A Chance

Today, Colorado, like many other states entered into a shelter in place status as ordered by our governor. I personally, have been in my house for almost a week (Sunday will be a week since my lay off- though it seems so much longer). This is a chance to learn ourselves and those closest to us. It is a chance, for deep reflection, contemplation and for that rest that many of us have been putting off for a while.

Yesterday, I talked about cleaning as a form of magick. Today I want to talk about other ways we can work magic in small ways while we are doing our part to flatten the curve and protect those most vulnerable to this virus.

One of the first things we can do is meditation- learn to be still, be silent. So much of our lives are normally taken up with advertisements, work requirements, the demands of schedules and keeping up with children’s activities; we don’t have time to truly hear ourselves think, let alone the Divine. Meditation, gives us a chance to slow down, to listen, to be still and see what comes.

Meditation is a discipline that can be incredibly simple and yet astonishingly complex. Sitting still and being silent is not something that is looked on as productive in Western Society, yet there are many benfits to the practice. What those benefits might be in your life is a question only you, practicing meditation can answer.

So where do you start? Start with breath. Breathing is one of the most simplistic and intrinisically natural act we can do- but how often do we actually pay attention to our breath? We do it without thinking. It is something, like many things, we take for granted. This situation, gives us a chance to pay attention to the things we normally take for granted. So let’s start with breath.

Sometime today, take fine minutes, to actually stop and pay attention to how you breathe. How deep do you breathe? How does your breath feel? What does paying attention to your breath make you feel like? If other thoughts come to mind, simply acknowledge them and then gently return your attention back to your breath. Remember , there is no right or wrong experience here, ONLY your experience. After your time is up if you are of a mind to spend sometime journaling, record your experience (especially, if this is the first time you have attempted to meditate.) This will help you to figure out what things are normal for your own self.

Spend this week, taking time during the day paying attention to your breath. How does this experience of slowing down and enjoying something as simple as breathing change your perspective? What has doing this made you think or feel? What was your experience throughout this?

Take a Chance… to get to know yourself.