Musings from the Sanctuary: meditation
Well, I’m reading a new book now, “The Seven Storied Mountain”, by Thomas Merton. It’s an autobiography about a guy who became a Catholic monk later in life…so far I’m really enjoying it. But, that’s not the topic of this post. One last excerpt from the book I recently finished, “Be Still and Get Going”, by the Jewish rabbi Alan Lew. It’s about an image used in meditation which I’ve found to be very powerful for keeping my experience with RA in perspective, as told to Alan by Thick Nhat Hanh. I like it because it acknowledges the chaos and turmoil that we encounter when life’s storms are raging yet provides a way of finding something solid to hold on to in the midst of the storm.
“Visualize yourself as a tree on the top of a mountain during a terrible storm. The wind and rain are blowing through your branches so fiercely that you are genuinely afraid you will be uprooted. When we are oppressed by emotions, we feel very insecure and fragile, we may even feel that we are in danger of losing life itself. We begin by identifying with the tree to attune ourselves to this psychological reality. But why continue to identify with the tree? Why not identify instead with the mountain, as solid and immovable as the universe and unthreatened by any storm? After all, our roots go down into the mountain, and really we are quite stable. If we are the tree, we are also the mountain. There is no need for us to identify only with the most vulnerable, unstable part of what we are.”
The mountain can represent many different things to different people, to me it’s strongly connected to my own personal religious beliefs and the support I draw from friends and family who share those beliefs. They are the immovable mountain that my roots have grown deep into, providing stability when life’s storms rage. When I meditate, I picture the tree planted on the mountain top, tossed to and fro in the storm, yet firmly rooted in the solid rock of the mountain. It brings me strength, yet doesn’t deny the ferocity of the storm.
I hope you find peace and joy in your life,
Alan
Alan
THank you for that today was one of the worst.
Hi Alan,
I have found something helpful for people, like me, that can't mediate for any length of time. My mind runs like quicksilver.
There was a book I read that talks about emotions and thoughts causing or adding to illness. Like a tape recorder the negative thought is played over and over and then starts to manifest.
I do rhyming affirmations to nursery songs since I sing then all day to my daughter. I change the words to be positive reinforcement of what I want to erase in the negative form. It works, after awhile it plays automatically in my head like the person that can't get the words of a song out of their head.
It helps me and could be another alternative to mediation.
Peace Be Still,
LuAnn
I also have problems with concentration...adhd....and so there is just no way that I can meditate...although for those that are able to do it, I think the benefit is great. My brain tends to work like this....I start reading...like that post above....and after the first few lines I think...'Im a tree....Im a tree....'and then I start thinking about whats for dinner and what is that on the tv....I have zero concentration I swear but I did do guided imagery a few times when I was seeing a counselor for stress, and ulcers. She used to take me throught this whole thing were you would put your self in a scene and you would be so relaxed at the end that you would be like a bowl of mush. It was pretty cool. I bet that could help alot of RA patients...just to relax and manage stress. That counselor had a special degree in music therapy. Okay, you made my day. Now I have this image stuck in my head: a beautiful young woman running around in circles with her hands in the air saying over and over...I'm a tree...I'm a tree! Now I'm off to meditate.
Crunchy,
You are too funny.... If you are saying I am a tree over and over, no wonder you are stiff, :)teeHee
Example of Rhyming affirmation from nursery rhyme;
Frera jaca I am healing
Frera jaca I am healing
dorme vu Yes I am
dorme vu Yes I am
use the positive words that fit your situation. Try it for the non-mediators.
LuAnn :)
What does &nbs p mean....I tried saying that 3 times real fast and got dizzy.....
big typos
I edited LOL
Now that I can read...and say....