness sets in.
How could I turn down the 'noise' to hear what I most needed for self care?
In a nutshell, I knew it was time to get a simplified, practical skill to find peace.
This meditation, practiced in small moments, helped me turn off the anxiety, rediscover my intuition, and find my ability to enjoy living in the present moment. It is a very grounding practice, and one which is reassuring on many levels. I give this article as a thank-you, to those who assisted me in learning this powerful skill, and I pass it on to you all, who may wish to look a little more holistically at their situation, and find gentle peace.
Books on meditation:
"Wherever You Go, There you Are - Mindfulness meditation in everyday life" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"Mindfulness in Plain English" by Venerable Henepola Gunartana
"Peace is Every Step" by Thich Nhat Hahn
"Balance To Meditation" (CD) - A guided meditation with Tibetan healing bowl
Available from Blue Tables Massage Centre, 175 St Georges Rd North Fitzroy 9482-5300.
P.S. After you have become calmer, check out this brilliant book to kick arse! "Self-Assertiveness for Women" by Pamela Butler.
Summer 2002
