Be Still and Know - Day 1

If you're just now joining in, you may want to read my introduction first.

Today I'm entering into a challenge to meditate for 21 days straight... and I'm blogging about my experiences.



Thoughts before I begin:

• I'm completely excited - like bubbly excited - giddy, thrilled for what God has for me!
• I am excited to think about the others around the world who are also meditating, and think of how I am entering into a practice which somehow connects us all.
• I am interested to see how God will use this particular practice in me, and what in particular may be different than other ways I've prayed or listened to him before.
• I am open to what I need to learn in this new, different way of being silent. I am aware that raising the veil, so-to-speak, into the spiritual world opens me up to both good and evil possibilities. However, I feel firm knowing that through my grounding in Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will be able to recognize and discern the difference. I am ready to deal with my own stuff - the negative, icky stuff that is inside of me - so that I may work through it and be released from it - or at least learn how to begin to do that.

When God called me to silence this year, I had no idea what was to come. I am thankful that I have found so many ways the world is also being called to the same thing. We must all begin to awaken to the reality inside of us. God created us and called us to His Kingdom purposes. THIS collective awakening to the spark inside each of us will bring the Kingdom - through more love, creativity, hope, and peace.


During meditation:

• I chose to sit in a chair with both feet on the ground, my back gently against the back of the chair, and my hands relaxed on my lap and turned upward... not too comfortable as to lounge and possibly fall asleep, and not too uncomfortable as to make me think about my discomfort the whole time.
• I also chose to have soft meditative music playing - sounds of nature and music together. This kind of helped to mask the little creaks of the house, squirrels on the roof, cars driving by, etc.
• I began by breathing deeply. Then I began to focus on thinking about the abundant life God has for me, about how all around me are signs of how much He loves me and how much I've been given - my family, friends, home, community.
• Other thoughts came in trying to interrupt me: am I sitting properly?... how much time should I spend meditating?... how much time has it been already?... what was that noise outside?.. I have to make sure to text Leon to ask about his meeting.... Remember to get grapes...
• I know that interrupting thoughts are normal, so as they came I just recognized them, let them go, and returned to my breath and my abundant life.
• I noticed as I relaxed my eyes, I could see waves of different shades of darkness going in and around, like a wooshy screen saver on a PC.
• I continued to just be. I just tried to feel, to experience what God had for me. I listened.
• Thankfulness, gratitude welled up inside of me, filling my whole being. My physical body felt almost numb and slightly tingly, while my inner self was so alive, full, complete. Words fail me here.
• I noticed a smile on my face, and ever so slight tears in my eyes. I felt so relaxed and peaceful. Also overwhelmed with joy.
• When I came back to awareness of my breath and my body and opened my eyes, it had been about 20 minutes.

Thoughts after meditation:

• I still feel a bit numb and tingly. Don't really know why. I guess it's like being really, really relaxed. A smile is still on my face.
• It was hard for me to come back to "reality" because I was really enjoying meditating, just being in the space where God is! I feel so loved and grateful for all that I have.
• Here are some thoughts I'm having:
• Abundant life is...  Joy, peace, love in each moment. Recognizing the richness of all we have been given. Sucking the marrow out of life so much so that the life inside us overflows into the world around us expressed as the Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control...
• I feel so abundantly blessed by my family, my relationship with the Divine, my friends, my love and service toward others, my calling and my God-given passions.
• I want to be continually connected to the Source of the abundance, so that in each moment I am awake and aware of what that moment has for me and how I can give back to it.
• I feel so full, happy, smiling, relaxed. I feel such love for life.
• I know that each day of meditation will not necessarily be filled with such elation. I think that beginning this challenge has added some thrill. But I also know that I am ready. I am so ready. I am so wanting to go deeper toward the Christ within me. I want to get to know my Creator better. I want to get to know myself better - my TRUE self - the person I was created to be. I am open and available for what these days of meditation have for me.
• I wonder if I will continue daily meditation after these 21 days are over.

Later in the day:

So, I wondered how this exhilarating meditation time in the morning would carry on through the day. Would I promptly forget and return to the humdrum life? or would I be able to carry the gratitude and love with me in each moment? Well, my day probably fell somewhere in between. I don't know what can be directly linked to my time in meditation, or what was happenstance, or what was just me being me, but here are some things I observed.

• While the day had some stressers, I was still in a great mood throughout the day, able to take things in stride.
• I still had moments of frustration with the kiddos, or time constraints, or people being people, but nothing out of the ordinary.
• A few times throughout the day I remembered my time of meditation and brought myself back into the moment. For me, being in the moment gives me life, puts things into perspective, and adds to the overall abundant life, making me more loving and filled with life.
• As I went to bed, I remembered that some people suggest to meditate twice a day: once in the morning and once before dinner. I didn't do that, and honestly before dinner is probably the craziest time of my day, so it likely will not happen. Although, maybe I'll try it sometime with all the kids... Hmmm, that could make for a peaceful evening in the Verriere house... I might be on to something there!

What a great beginning! It's been really great writing this all down. As I get into a groove, every day's posts won't be this long, I'm sure. I get chills thinking about how God can awaken us all to a deeper relationship with Him. So glad you're following my journey here. :)