Carpe Diem #1131 meditation

My Response to Carpe Diem #1131 - Road to Santiago - Meditation.

This month we are walking with Chèvrefeuille the road to Santiago de Compostela as we read The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho.

Today the word is Meditation - Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. Meditation is not a part of any religion; it is a science, which means that the process of meditation follows a particular order, has definite principles, and produces results that can be verified.

In meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or on the events taking place around you. Meditation requires an inner state that is still and one-pointed so that the mind becomes silent. When the mind is silent and no longer distracts you, meditation deepens.

These couple of paragraphs were copied from - https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-real-meaning-of-meditation  check it out.

Chèvrefeuille Tells how Paulo and Petrus (his guide) are on their way to Santiago use several exercises to find their deeper grounds. 

The Blue Sphere Exercise

Seat yourself comfortably, and relax. Try not to think about anything.

1. Feel how good it is to be alive. 

Let your heart feel free and affectionate; let it rise above and beyond the details of the problems that may be bothering you. 

Begin to sing softly a song from your childhood. 

Imagine that your heart is growing, filling the room – and later your home – with an intense, shining blue light.

2. When you reach this point, begin to sense the presence of the saints (or other beings) in which you placed your faith when you were a child. 

Notice that they are present, arriving from everywhere, smiling and giving you faith and confidence.

3. Picture the saints approaching you, placing their hands on your head and wishing you love, peace, and communion with the world – the communion of the saints.

4. When this sensation becomes strong, feel that the blue light is a current that enters you and leaves you like a shining, flowing river. 

This blue light begins to spread through your house, then through your neighborhood, your city, and your country; it eventually envelops the world in an immense blue sphere. 

This is the manifestation of the great love that goes beyond the day-to-day struggle; it reinforces and invigorates, as it provides energy and peace.

5. Keep the light spread around the world for as long as possible. Your heart is open, spreading the love. This phase of the exercise should last for a minimum of five minutes.

6. Come out of your trance, bit by bit, and return to reality. 

The saints will remain near. The blue light will continue to spread around the world.

This ritual can and should be done with more than one person. 

When this is the case, the participants should hold hands while they do the exercise.

It's a wonderful way of meditating. 

I will bring you the comfort, peace, love and silence you need to break loose from your daily life. 

You just have to try it to experience it. It's really awesome.

My Tanka - Meditation

surroundings are quiet

mindfall of past happenings 

light bright but not blue

grandmother is standing near
offering her hand to peace